What Is Nutraceutical Dish?
Chinese nutraceutical dishes—the exquisite flower in the medical garden—have endured thousands of years, evolving into today’s comprehensive theoretical system and preparation methods. “People regard food as heaven.” Since ancient times, this principle inspired people. During the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, nutraceutical dishes began to emerge. Records in *The Inner Canon* mention “Banxia Jujube Porridge,” while *Golden Chamber* documents “Danggui Mutton Soup.” Through continuous compilation and collection by generations of physicians, nutraceutical dishes have developed into today’s rich content, proven efficacy, and far-reaching influence as a health-preserving method. Modern nutritional science has greatly advanced their development, placing nutraceutical dishes on a promising path of integration between traditional Chinese and Western medicine, playing an increasingly important role in public health and daily life.
Nutraceutical foods are not ordinary nutritional products but modern functional foods. Combining herbs with food enables “medicine enhanced by flavor, food assisted by herb power,” transforming “good medicine is bitter” into “good medicine is palatable.” Thus, nutraceutical dishes are delicious delicacies that fully harness herbal efficacy—perfectly satisfying human nature of disliking medicine but enjoying food. They are easy to popularize, widely available, can be prepared at home, representing a special and beloved form of traditional Chinese medicine.