Not-So-Basic Pumpkin Spice
The season of Pumpkin Spice is upon us once again and I love it! Everywhere you go the aroma of this spice blend hangs in the air, evoking emotional memories of cable knit sweaters and scarves, fireplaces, and family gatherings with loads of aromatic, flavorful culinary delights. Cinnamon Bark, Ginger Root, Clove Buds, and Nutmeg have been signature herbal staples of the fall and winter seasons for hundreds of years. But what fueled the craze for this particular spice blend? It is a long, less than savory, and infamous history which deserves mention. For our purposes however, we will focus on the positive and the many benefits of this powerful and delicious herbal blend.
A Small Bite of History
Ages before their popularization in Europe and the Americas, those closest to the Pumpkin Spice herbs knew and valued them for their many virtues. These herbs are native to the tropical regions of Southern Asia and “Spice Islands” of Indonesia where they have been treasured for thousands of years. They have been used in South Asian and Persian cuisine, regional herbalism practices, and even spiritual applications for all of recorded time. For centuries these herbs were reserved for the elite and religious rites. They were used as offerings to deities, blended in holy anointing and embalming oils, and burned as incense for their protective properties. They were even used as currency at times because they were so valuable. Long before we could understand exactly why, all of these herbs have been used to ward off and protect against negative energies and evil eye, promote prosperity and abundance, and welcome love and fertility through food and spirituality. Today we are able to understand how and why the Pumpkin Spice herbs can help to promote overall digestion, circulation, inflammatory and immune response, and feelings of euphoria and joy.
Digestion
The Pumpkin Spice herbs can help to stimulate overall digestive function, making it an ideal addition to any celebratory feast where we indulge in more food than usual. The nutrients and constituents from these herbs can help to stimulate enzyme secretions from the liver and pancreas. In turn, those secretions are essential to the breakdown and absorption of nutrients in the intestinal tract, especially from meals rich in fats, proteins, and complex sugars. All of these herbs can also assist to discourage nauseated sensation and support blood sugar and cholesterol balance.
Circulation
All of the herbs in Pumpkin Spice are naturally warming to the body and help to promote blood flow. This can assist with absorbing the nutrients from a big meal in the gut, and also aid the speedy transport of those nutrients throughout the body. Additionally, the warming effect from these herbs can help us to maintain body temperature when the weather turns cold, and support the body’s natural inflammatory and immune responses. This is vital in the fall and winter when the body tends to constrict and stiffen up, and immunity naturally declines due to reduced sunlight and Vitamin D production.
Immunity
During the fall and winter seasons, we naturally become more sedentary and consume heavier meals. It can be easy to develop a buildup of immune compromising passengers. Stimulating intense cleansing from the body at this time, however, can weaken the immune system further, so it is sometimes better to wait for “Spring Cleaning.” Fortunately, all of the herbs in Pumpkin Spice can help to promote the body’s natural responses to fungal, parasitic, bacterial, and viral compromises. The nutrients and constituents from these herbs can help to discourage the overgrowth of these freeloaders and lighten the load on the immune system through the dark winter months. This in turn, can assist to discourage seasonal immune compromises. As much as these herbs can act as a shield for the immune system, they can also act as a sword. They can also assist to promote a more active immune response in case of the onset of a seasonal compromise.
Winter Glow
Though the mechanisms are not entirely understood, something about the nutrients and constituents of Pumpkin Spice herbs evoke a feeling of euphoria, promote male and female fertility, and encourage a desire for intimacy. The aromas alone help to calm the nervous system, while simultaneously opening the mind. This may be, in part, why holiday memories are often some of our most vivid and treasured moments. The very herbs we consume at this time help us to retain those memories more vividly, and we tend to see the world through “rose colored” lenses. All of these herbs are associated with fire and passion because of their warming qualities. In essence, this blend is the kindling for that warm, fuzzy feeling we all long for during the dark, cold months of late fall and winter.
Conclusion
The applications of this blend are endless, and can be found in everything from savory to sweet dishes and beverages. Pumpkin Spice has proven to be anything but basic, and it is a powerful combination to have in the pantry at home. I hope you’ll enjoy the following recipes just as much as us!
Pumpkin Spice Blend Recipe
- 3 Tbsp Cassia Cinnamon Powder
- 1 Tbsp Ginger Root Powder
- 1 Tsp Clove Powder
- ½ Tsp Nutmeg Powder
- 1 Pinch Black Pepper Powder
Note: Cassia Cinnamon is superior to Ceylon Cinnamon for culinary and even therapeutic purposes, but is best to be used sparingly. This may be where the confusion lies between the benefits of the two. Ceylon is better for extended supplemental intake, whereas Cassia is better for occasional use through food or brief, intermittent supplementation.
Dandy Pumpkin Spice Latte
- 8 fl oz Water
- 2 fl oz Milk or Creamer of choice
- 2 Tsp Instant Dandy Blend powder
- 1 Tsp Pumpkin Spice Blend
- 1 Tbsp Pumpkin Puree
- 1 Tbsp Honey or Alternative Sweetener of choice
Combine all ingredients except for the milk or creamer and mix together. Cover and allow 5-15 minutes to allow the mixture to steep and cool before adding milk. After adding your milk or creamer, stir again and enjoy warm or pour over ice and enjoy it cold.
Pumpkin Spice Electuary Lozenges
Electuaries are a simple combination of raw honey and herbs mixed together and left unstrained. They can be the texture of a paste or thickened to the point where they can be rolled into lozenge-sized balls to take on the go. The lozenges can be added to hot drinks where they will melt and diffuse their herby goodness or sucked on like a cough drop to support the immune system, soothe an inflamed throat, and calm an upset stomach.
To make the Pumpkin Spice Electuary, start by combining equal amounts of honey and Pumpkin Spice Blend. Adjust your mixture to make a paste or the lozenges. To make the lozenges, mix enough powder with the honey so small portions can be broken away and rolled into single-size servings which should maintain their shape at room temperature. The lozenges can then be twisted into wax paper wrappings or kept in a small jar for future use.
