The Health Path of Food Temperature, Bone-Nourishing Diets, and Sperm-Generating Foods

Hot food harms bones, cold food harms lungs; food that is neither too hot nor too cold is most suitable.

When food is served, we habitually say, "Eat it while it's hot!" For a long time, Chinese people have been accustomed to eating hot food, which is determined by our own constitution. Some people feel more comfortable eating hotter food, but this is actually detrimental to health and should be corrected. The ancient medical scholar Sun Simiao pointed out in his book *Qianjin Yifang* (Supplement to the Thousand Golden Prescriptions): "Hot food injures the bones, cold food injures the lungs; hot food should not burn the lips, cold food should not chill the teeth." Therefore, we should pay attention to the balance of hot and cold when eating.

1. Dangers of hot food

From steaming noodles to piping hot porridge and scalding hot pot, the word "hot" has always been an integral part of Chinese cuisine. This is because Asians are generally considered to have weaker constitutions, and eating hot food provides the body with more energy, helping people stay warm and maintain body temperature. In contrast, the food consumed in Europe and America is typically high in calories, so there are no particular requirements regarding food temperature, and cold food is more common in their diets.

However, a growing body of research now shows a close link between excessively hot food and various digestive tract diseases, including esophageal cancer. The esophageal wall is composed of a very delicate mucous membrane, which can only tolerate food temperatures of 50-60°C. Temperatures exceeding this can burn the esophageal mucosa. Excessively hot food, ranging from 70-80°C, such as freshly brewed tea (which can reach 80-90°C), can easily burn the esophageal wall. Frequent consumption of scalding hot food, with the mucous membrane damaged before it can heal and then burned again, can lead to superficial ulcers. Repeated burns and repair cycles can cause changes in the mucous membrane, potentially developing into tumors.

2. Cold food is even less advisable.

In the hot summer, people often cool down and relieve the heat by eating cold drinks. However, eating cold drinks all the time can damage the "stomach qi" and reduce the body's resistance. In traditional Chinese medicine, stomach qi does not simply refer to the "stomach" organ, but includes the digestive and absorptive capacity of the spleen and stomach, acquired immunity, and muscle function.

Actually, drinking mung bean soup in summer is a great way to cool down and relieve heat. Appropriately increasing the intake of cooling foods such as white radish, lotus seeds, cucumber, winter melon, bananas, and oranges, and eating some cold dishes every day, are also good habits that can balance the intake of high-calorie, high-fat foods. Furthermore, research has confirmed that drinking cool boiled water is very beneficial to the body and is the most thirst-quenching beverage. Drinking some cool boiled water every day in winter can also help prevent colds and pharyngitis.

Generally speaking, the healthiest and most suitable food temperature is "neither cold nor hot." Many parents blow on food to warm it slightly before feeding their babies, but this temperature is also most suitable for adults. The ideal temperature is when the food feels slightly warm to the lips but not scalding.

Similarly, people should pay attention to the temperature of the water they drink. It's best to drink warm water daily, between 18 and 45℃. Water that is too hot can damage tooth enamel and severely irritate the digestive tract lining. Even in winter, the water temperature should not exceed 50℃. If you are particularly sensitive to cold, you can eat more foods that have a "heat-generating" effect, such as ginger, pepper, cinnamon, and chili peppers, which will not damage the esophagus and also have additional health benefits.

Men's daily diet should include methods to nourish bones.

Bones are the body's support system, and maintaining skeletal balance is crucial for men to preserve physiological balance. Bones are composed of a dense network of tissues containing proteins and minerals (such as calcium). If, for various reasons, the mineral content of bones gradually decreases, they become brittle, unable to withstand the pressure of physical activity, and prone to fracture, severely impacting a person's daily life. Clearly, bone health plays a vital role in overall health.

The concept of "the kidneys governing bones and producing marrow" has been proposed in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) since ancient times. The *Huangdi Neijing* (Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic) clearly states that bones support the body, serving as its framework. This function depends primarily on the nourishment of bone marrow, which is derived from kidney essence. In other words, the kidneys store essence, essence generates marrow, and marrow is stored within the bone cavities. The marrow nourishes the bones, promoting their growth and development. Therefore, the kidneys, essence, marrow, and bones form a system with intrinsic connections. Sufficient kidney essence ensures a source for marrow production, nourishing the bones and resulting in vigorous development, dense, strong, and powerful bones. Conversely, deficient kidney essence hinders bone marrow production, depriving the bones of nourishment. In children, this manifests as poor bone development or growth retardation, weak bones, and delayed closure of the fontanelle; in adults, it presents as lower back and knee pain, unsteady gait, or even immobility; and in the elderly, it leads to fragile bones and susceptibility to fractures.

Therefore, it is clear that the root of strong bones lies in nourishing the kidneys; healthy bones are actually built through proper nutrition. Below are some common and easy-to-make bone-strengthening dietary recipes for your reference:

1. Mulberry and Beef Bone Soup

Ingredients: 25g mulberries, 500g beef bones, appropriate amounts of rice wine, white sugar, ginger, and scallions.

Instructions: Wash the mulberries and steam them with a little rice wine and sugar. Separately, place beef bones in a pot, bring water to a boil, skim off the foam, add ginger and scallions, and continue boiling. When the beef bones turn white, add the steamed mulberries. After boiling again, skim off any foam, season to taste, and it's ready to drink.

Efficacy: Nourishes Yin and blood, strengthens the kidneys and muscles. Suitable for osteoporosis and menopausal syndrome, and also effective for insomnia, dizziness, deafness, and neurasthenia caused by liver and kidney Yin deficiency.

2. Black bean and pork bone soup

Ingredients: 30g black beans, 300g pork ribs.

Instructions: Wash and soak the black beans until soft. Place them in a pot with pork bones, add water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the black beans are tender. Season to taste and serve.

Efficacy: Tonifies the kidneys and invigorates blood circulation, dispels wind and dampness. Suitable for senile osteoporosis, rheumatic pain, etc.

Men should eat more foods that promote sperm production.

A man's semen is produced by the supply of nutrients from various foods, especially vitamins A and E, calcium, phosphorus, zinc, iron, and copper. Insufficient intake of these nutrients can affect the quality of a man's semen. These nutrients also participate in the metabolism of various enzymes and insulin, and promote the activity of sex hormones and gonads.

Zinc is an essential trace element for the human body, closely related to metabolism, growth and development, and many other physiological functions, especially playing a vital role in maintaining the integrity and function of the male reproductive system. Men can obtain sufficient zinc and copper by regularly consuming seafood such as clams and oysters in their daily diet. Zinc is sometimes called the "harmony element for couples" because it is an important component of male semen. Foods rich in zinc also include fish, pork liver, beef liver, beef, shrimp, shellfish, seaweed, sesame seeds, peanuts, soybeans, and soy products.

Arginine can enhance male sexual function and spermatogenesis. Arginine is an essential component for sperm formation; consuming foods rich in arginine can improve sperm quality. Foods rich in arginine include frozen tofu, dried tofu, tofu skin, peanuts, walnuts, soybeans, sesame seeds, seaweed, peas, eel, octopus, flounder, sea cucumber, and eel. These foods are excellent sources of nutrition for men.

Animal offal contains a relatively high amount of cholesterol, of which about 10% is adrenal cortex hormones and sex hormones. Moderate consumption can also have a certain effect on improving sexual function.

Calcium ions can improve sperm maturation, and eating more calcium-rich foods can help improve male fertility. Calcium-rich foods can improve male sexual function and enhance sperm production to varying degrees.