"Less pungent, more sour" is a major principle in TCM nutrition for autumn diet. With the start of winter just around the corner, sour foods like lemons, sour plums, and kimchi can help you "nourish the autumn" and welcome the winter healthily.
The taste of lemon is more sour and bitter than other citrus fruits because its organic acid content is more than ten times higher than that of fruits like oranges and tangerines. Organic acids are the "bodyguards" of Vitamin C, and eating more lemons in late autumn can effectively prevent dry skin and "heatiness" (internal heat). You can simply drink it infused in water.
Sour plum is an alkaline food, especially suitable for those with excessive "liver fire." It aids digestion, nourishes the liver, and boosts immunity. Sour plum is great for making soups and braising meats.
It is recommended to make your own kimchi with little to no chili. It will be ready to eat after being pickled for 20 to 30 days. Kimchi is a fermented food that preserves most of the fresh vegetables' nutrients while adding acidic components like lactic acid. It can strengthen the spleen and whet the appetite, and it helps increase the solubility of calcium and phosphorus in the intestines. Since there is less sun exposure in winter, eating more kimchi can also help prevent bone loss.