In Traditional Chinese Medicine, we don’t work with four seasons, we work with five. Between the peak of summer and the beginning of fall lies a brief transitional season known as late summer. It’s that in-between time when the long, hot, beachy days of summer begin to soften and we slowly transition toward cooler mornings, crisp air, and the changing colors of fall.

Late summer is a season of harvest, nourishment, and grounding. In TCM, every season is associated with a particular element, organ system, color, taste, and emotion. Understanding these seasonal patterns gives us a framework for living more closely with nature by adjusting how we eat, move, rest, and care for ourselves as the energy of the year changes.

Late summer belongs to the earth element, which is all about being nourished, supported, and rooted. It’s associated with the spleen and stomach, the digestive organs that TCM considers central to transforming the food we eat into energy and nourishment for the body. This is also why late summer is traditionally associated with foods that are naturally sweet, grounding, and nourishing, particularly the golden, yellow, and orange foods that are abundant during the harvest season.

Late Summer in TCM:

Element: Earth

Organs: Spleen/Stomach

Color: yellow/orange

Taste: Sweet

Emotion: Over-thinking/worry

Late Summer: The last season for juices

If you’ve been following seasonal eating through the year, you may have noticed that spring and summer is when I really lean into fresh juices. There’s a reason for that. In TCM, late summer is still connected to the expansive, outward energy of summer, but we’re beginning to move toward the more inward, contracting energy of fall. This makes late summer a beautiful transition point as a time to enjoy the last of the season’s abundant, hydrating produce before we begin shifting toward warmer, more cooked and grounding foods.

Juicing is inherently cooling, hydrating, and light, which makes it especially supportive during the warmer months. But as we move deeper into fall, too many cold and raw foods can become less supportive for digestion, particularly for the spleen and stomach. That’s why I think of late summer as the last season for juices. It’s a final celebration of summer’s abundance before we begin turning inward. And rather than creating a juice that is simply cooling and refreshing, this recipe is designed with the earth element in mind. We’re using naturally sweet, vibrant, seasonal produce alongside warming ginger and aromatic basil to create something that feels both hydrating and grounding.

Think of it as a bridge between seasons: the freshness of summer with the nourishment and grounding of the coming fall.

The Benefits of Each Ingredient:

Carrots: naturally sweet, making them a beautiful fit for late summer and the earth element. In TCM, naturally sweet foods are considered nourishing and grounding when consumed in moderation. From a nutritional perspective, carrots are rich in beta-carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A to support healthy skin, vision, and immune function. Their vibrant orange color also makes them feel right at home in a late-summer harvest juice.

Orange/Yellow Beets: bring a beautiful earthy sweetness and golden color to this juice. Like other root vegetables, beets are grounding foods, literally growing beneath the earth, and their naturally sweet flavor pairs beautifully with the earth element and feeling rooted. From a nutritional perspective, beets provide folate, manganese, potassium, and naturally occurring nitrates, which support healthy blood flow and cardiovascular health. Their vibrant orange color also comes from antioxidant compounds called betalains, giving this juice an extra dose of plant-based goodness.

Oranges: brings brightness, sweetness, and a little acidity to balance the earthy vegetables. Citrus is also traditionally valued in TCM for its aromatic quality and ability to help move qi (especially the orange peel) and support digestion. Nutritionally, oranges are an excellent source of vitamin C.

Cantaloupe: one of the stars of this recipe. Naturally sweet, juicy, and incredibly hydrating, it captures the abundance of late summer perfectly.

In TCM, melon is considered cooling and fluid-promoting, making it particularly appropriate during the lingering heat of late summer afternoons.

Lemon: bright sour flavor balances the natural sweetness of the carrots, beets, cantaloupe, and oranges, while adding a refreshing quality that keeps the juice from feeling too heavy. Nutritionally, lemon provides vitamin C and antioxidant compounds, while its acidity helps bring all of the earthy, sweet, and citrusy flavors in this juice together.

Ginger: one of my favorite additions to a juice (always!) because it brings warmth to an otherwise naturally cooling drink. In TCM, ginger is warming and pungent and is traditionally used to support digestion and the stomach. It helps balance the cooling nature of the fresh fruits and vegetables while adding a little digestive warmth.

Basil: its fresh, aromatic flavor adds a little brightness to the earthy sweetness of the carrots and orange beets while complementing the cantaloupe and citrus as well. In TCM, aromatic herbs are often used to help move Qi and support digestion. Its fragrance also adds a light, uplifting quality to a juice that is quite grounding.