The Four Humors and Your Temperament in Islamic Medicine

Updated October 2026 · 10 min read

Where this comes from

Classical Islamic medicine, as written by Ibn Sina (Avicenna), al-Razi and Ibn al-Nafis, built on the Greek system of Hippocrates and Galen. It says the body is run by four humors (الأخلاط الأربعة), each with a pair of qualities from hot, cold, wet and dry. Everyone has a mix of the four, called their mizaj (المزاج), or temperament, and health is the balance of them.

It is important to be clear about what this is. The humors are not found in the Qur'an. They are part of the medical science of its time, and modern physiology does not support them as real substances in the body. We include them because they shaped Muslim medicine and cooking for a thousand years, and because many people find them an interesting way to think about food.

The four temperaments

Most people are a blend, with one type dominant. Read all four and see which fits you best across your body, appetite, energy and mood. Traditional practitioners (hakims) also read the pulse and other signs, so a quick self-check is only a rough guide.

Blood (دم): hot and wet

Season and element: spring, air.

warm, outgoing and cheerful, laughs easily
ruddy complexion, strong appetite, sleeps well
tends to overindulge and to feel heavy afterwards

Traditional advice: favour cooling and drying foods and go easy on rich, sweet and heavy dishes.

Phlegm (بلغم): cold and wet

Season and element: winter, water.

calm, patient and slow-moving
pale or soft build, gains weight easily, sleeps long
slow digestion, prone to colds and congestion

Traditional advice: favour warming and drying foods and limit cold, heavy and dairy-rich foods.

Yellow bile (صفراء): hot and dry

Season and element: summer, fire.

driven, sharp and impatient, can be short-tempered when hungry
lean, warm body, strong thirst, fast digestion
feels worse in the heat

Traditional advice: favour cooling and moistening foods and limit hot, spicy and fried food.

Black bile (سوداء): cold and dry

Season and element: autumn, earth.

thoughtful, careful and prone to worry
thin build, dry skin, cold hands and feet, light sleeper
irregular appetite, constipation

Traditional advice: favour warming and moistening foods and limit dry, cold and bitter foods.

How foods are classified

In this system every food also has a quality, and the idea is to eat foods that balance your temperament. A few examples follow. Classical authors do not always agree, and the same food can be classed differently in different books.

Quality	Examples
Hot and dry	ginger, cinnamon, black pepper, garlic, black seed, honey
Hot and wet	fresh dates, lamb, ghee
Cold and wet	cucumber, watermelon, yogurt, fish, lettuce
Cold and dry	barley, lentils, beef, vinegar

Classical physicians often paired a cooling food with a warming one to balance a meal, such as yogurt or cucumber with a warming herb like mint or cumin. Ibn Sina and al-Razi both wrote at length on combining and tempering foods. Barley water and barley soup were the classic foods for the sick, a use inherited from Hippocrates and Galen and endorsed by Ibn Sina.

Putting it together

Blood: cooling and drying, such as barley, lentils and light soups, with less rich meat and sweets.
Phlegm: warming and drying, such as ginger, cinnamon, black seed and honey, with less cold dairy and cold drinks.
Yellow bile: cooling and moist, such as cucumber, watermelon and yogurt, with less spice and fried food.
Black bile: warming and moist, such as dates, ghee, olive oil and warm stews, with less dry, cold food.

Seasons matter too. Traditional advice is to eat lighter and cooler foods in summer, warmer and heavier foods in winter.

What the science says

The honest answer: there is no good evidence that matching your food to a humoral temperament improves health. A few small studies, mainly from Iran and South Asia, have tested temperament-based advice, but they are too small and too weak to prove anything. The categories are also hard to measure, and two practitioners may give you two different types.

Some of the traditional advice is simply good sense: eat seasonally, favour warm food when you are cold and light food when you are hot, and do not overeat. The Qur'an states the principle plainly:

"Eat and drink, but do not be excessive. Indeed, He does not like those who are excessive."

Qur'an 7:31

In short

The humors are a historical framework, not a religious ruling and not proven physiology.
It is fine to use as a lens for choosing foods you enjoy and that sit well with you.
Do not use it to manage a medical condition, skip medication or avoid whole food groups.
For calories, protein and your goals, use evidence-based nutrition. That is what Sihha Fit's halal meal plans are built on.

Medical disclaimer

This page is for general education. It is not medical advice and does not diagnose or treat any condition. Talk to a qualified doctor about your own health, and do not delay treatment because of something you read here.

The four humors and your temperament