The elements behind pumpkin spice

Fall is in the air, again! As the air gets cool and crisp and the days get shorter, we habitually turn to a palette of familiar scents and flavors, like pumpkin spice. Did you know that there is a perfect elemental reason for our yearly pumpkin spice craze?

Image courtesy of Katie Azi via Unsplash.

Fall into melancholy

During the fall, the air gets cold and dry. We go from the hot and dry summer (choleric/fire) to the cool and dry fall (melancholic/earth). As the weather changes, people of all temperaments (but especially choleric and sanguines) try to counteract the growing heavy earth element with some airy sanguine foods.

You can see how melancholic and sanguine are opposite below.

Pumpkin pie to the rescue!

Pumpkin pie and its latte correlate are the perfect hot and wet antidote to the changing weather.

Pumpkin pie spice consists of ginger, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. These spice are all hot and dry, but they also help prevent illnesses with their natural capabilities.

• ginger - anti-inflammatory and antibiotic. Improves digestion.

• cloves - prevent infection, good for respiratory ailments like bronchitis. Also good for toothaches.

• cinnamon - prevents infection.

• nutmeg - anti-inflammatory, good for digestion.

• allspice - anti-inflammatory, prevents infection, good for digestion.

The pie part of pumpkin pie is a creamy custard, which is hot and wet (or sanguine/air) in element.

I hope you enjoyed this element-based explanation of pumpkin spice fever. Happy fall!