In daily life, some people enjoy drinking fruit and vegetable juice in the morning. Although it can provide direct nutrients from fruits and vegetables and help cleanse the body of waste, many overlook the most critical issue: the human body always prefers a warm environment. Wang Bingyuan, a professor of gastroenterology at the First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, reminds us that only when the body is warm can microcirculation be normal, ensuring the smooth transport of oxygen, nutrients, and waste. Therefore, when eating breakfast, you should never start with fruit and vegetable juice, iced coffee, or iced juice. You may not feel any discomfort in the short term, but it will gradually weaken your body.
Breakfast should consist of hot food to protect the "wei qi" (stomach qi). In Traditional Chinese Medicine, "wei qi" is a broad concept that doesn't just refer to the stomach organ itself; it includes the digestive and absorption capabilities of the spleen and stomach, acquired immunity, and the function of muscles.
In the morning, the yin energy from the night has not yet dissipated, and the earth's temperature has not yet risen. The body's muscles, nerves, and blood vessels are still in a state of contraction. If you consume cold food and drinks at this time, it will cause the body's various systems to constrict even more and impede blood flow. Initially, you might not feel any discomfort in your stomach or intestines, but over time or as you age, you may find that your stools are consistently loose, your skin condition worsens, you always have a phlegmy throat, you catch colds frequently, and minor ailments persist. This is a sign of weakened "wei qi" and a compromised body's resistance.
Therefore, the first thing you should have in the morning should be hot foods like congee, hot oatmeal porridge, hot tofu pudding, hot soy milk, or sesame paste, followed by vegetables, bread, fruit, and snacks.