Seasonal Eating

Introduction

TCM dietary therapy recognizes that our nutritional needs shift with the seasons. Each season corresponds to an organ system, an element, and a direction of energy in the body.

Spring — Wood Element, Liver & Gallbladder

• ›Energy: Upward and outward
• ›Focus: Support the Liver's smooth flow of Qi, lighten the diet after winter
• ›Beneficial: Young greens, sprouts, lightly cooked vegetables, sour foods in moderation, dark leafy greens, beets
• ›Reduce: Heavy, greasy foods, excess dairy, raw cold foods
• ›Cooking style: Light steaming, quick stir-fry

Summer — Fire Element, Heart & Small Intestine

• ›Energy: Expansive, outward
• ›Focus: Cool and nourish, support the Heart, stay hydrated
• ›Beneficial: Cooling foods — cucumber, watermelon, tomato, mung beans; bitter foods in moderation; light proteins
• ›Reduce: Heavy meats, excess spicy foods, fried foods
• ›Cooking style: Light, quick cooking, hydrating soups

Late Summer — Earth Element, Spleen & Stomach

• ›Energy: Centering
• ›Focus: Support the Spleen and Stomach, build digestive strength
• ›Beneficial: Yellow and orange foods — squash, corn, sweet potato, pumpkin, millet; congee and warming soups
• ›Reduce: Cold, raw foods, excess dairy, iced drinks
• ›Note: Most important season for Spleen health in TCM

Autumn — Metal Element, Lung & Large Intestine

• ›Energy: Inward, descending
• ›Focus: Moisten the Lung, prepare for winter, consolidate energy
• ›Beneficial: White and pungent foods — pear, daikon radish, onion, garlic; moistening foods — honey, white sesame, lily bulb
• ›Reduce: Excessive spicy and drying foods
• ›Cooking style: Slow-cooked soups, roasting, braising

Winter — Water Element, Kidney & Bladder

• ›Energy: Inward, downward
• ›Focus: Conserve Kidney energy, warm the body, build essence
• ›Beneficial: Black and dark foods — black beans, black sesame, walnuts, kidney beans; warming foods — lamb, bone broth, chestnuts, ginger
• ›Reduce: Cold, raw foods, iced drinks, light summer foods
• ›Cooking style: Long-cooked soups and stews, bone broths, congee