Everything has yin and yang in it. Those foods that have more yang components than yin are called "yang." And those foods that have more yin components than yang are called "yin." A food can be more yin compared to a different food while at the same time it is more yang compared to another food. There is nothing completely yin or completely yang. All is relative. (This is one of the twelve theorems of the Unique Principle.)
Beginning with the broadest category, "food," we can say generally that all plant-based foods are "yin" because of their green-colored blood (chlorophyll) compared to all animal-based foods that are "yang" because of their red-colored blood (hemoglobin). (There are other reasons too, but this is the most obvious.) Also, sea salt is "yang" because of its high sodium and mineral content and water is "yin" because of its high H2O (hydrogen and oxygen) content.
Below is a broad comparison of food categories taken from Carl Ferre's book, Essential Guide To Macrobiotics (formerly called Pocket Guide To Macrobiotics) that starts with the most yin categories at the top of the spectrum and ends with the most yang categories at the bottom. Somewhere in the middle is a neutral balance of yin and yang, just about where we see the whole grains/cereals category.
Comparison of Food Categories by Yin and Yang Qualities:
[MOST YIN]
Sweeteners
Beverages
Dairy
Oil
Fruit
Nuts
Seeds
Beans
Seaweed
Vegetables
Whole Grains/Cereals
Fish
Salted Cheese
Poultry
Red Meat
Eggs
Miso
Soy Sauce
Sea Salt
[MOST YANG]
By looking at this list, you can see that fish is more yang than whole grains, whole grains are more yang than vegetables, and sea salt is the most yang of all. You can also see that soy sauce is more yin than sea salt, eggs are more yin than soy sauce, and sweeteners are the most yin of all.
Given that whole grains are considered as the center-most balanced food for humans, a macrobiotic diet concentrates on foods at the center of the yin and yang spectrum first and then adds smaller amounts fanning out from either side of the center depending on the yin and yang needs of the individual.
See also:
The Yin And Yang Spectrum Of Food, Part 2
The Yin And Yang Spectrum Of Food, Part 3
Related Blog Articles:
Ten Macrobiotic Diets By George Ohsawa
What To Eat And Drink On A Macrobiotic Diet
What NOT To Eat (Or Drink) On A Macrobiotic Diet
