Traditional Chinese medicine places a great emphasis on seasons and living in harmony with them. Seasonal changes are usually marked with festivals and celebrations.
Origins of Easter
Prior to the spread of Christianity many pagan European traditions celebrated the spring goddess Eoster from which the Easter festival gets its name. She was the goddess of fertility, rebirth and renewal and in charge of bringing new growth after the cold, lifeless months of winter.
Easter bunny
Her symbol was the rabbit or a hare which represents fertility in many cultures around the world. Hares are able to become pregnant with a second litter of offspring when still pregnant with the first!
The Easter bunny is a direct representation of Eoster.
The bunny is believed to be able to lay a nest of coloured eggs as gifts for good children.
Many of us believe the Easter bunny to be male because of the bow tie often seen on drawings. The male pregnancy and egg- laying mammal aspects of the Easter bunny are certainly interesting to explain to the more intelligent and inquiring of children!
The giving of chocolate at Easter is a fairly new tradition coming from the German tradition of giving eggs, another symbol of fertility and life
Chocolate according to Chinese medicine.
Chocolate has three main ingredients: Cocoa, sugar and butter.
According to Chinese medicine each ingredient has a distinct flavour that corresponds to a specific organ in the body.
Cocoa
Cocoa is bitter. It is seen as being beneficial to the heart both physically and emotionally.Research shows it is rich in Polyphenols a group of plant proteins which are being studied for their influence on cardiovascular health.
Cocoa also produces agents which enhances the production of various feel good chemicals such as serotonin and dopamine.
Butter
Butter is sweet. It is beneficial in small quantities. Can be beneficial to the stomach and digestion
No not as many redemptive qualities as cocoa is there?
Unrefined sugar
Natural unrefined sugar is sweet and in Chinese medicine is seen to benefit the spleen and the appetite.
Sugars are the quickest source of energy.
Cocoa is definitely winning here too!
To finish
The darker the chocolate the better it is for your health
Remember anything in excess is unhealthy but as long as you eat it in moderation please be reassured there are at least a few theories of the Chocolate bunnies’ health benefits.
Have a lovely Easter and hoping all my readers are getting some well deserved time off work!
