Eating seasonally has many benefits - most notably, food tends to be more delicious as it is fresher and contains more nutrients than foods consumed out of season. From a Chinese medicine perspective, eating foods that are in season is a way to keep your body in balance. Chinese medicine states that we are inextricably linked to the natural world, so matching both our lifestyles and diets to nature is a great way to support our health.

Below is a list of our favorite foods to consume this fall season:

Pumpkin- we love pumpkin in warm curries and soups especially. In Chinese medicine, pumpkin is a “Spleen Qi” tonic, meaning that it helps to support the gut and our ability to break down foods and turn them into nutrients. Great food to add in for any digestive issues!

Pumpkin seeds-We love them in trail mixes, quinoa bowl toppings, chocolate bark, and even used in seed cycling for hormone health. Just make sure the shell is removed, this makes them easier to digest. From a Chinese medicine perspective pumpkin seeds help to expel parasites and fungi such as candida. Fun fact: they are also used for insufficient lactation! From a modern nutrition perspective, pumpkin seeds are used for gut health and contain lots of zinc, which helps to support the immune system. They even contain a bit of iron, and as well as Vitamin K, manganese, and magnesium.

Chai- spices, and lattes- If you read my last blog post about the season of fall according to Chinese medicine, then you know it’s time to switch from cold beverages to a nice warm chai drink to start your day. Chai spice contains lots of warming spices- such as ginger, cinnamon, black pepper, cardamom, and cinnamon. These are all great for supporting digestion, boosting metabolism, and supporting blood and lymph flow. Spices also contain anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. In Chinese medicine, the spicy flavor helps to promote water metabolism This helps to ensure a healthy gut and keeps everything moving along Smoothly. Add Chai to your morning beverage, or add chai spice to curries, pumpkin or squash dishes, or your oatmeal.

My favorite local Chai concentrate is Sherpa Chai- they carry an unsweetened chai concentrate made in Boulder, Co that you can even find at King Soopers. Here is a link to their product: https://www.sherpachai.com/unsweetened-traditional-sherpa-Chai

What are you most excited about eating this fall? We’d love to know your favorite fall foods!

Blog written by Samantha Kloss, L.Ac.