In terms of dietary health in winter, traditional Chinese medicine believes that one should eat less salty food and more bitter foods. The reason is that winter is the time when the kidney meridian is vigorous, and the kidneys control salt and the heart controls bitterness. According to the theory of the Five Elements in traditional Chinese medicine, saltiness triumphs over bitterness, and kidney water restrains heart fire. If you eat too much salty food, it will make the already hyperactive kidney water even more intense, thereby weakening the power of the heart yang. Therefore, you should eat more bitter foods to help the heart yang.
冬季在饮食养生方面，中医学认为应少食咸，多吃点苦味的食物，道理是冬季为肾经旺盛之时，而肾主咸，心主苦。从中医学五行理论来说，咸胜苦、肾水克心火。若咸味吃多了，就会使本来就偏亢的肾水更亢，从而使心阳的力量减弱，所以应多食些苦味的食物，以助心阳。