Consanguinity of edibles and medicinals (食药同源)

Abstract

A suboptimal diet is a preventable risk factor for non-communicable diseases. Food is being used as medicine to manage illness in the United States and China. Here, we review 84 “food as medicine” or “食药同源” clinical trials. Despite the initially promising results, ingredient standardization, chrononutrition, the long-term impact of childhood malnutrition, and the integration of dietary treatment into healthcare practices remain challenging. Collective efforts should be directed toward medical food certification, clinician and dietitian training on the use of food as medicine, a mechanistic understanding of food-host interactions, and clinical demonstrations of the complex effects of medically certified foods on populations with defined indications.