Sweet. Heavy. Smooth.

Āyurvedic nutrition focuses on both the qualities and the taste of the foods we eat. The qualities and taste of any food inform us which doshas will be aggravated by a particular food and which doshas will be pacified. Āyurveda works on the theory that like increases like and opposites pacify. Therefore, in order to support balance and wellbeing we consume foods that have the opposite qualities and tastes of our current imbalances, as well as foods that pacify and prevent the accumulation of the qualities of the current season.

In terms of taste, sweet pacifies both pitta and vata, so this seasonal transition is an ideal time to include the sweet taste in your diet. But beware…….sweet doesn’t mean added and processed sugars! Think of foods that are naturally sweet — sweet potatoes, avocado, and coconut just to name a few.

Pitta and vata share a light quality, so foods that are more heavy and grounding are another good choice this time of year. Again, sweet potatoes fit the bill, but so do squashes, fats like ghee, small amounts of dairy if you are tolerant, and grains.

While pitta doesn’t share the rough quality of vata, it’s a good idea to start pacifying the rough quality now with foods that introduce the smooth quality. Rough and mobile are two of vata’s most depleting qualities, and now is the time to build up our supports. Smooth and heavy foods can provide structure before vata’s depleting nature blows in.

One of my favorite ways to combine sweet, heavy, and smooth at this time of year is with butternut squash soup! The heavy, sweet qualities of butternut squash, coupled with the cooling properties of coconut, combined and pureed into a creamy, smooth texture the recipe below is really the perfect meal for the transition to fall. And the best thing about this recipe is that you can throw it all in the slow cooker and forget it until dinner time.