Eating seasonally helps bring the balance of the five elements into our daily life. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), different foods are associated with various tastes, temperatures, organ systems, and functions in the body. In this article, we’ll discuss these associations and some simple recipe ideas.
Tailoring to our inner seasons through tongue diagnosis
Tongue diagnosis is a diagnostic tool used by TCM practitioners to evaluate your overall health and the function of your internal organs. The color, shape, coating, and moisture can indicate possible imbalances that guide treatment plans. It can also guide us to select the best foods to support your health. Let’s discuss some basics of TCM tongue diagnosis.
The tip of your tongue is the area of the Heart. Right behind it is the Lung area. The sides of the tongue show what’s going on in your Liver and Gallbladder. The center of your tongue shows your Spleen and Stomach. The root of your tongue at the back of your mouth shows the state of your Kidneys, Bladder, and Intestines.
What does a ‘normal’ tongue look like? Your tongue body should match the color of your lips (without lipstick), which accounts for different skin tones. The normal tongue coating is thin, white, and very slightly moist.
Examples of tongue presentations:
- Heat on your tongue may show up as a yellow coat, or redness of the tongue body. These colors may show up all over the tongue or in different areas. If it’s the tip of the tongue, it indicates Heart Heat. If it’s the sides of the tongue, this is heat in the Liver or Gallbladder.
- If the body of your tongue is pale, this indicates deficiency of Yang or Blood. A bluish-purple color is a progression from pale and indicates Cold and Blood Stasis.
- A tongue that is swollen, meaning you have teeth marks or ‘pie crust’ edges, indicates Dampness and Yang deficiency if it’s pale, or Damp-heat if it’s red.
- If the tongue is very moist, this may indicate that Yang Qi isn’t doing its job of transforming body fluids, and Dampness occurs. If the tongue coating is sticky, it may indicate Dampness or Phlegm.
What does tongue diagnosis have to do with food?
Tailor your food choices based on your tongue diagnosis, even if it does not match the season. For example, if your practitioner gives you a diagnosis that includes Heat or Damp Heat, you will want to limit warming foods, herbs, and spices. Examples include lamb, peppers, and cinnamon (and foods in the winter section below). Instead, look at the recommendations in the summer section.
If you are given a diagnosis of Cold or Damp Cold, or Cold Phlegm, you’ll want to limit the recommendations for cooling foods in the summer section. Add warming foods from the winter section instead. If your TCM diagnosis involves Damp or Phlegm, you’ll want to limit Damp-inducing foods such as dairy, processed sugars, and flours. Consider adding aromatic foods such as garlic and onions, scallions, black pepper, and cardamom. Adzuki beans, bok choy, daikon, lentils, and pumpkin also help to drain Damp.
As we age, we also want to focus on foods that help our Kidneys. In general, that means eating longer-cooked foods that are warmer in nature. Avoid raw, cold, and processed foods. Fermented dairy products like kefir, yogurt, and cottage cheese are better for digestion as we age.
According to TCM, our Kidneys govern our bones and a “high-protein diet of heavy meats weakens the bones of the older person and severely taxes the organs of digestion, respiration, and circulation.” - Pitchford, p. 366
Instead, choose a variety of foods to support the Kidneys. Your practitioner will be able to tell you if you have Kidney Yang deficiency, Kidney Yin deficiency, or a little of both. Foods that nourish Yang include beef, chicken, goose egg, miso, mustard leaf, and sea cucumber. Foods that nourish Yin include cantaloupe, duck, green tea, lotus root, tomato, and winter melon.
The importance of how we cook and eat our foods
It’s important to understand that how we cook our foods can change their properties. For example, sautéing and slow cooking foods are some of the cooking methods that preserve foods’ nutritive value. By contrast, microwaving foods can remove some of their available nutritive Qi.
“High-temperature cooking methods such as stir-frying, deep-frying, and roasting will change the properties of neutral or even cooling ingredients to warm/hot. Although the original ingredient may have been healthy, the eating of fried vegetables like French fries and tempura can easily lead to internal Heat. Fire-based cooking methods where food is directly in contact with high temperatures, such as deep-fried, charred or barbecued meats stimulate their warming and drying properties.” - Lau, Nutritional Therapy in TCM
How and when we eat our foods also has an effect on our digestion. The role of the Spleen and Stomach is to digest and transform our food as well as to process intellectual information. To support the Spleen and Stomach, try setting aside time for your meals; don’t rush to eat between appointments, and try to have at least one meal or snack a day without distractions. Put your electronic devices aside and simply focus on the food you are enjoying. Keep track of how your digestion is after doing this for a week.
What’s at your farm market? Geographic considerations for eating with the seasons
Here’s a sample of what folks from different areas are finding in their gardens and markets during the fall:
- Kelsey McCrae is Landscape Horticulturist and Arborist in Louisiana who lives in Baton Rouge, which is zone 9a. (New Orleans is zone 9b and is a bit hotter.) The hot weather at this time of year means that they have only been able to harvest peppers, squash, and okra. They use hoop houses and fans to create a climate zone. “Herbs like thyme, basil, chives, green onion, rosemary, are perennialized and going strong if established.” Summer vegetables like tomatoes are being stored. They are planting mustards, collards, and sweet potatoes for the fall and cooler weather. Lemongrass and sugar cane will be harvested soon.
- In Western Massachusetts, Brandy is enjoying the last of the tomatoes, cucumbers, and summer squash. Winter squash, kale, and other hearty greens are coming in, as are garlic and onions. They have basil, sage, thyme, rosemary, and oregano for herbs. There are apples and the last of the pears. Potatoes, corn, and cabbage (except for brussel sprouts) are ready to be harvested.
- In the mountains of southwest Virginia, cucumber season has just ended and there are green beans and some tomatoes. Beets, carrots, cabbage and broccoli will be ready to harvest soon. Radishes and pumpkins will be ready in about 3 weeks before the first frost. There are apples in the orchards.
- In Northern Germany, Maike says it's apple harvest season. Lamb’s lettuce is not quite ready to be harvested. Pointed cabbage season has started. There are pumpkins and Hokkaido squash. It’s mushroom season but many of them are imported from Poland and Lithuania.
- In the Frankfurt area of Germany, G.H. Learner says there are salads, carrots, apples, pears and plums. Walnuts are beginning to fall from trees. Red beets, zucchini, pumpkins, eggplants, tomatoes, and peppers are growing in people’s gardens.
While there are similarities in produce available, the most important consideration is to eat what is in season locally where you live. This helps your body attune to the season where you are.
Climate and environmental considerations
Climate change is real and affects our seasons as well. If there is a heat wave in October, you may choose to eat something cooling instead of pumpkin soup, for example.
Eating with the seasons is more economical and environmentally-friendly because the food doesn’t travel as far to get to you. And when we are talking about food, we should be talking about the environment because we only have one planet Earth, whose soil nourishes and grows what we eat.
TCM organ systems and our senses
Our digestive process starts by looking at the foods we are about to prepare. According to TCM, eyesight is associated with the Liver. The act of cooking a meal and smelling the aromas gets our Lungs and Large Intestine involved via our nose and sounds like chopping vegetables or boiling water are heard by our Kidneys via our ears. Our Spleen helps us to digest information as well as food. Eating while not being distracted by the news, our phones, etc. helps our Spleen and Stomach to focus on transporting and transforming our food into Qi that our bodies can use. Sharing a meal with loved ones in good company nourishes the Heart.
But can’t we just microwave our meals? In our super-fast paced world where no one has any free time, spending some of our time cooking may seem hard to fit in. There are some ways we can make it easier like puréeing lemons, de-seeding pomegranates, and roasting squash in batches and freezing them for the future. Cooking with loved ones and prepping our meals once a week is another way to achieve this. This way we include our organ systems, our senses, and our spirit more than we do by unwrapping a frozen boxed lunch and microwaving it.
"The sour taste goes to the Liver, the bitter taste goes to the Heart, the sweet taste goes to the Spleen, the pungent taste goes to the Lungs, the salty taste goes to the Kidneys...if the Liver is diseased one should not eat pungent foods, if the Heart is diseased one should not eat salty foods, if the Spleen is diseased one should not eat sour foods, if the Kidney is diseased one should not eat sweet foods, if the Lung is diseased one should not eat bitter foods" - The Spiritual Axis, Chapter 56
We began with the organ systems and each of their associated tastes. From here, let’s carry them forward to their corresponding seasons. Fall is the time of Metal element, the Lungs and Large Intestine. Winter is the time of the Water element, the Kidneys and Bladder. Spring is the time of the Wood element, the Liver and Gallbladder. Summer is the time of the Fire element, the Heart, and the Small Intestine. Late Summer is the time of the Earth element, the Spleen, and the Stomach.
The recipes presented here are mostly vegetarian, gluten-free recipes to appeal to more people. Where applicable, there are suggested alternatives for other dietary restrictions.
Fall
I’m starting with Fall since that’s when this article was first published. In the life cycle of plants, mature fruits and root vegetables are ripening now. The Lungs and Large Intestine are associated with fall.
Lung Dryness can happen during this season and a really good way to help moisten the Lungs is with pears. Try baking pears with a little bit of coconut sugar or maple syrup. You can also drink pear juice, but it is very sweet on its own. I recommend cutting it with coconut water.
Fall is soup weather and we start to cook foods longer to aid digestion. Think of white, aromatic, pungent foods like garlic and onions. Miso soup is a variation of the herbal formula Cong Chi Tang (Scallion and Prepared Soybean Decoction) which helps release the exterior and expels Wind Cold. Try this easy miso soup recipe which expands on Cong Chi Tang.
Miso Soup Recipe
Recipe energetics:
- bok choy - neutral and sweet, goes to Large Intestine and Stomach, drains Damp, clears Heat
- daikon - cool, pungent, and sweet, drains Damp and resolves Phlegm
- ginger - warm and pungent, goes to Lungs, Spleen, and Stomach, counteracts Cold, resolves Phlegm
- miso (soy) - cool and sweet, goes to Large Intestine and Spleen, clears Heat
- scallions - warm, bitter, and pungent, goes to Heart, Large Intestine, and Lungs, circulates Blood, drains Damp, counteracts Cold
- seaweed - cold and salty, goes to Kidneys and Stomach, tonifies Yin, clears heat, drains Toxins, resolves Phlegm
Winter
Winter is the time of seeds in the cycle of plant growth. In winter we want to Warm the Yang. Add cinnamon and other warming herbs and spices like peppers, turmeric, and cardamom. Think of stews, roasted vegetables and meats, and meals that are cooked slowly in crock pots or Moroccan tagines for several hours.
Warm black rice salad with butternut squash and pomegranate seeds
This warm black rice salad recipe starts with roasting butternut squash, which is a slow process. Black or ‘forbidden’ rice has an affinity for the Kidneys:
Recipe energetics:
- black rice - sweet and sour, goes to the Kidneys and Bladder; tonifies Qi
- butternut squash - warm and sweet, goes to the Spleen and Stomach; tonifies and circulates Qi, counteracts Cold
- green onions/scallions - warm, bitter, and pungent, goes to Heart, Large Intestine, and Lungs, circulates Blood, drains Damp, counteracts Cold
- lemon juice - good for the Liver and Gallbladder, sour, cold, moves Qi and Blood, clears Heat and removes toxins
- maple syrup - neutral and sweet; tonifies Qi and nourishes Blood
- olive oil - good for the Liver and Spleen, sweet, neutral
- sweet paprika - warm, pungent, and sweet, circulates Blood
- pecans - warm and sweet, nourishes Blood and Qi
- pepper (black) - hot, pungent, sweet, goes to the Kidneys, Heart, Large Intestine, and Stomach; counteracts Damp, resolves Phlegm, removes Toxins, circulates Qi
- pomegranate - neutral, sour and sweet, goes to the Bladder and tonifies Yin
- salt - cold, salty, goes to Kidneys, Large Intestine, Small Intestine, and Stomach; resolves Phlegm and removes Toxins
Spring
Spring is the time when sprouts, shoots, and new leaves grow. Sour foods, green leafy vegetables, and herbs in general are good for the Liver and the Wood element. Think of citrus fruits including lemons and limes, as well as vegetables like kale, chard, spinach, and sorrel. We should lightly cook our meals during the spring. Try steaming or sautéing your favorite leafy greens, and then squeezing the juice of a lemon or adding apple cider vinegar on top. Sour and fermented foods help to break down other foods to make them easier to digest.
Last spring I made some Romanian Sorrel Soup using the sorrel in our garden. For a Liver and Wood element friendly dish, try this recipe.
Suggested modifications: If you have a nightshade allergy, consider replacing the potatoes with turnips or sweet potatoes. For those who are lactose intolerant, replace the heavy cream with coconut cream. And for a vegetarian version of this dish, use vegetable broth.
Recipe energetics:
- chicken - warm and sweet, goes to the Spleen and Stomach; tonifies Qi, promotes Blood circulation, counteracts Cold
- coconut - sweet, neutral, tonifies Qi
- cream - neutral and sweet, goes to the Heart, Lungs, and Stomach; tonifies Yin
- dill - warm and pungent, goes to the Kidneys and Spleen; circulates Qi and counteracts Cold
- lemons - good for the Liver and Gallbladder, sour, cold, moves Qi and Blood, clears Heat and removes toxins
- olive oil - good for the Liver and Spleen, sweet, neutral
- onion - warm and pungent; goes to the Lungs, moves Blood, counteracts Cold, drains Damp and clears toxins
- parsley - warm, bitter, pungent, and salty; goes to the Bladder and Stomach; clears toxins
- pepper (black) - hot, pungent, sweet, goes to the Kidneys, Heart, Large Intestine, and Stomach; counteracts Damp, resolves Phlegm, removes Toxins, circulates Qi
- potato - neutral and sweet, goes to the Kidneys, Spleen, and Stomach; tonifies Yin and Qi; clears Heat
- salt - cold, salty, goes to Kidneys, Large Intestine, Small Intestine, and Stomach; resolves Phlegm and removes Toxins
- sorrel - cool and sweet, goes to the Liver, Large Intestine and Stomach; tonifies Blood and Qi
Summer
Summer is the time of flowers and early fruits like cherries. Foods that are red and bitter pertain to the Fire element and summer. It’s easier for our bodies to digest raw and cold foods at this time of year. If you find it hard to digest raw foods, make sure to include fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, pickles, or preserved lemon with your meal.
Did you know beets can help calm anxiety? According to TCM, that’s because the deep red color of beets has an affinity for the Heart and tonifies Blood.
Shaved Beet and Lentil Salad with Tahini and Preserved Lemon Dressing from From Cannelle et Vanille by Aran Goyoaga
Note: Chioggia beets are red and white striped and look great in a salad—but if you don’t have any, red beets are just fine. You can find preserved lemons in Middle Eastern and natural food stores. When cooked, French lentils hold their shape better than regular green lentils, so they’re better for salads. Regular green lentils are also fine to use, just reduce the cooking time to 20 to 25 minutes and watch them so they don’t turn into mush.
Ingredients:
- 2½ cups (565 g) cold water
- 1 cup (200 g) French lentils, rinsed in cold water
- 2 large cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
- 2 thyme sprigs
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped preserved lemon rinds
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped
- Italian parsley
- 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 medium golden beets, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 medium Chioggia beets, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 radishes, thinly sliced
- ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
Instructions:
- Combine water, lentils, garlic, thyme, and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce heat to medium low, bring to a simmer, and cook until the lentils are tender, 30 to 35 minutes. Pick out the garlic and thyme and discard. Drain any excess liquid, and transfer the lentils to a large bowl.
- Meanwhile, toast the coriander and cumin seeds in a small dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Transfer to a mortar and pestle and grind to a powder. Transfer to a small bowl and whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, tahini, preserved lemon, vinegar, parsley, salt, and pepper.
- Pour the dressing over the lentils and toss to combine. Add the beets and toss again. Top with the radishes and red onion and serve immediately. MAKES 4 SERVINGS
Recipe energetics:
- apple - cool, sour, sweet; goes to the Heart, Lungs, and Stomach; tonifies Yin, and clears Heat
- beet - neutral and sweet; goes to the Heart and Liver; tonifies Blood; calms anxiety
- coriander - neutral, pungent, and sour; goes to the Stomach; relieves Cold
- cumin - warm and pungent; goes to the Liver and Spleen
- garlic - hot, pungent, salty, and sweet; goes to the Heart, Liver, Lung, and Spleen; tonifies Yang; drains Damp, resolves Phlegm, and moves Qi
- lemon/preserved lemon - cold and sour; goes to the Gallbladder, Kidney, Large Intestine, Liver, and Spleen; tonifies Yin, moves Blood and Qi, clears Heat, clears toxins
- lentil - neutral and sweet; goes to the Heart, Kidneys, Spleen, and Stomach; Drains Damp
- onion - warm and pungent; goes to the Lungs, moves Blood, counteracts Cold, drains Damp and clears toxins
- parsley - warm, bitter, pungent, and salty; goes to the Bladder and Stomach; clears toxins
- radish - cool, pungent, and sweet; goes to the Lung and Stomach; drains Damp, resolves Phlegm, move Qi; clears toxins
- sesame (tahini) - neutral, sweet; tonifies Yin
- thyme - warm, bitter, pungent; goes to Lungs and Spleen; resolves Phlegm and moves Qi
- vinegar - warm, bitter, and sour, goes to the Liver and Stomach; moves Blood, counteracts Cold, and clears toxins
Late Summer
Foods that are yellow and orange correspond to the Earth element and late summer. Late summer is a time between summer and fall. It also relates to the transition time between fall and winter, winter and spring, and spring and summer.
Vegan red lentil pâté
Shannon Marsden, the owner and chef of Julie’s Tea Garden in Alameda, California was kind enough to share her recipe for red lentil pâté. I include it as a late summer food because the lentils are actually orange.
Ingredients
- 2 c red lentils
- 4 1/2 c water
- 1/8 t salt
- For the Paté
- 1 batch Lentils, cooked & cooled
- 2 c walnuts
- 3 c parsley leaves
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 t salt
- 1/2 t black pepper
- 1/4 c olive oil, to desired consistency
Instructions:
- Rinse the lentils and add to a pot of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Note: when cooking lentils keep the lid slightly askew so liquid doesn't boil over. Drain any excess water.
- Chop parsley and garlic and put them with salt, pepper, and walnuts in a food processor.
- Add lentils and run until smooth.
- Add oil until desired consistency is reached.
- Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Serve with vegetables or crackers.
Recipe energetics:
- garlic - hot, pungent, salty, and sweet; goes to the Heart, Liver, Lung, and Spleen; tonifies Yang; drains Damp, resolves Phlegm, and moves Qi
- olive oil - neutral and sweet; goes to the Stomach and Liver
- parsley - warm, bitter, pungent, and salty; goes to the Bladder and Stomach; clears toxins
- pepper (black) - hot, pungent, sweet, goes to the Kidneys, Heart, Large Intestine, and Stomach; counteracts Damp, resolves Phlegm, removes Toxins, circulates Qi
- red lentils - neutral and sweet; goes to the Heart, Kidneys, Spleen, and Stomach; drains Damp; resolves summer heat (profuse sweating, weakness, and thirst due to extreme heat)
- salt - cold, salty, goes to Kidneys, Large Intestine, Small Intestine, and Stomach; resolves Phlegm and removes Toxins
- walnuts - warm, sweet; go to the Kidney and Lungs, Resolves Phlegm
Conclusion
“In our house we eat seasonal, no strawberries in winter. I find out-of-season food and eating the same stuff all over the year boring and unexciting. I look forward to the different seasons' harvests.” - G.H. Learner
Eating with the seasons brings variety to our diets, our spirit, and to our senses. Seasonal eating helps us align with the five elements in nature and the organ systems inside us. TCM practitioners can teach us more about tailoring our diets according to tongue diagnosis. Eating seasonally is friendlier to our dear Mother Earth. Finally, eating locally grown and seasonal foods fine tune your eating with the seasons.
Sources:
- Daverick Leggett, Helping Ourselves: A Guide to Traditional Chinese Food Energetics
- Giovanni Maciocia, The Foundations of Chinese Medicine
- Maoshing Ni and Cathy McNease, The Tao of Nutrition
- Nishanga Bliss, Real Food All Year
- Paul Pitchford, Healing with Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition
- Yvonne Lau, Nutritional Therapy in TCM https://www.mayway.com/blogs/articles/nutritional-therapy-in-tcm
