I always breathe a sigh of relief when September comes. Here in Maryland, the summers are hot and humid (you may recall my recent lament about this very thing). While I relish (ha!) enjoying the fruits, er, vegetables of my labor from my garden, the past few years have been brutal in terms of extended heat waves.
Then September comes, promising cooler days and nights ahead…eventually. (Indeed, this first week of September also saw record-breaking heat for several days. Whew!)
I thought I’d celebrate the turning of the seasons with an Autumn Herbs Tea Blending Workshop at Ginger’s Roots Herb Shop in Laurel, MD on September 20, 2026, which in turn inspired this pumpkin spice blog topic. Read on for a preview of the medicinal properties of your favorite fall herbs and spices!
Autumn Treasures
In recent years, Autumn has become synonymous with “pumpkin spice” – think cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and more! As early as August we begin to see pumpkin spice smoothies, pumpkin spice lattes, and in a creative mash-up I just came across a pumpkin spice latte candle!
As it turns out, these fall spices aren’t just “pretty faces”. Collectively, they are rich in anti-oxidants (protecting against cellular damage), anti-inflammatory, and anti-microbial. Individually, each provides its own constellation of therapeutic benefits. For example…
Cinnamon (Cinnamomum spp.)
Who doesn’t love cinnamon? Slightly sweet, warming, a little “woody” (makes sense because cinnamon is actually tree bark), it’s an autumn staple and primary pumpkin spice. Therapeutically, it’s an herbal medicine powerhouse. I still recall a master class I took with renowned British herbalist Simon Mills when I was in herb school – he asserted that if he only had access to two herbs, cinnamon would be one of them. And with good reason.
Cinnamon has a profound effect on our cardiovascular system – it relaxes and nourishes blood vessels, keeping the “pipes” healthy and supple to discourage atherosclerosis (hardening/narrowing of blood vessels). It has a notable effect on managing healthy blood sugar and improving insulin sensitivity, which makes it a great spice to liberally add to food in a (Type 2) diabetic diet.1
Thanks to its essential oil content, cinnamon is also useful in alleviating dyspepsia and other digestive complaints. It mitigates flatulence, bloating/fullness, and gastrointestinal spasms. Its mildly astringent nature also can alleviate mild cases of diarrhea.1
Cinnamon has significant anti-bacterial and anti-fungal activity, which means that it’s doing double-duty in your favorite cinnamon (raisin?) bread as a flavoring plus a natural preservative.
I’ve written extensively about cinnamon, so please check out my posts about healthy blood sugar and coumarin (natural blood thinner).
Ginger (Zingziber officinalis)
Who doesn’t love ginger?😁 Even warmer than cinnamon, ginger is almost hot when enjoyed in its purest form, e.g., fresh or tinctured. Remember Simon Mills indicated he had two favorite herbs? Ginger was the other one (along with cinnamon).
Ginger is perhaps best known as an anti-nausea, and it’s my go-to herbal tea when my stomach needs settling. But it’s also great for enhancing digestion, in general, as it stimulates production of digestive juices and bile (essential for digesting fat). It also promotes gastric motility, the process of moving food along our gastrointestinal tract.
Because no herbs are “one-trick-ponies”, ginger is also a great choice in managing healthy blood fats (cholesterol and triglycerides) and blood sugar. It has protective effects on our liver, kidneys, and immune system, there being animal and human-cell research whereby ginger may inhibit tumor development.1
There are many more things to say about ginger, but I’ll save that for another post.
Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans)
Who doesn’t…oh, you know…😉Though the zingy (is that a word?) nutmeg is a staple in my kitchen I don’t use it much in my herbal practice. But a little research revealed that it has a wealth of therapeutic properties nonetheless. It can stimulate brain activity as well as circulation. It’s anti-spasmodic in both the lungs and the digestive system, where it can be useful in inhibiting vomiting. Along similar lines nutmeg can help relax tight muscles, the essential oil of which is sometimes used topically in massage oil. Traditionally, nutmeg was even used as an aphrodisiac, being a key ingredient to attract love and prosperity.2
Cloves (Syzygium aromaticum)
Who…never mind…🤣 Culinarily, powerful cloves is (are?) usually employed in small doses, including in pumpkin spice, due to its intense, even tingly, flavor. The same can be said of medicinal use – a little goes a long way! This is because cloves is high in the essential oil, eugenol, which gives cloves its characteristic taste and therapeutic activity.
You may have seen or purchased a mouthwash or even toothpaste that contains cloves or clove oil. This is because of its strong anti-fungal and anti-bacterial activity.1 Cloves is also a local anesthetic, making it particularly useful for mouth pain, like when you go to the dentist and receive an “enthusiastic” cleaning from the hygienist. You can either use a couple drops (not too much!) of clove oil on a cotton ball and apply directly to the area of irritation, or make a paste from powdered cloves and a little carrier oil (olive, etc) and apply that way.
Wrapping it up
These are just a few of my favorite fall herbs that I plan to showcase at my Autumn Herbs Tea Blending Workshop. If you want to know more about the health benefits these and other common pumpkin spice inspired herbs such as cardamom, anise, plus a couple of bonus root herbs that boost your immune system in preparation for the upcoming flu season, I hope you’ll join me on September 20, 2026!
If you’re not local or unable to participate, please contact me with any questions or comments!
References
- Braun, L. and Cohen, M. (2015) Herbs and Natural Supplements: An Evidence-Based Guide, Volume 2 (4th Edition)
- Mars, B. (2016) Desktop Guide to Herbal Medicine: The Ultimate Multidisciplinary Reference to the Amazing Realm of Healing Plants, in a Quick-Study, One-Stop Guide. Basic Health Publications