Summer is a time for energy, growth, and activity!

It’s also a time of abundance, and in Traditional Chinese Medicine, Summer is the time when we encourage you to eat raw, cooling foods like fruits, vegetables, and seafood!

The goal is to find cool yin foods that moisten. This helps counteract the heat and yang that summer brings. It keeps our bodies healthy and balanced, so indulge in your salads before we tell you to start cooking your veggies again!

Taste is also a big factor to consider when deciding what to eat. Chinese medicine classifies taste into five flavors: pungent, sour, sweet, bitter, and salty. During this warm summer time, Chinese medicine encourages pungent flavors, to keep your body sweating properly and your blood circulating. By doing this, you’re helping your body clear out any toxins or contaminants by sweating them out!

Here are some foods to add into your meals this Summer:

• Apricot
• Cantaloupe
• Watermelon
• Strawberries
• Tomatoes
• Lemon
• Peaches
• Cucumber
• Orange
• Asparagus
• Sprouts
• Bamboo
• Bok Choy
• Broccoli
• Corn
• Snow peas
• Spinach
• Summer Squash
• Watercress
• Seaweed
• Cilantro
• Mint
• Dill
• Duck
• Fish
• Scallions
• Horse radish
• Ginger

I hope fresh ingredients and pungent flavors inspire your recipes this summer!