{"id":5792,"date":"2024-03-29T13:48:00","date_gmt":"2024-03-29T21:48:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.activeherb.com\/blog\/?p=5792"},"modified":"2025-02-25T10:31:21","modified_gmt":"2025-02-25T18:31:21","slug":"spring-forward-with-sweetness-fill-your-plate-with-gan-foods","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.activeherb.com\/blog\/spring-forward-with-sweetness-fill-your-plate-with-gan-foods.html","title":{"rendered":"Spring Forward With Sweetness & Fill Your Plate With Gan Foods.\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

On March 20, 2024, the first full day of Spring, it certainly didn\u2019t feel like Spring had officially arrived\u2014at least not in Buffalo, where the high temperature was 36 degrees. Mercifully, by the 25th, the mercury climbed to veritable springtime bliss (at least for Buffalo), with high temperatures in the 50s, which would cause residents of San Diego\u2014ActiveHerb headquarters\u2014to bundle up in beanies and Ugg boots. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to TCM principles, \u2018tis the season to eat lots of sweet foods. But don\u2019t get the wrong idea\u2026\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 <\/div>\n\n\n\n

No matter where you live, now that it\u2019s Spring, it\u2019s time to stop eating the rich comfort food (like Buffalo wings) that sustained us through the long winter. According to TCM principles, \u2018tis the season to eat lots of sweet foods. But don\u2019t get the wrong idea\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spring In TCM<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Springtime isn\u2019t just about stopping to smell the budding roses. It\u2019s a period of renewal and rejuvenation, not only in nature but also within our bodies. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) principles, transitioning from the dormancy of winter to the vibrant energy of spring requires special attention to diet and lifestyle. According to TCM’s Five Element Theory<\/a>, spring corresponds to the “wood<\/a>” phase, with the Liver as the associated Zang<\/a> organ. (Zang organs are Yin, solid, vital organs that store essential substances and regulate physiological processes.) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sweet, Not Sour In Spring<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Thus, to support the Liver, the TCM organ that represents Spring, it helps to eat specific foods that promote Yin\/Yang balance in the Liver meridian. According to Thomas Avery Garran, a.k.a. the \u201cHerb Whisperer\u201d and director of East West School of Herbology<\/a>, in Western herbology, springtime is commonly associated with eating bitter to awaken the Liver\u2019s detoxification capacity, which is impaired after eating typical heavy winter foods. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, Garran says that instead of eating bitter foods in Spring, the emphasis should be on incorporating sweeter foods into the diet. This does not give you full license to eat many heavily processed foods with added sugars, like pastries and candy. Rather, eat foods that don\u2019t necessarily taste sweet but do have sweet properties, or \u201cGan,\u201d one of the 5 tastes of TCM<\/a>, and the taste associated with Spring, according to 5 Element Theory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, why should you reduce bitter and sour foods during spring, setting aside the fact that \u201cGan\u201d is the TCM taste profile for the season? From a TCM theory perspective, this is an interesting question because sour flavors have an affinity for the liver. However, spring’s expansive, revitalizing attributes call for reducing sour tastes. Sour foods possess astringent qualities that may constrict the body’s energy flow\u2014a stark contrast to the season’s expansive energy. Decreasing sour foods facilitates the smooth flow of Qi (vital energy) and encourages the body’s natural transition into the vibrant springtime state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, Gan foods nourish Yang (warming) Qi, but only if you eat wholesome foods. Unlike the sugary confections often associated with sweetness, Gan foods provide sustained energy and vital nutrients necessary for the body’s emergence from winter’s dormancy. Our metabolisms may not enter a true hibernation in winter, but compared to the rest of the year, it can sure feel like it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Foods to Eat During Spring<\/h2>\n\n\n\n