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Acorn Benefits (According to Ayurveda)
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Table of Contents

How Does This Ayurvedic Food Improve Wellness?

CLINICAL AYURVEDIC REVIEW

Recipes with Acorn: Acorn Crusted Corn Bread Dipped in Honey
Recipes with Acorn: Acorn Crusted Corn Bread Dipped in Honey
Acorns are high in tannins, a bitter and astringent acid that irritates the digestive tract and causes constipation. However, tannins are water soluble.

Cooking Acorn

Wild-crafted acorns should be hulled then soaked for three days, changing the water as often as possible. If the acorns are bitter they need to be soaked longer. Then chop the acorns and roast them for one hour, or until the house fills with the aroma of acorn. Finally, grind them in the coffee grinder to a fine powder. Sprinkle over your favorite pies, cornbread, and muffins.

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Is Acorn Good for My Ayurvedic Diet?

Find out by taking this free, easy quiz. You'll learn your body type, and whether 'Acorn' is a good fit. Complete the basic quiz in 1 minute, or go deeper with additional quizzes at your own leisure to learn more about your body.

Take the Quiz

AYURVEDA'S GUIDE TO VITALITY & WHOLESOME NOURISHMENT

Your Ayurvedic diet is tailored to your individual body and your specific imbalances. With an Ayurvedic diet you feel joy and satisfaction because what you are eating truly nourishes and balances you. Disease results from diets and lifestyles that are incompatible with your nature. By eating a personalized diet matched to your body, you experience optimal health. See How it Works.

Metabolic Nature of Acorn

See a complete list of all biocharacteristics.

METABOLIC NATURE

Metabolic Nature

Ayurveda assesses metabolic imbalances through 20 main biocharacteristics (gunas). Aggravating them weakens your body and causes imbalance. By knowing which biocharacteristics are habitually imbalanced in your body, you will be able to identify and correct metabolic imbalances before you get sick. Every biocharacteristic has an opposite which balances it (i.e. hot balances cold). You restore balance by favoring diet and lifestyle choices that increase the opposite biocharacteristic.

Find Out More

HEAVY

ABOUT HEAVY BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Heavy is identified by sedation, sluggishness, or increased weight.

LEARN MORE ABOUT HEAVY

HOT

ABOUT HOT BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Hot is identified by increased body temperature, metabolism, or inflammation.

LEARN MORE ABOUT HOT

DIFFICULT

ABOUT DIFFICULT BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Difficult refers to anything that is difficult to digest, or takes a long time to digest.

LEARN MORE ABOUT DIFFICULT

TASTES

The 6 Tastes

Taste is used to sense the most basic properties and effects of food. Each taste has a specific medicinal effect on your body. Cravings for food with certain tastes indicate your body is craving specific medicinal results from food. Taste is experienced on the tongue and represents your body's reaction to foods. Sweet taste causes physical satisfaction and attraction whereas bitter taste causes discomfort and aversion. Kapha should use less sweet taste while Vata and Pitta would benefit from using more sweet taste. One of the first signs of illness is that your taste and appetite for food changes. The six tastes are sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent. Do you crave foods with any of the tastes below?

Find Out More

ASTRINGENT

ABOUT ASTRINGENT BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Astringency is characterized by constriction, drawing together, or drying.

LEARN MORE ABOUT ASTRINGENT

BITTER

ABOUT BITTER BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Bitter taste has cholagogue action - it is cold, clear, light, and stimulating. It increases digestive enzymes and is laxative, and drying.

LEARN MORE ABOUT BITTER

DOSHAS

The Three Doshas / Body Types

Ayurveda is a metabolic theory of medicine that explains individual health, tendencies, and disease patterns through the concept of doshas, which can be understood as your metabolic patterns and tendencies.

Each dosha reflects a distinct metabolic nature and describes strengths & weaknesses in bodily function, and how these affect energy levels, digestion, susceptibility to disease, and many other tendencies.

Your metabolic nature not only affects your physical characteristics, but also influences your mental thought patterns, confidence, and enthusiasm.

Ayurveda balances these metabolic strengths & weaknesses to support your body's vitality and prevent recurrent disease cycles. This support is a critical aid, especially in chronic or incurable disease conditions.

The 3 metabolic body types (doshas), are Catabolic (Vata), Metabolic (Pitta), and Anabolic (Kapha).

Through dosha, Ayurveda empowers people to identify metabolic imbalances early, break repetitive patterns of disease, and cultivate habits that support long-term vitality and well-being.

Ultimately, these metabolic patterns also provide a framework for understanding yourself, including body, mind, and spiritual tendencies.

Find Out More

AGGRAVATES
Kapha aggravating Pitta aggravating Vata aggravating

GREEK MEDICINE / TEMPERAMENTS

The Four Temperaments / Humors

Ayurveda & Greek Medicine were the dominant form of medicine along the Silk Road from England to China and South Asia. They work by assessing your metabolic type, patterns, and nature. Greek medicine recognizes 4 metabolic temperaments, Melancholic, Choleric, Sanguine, and Phlegmatic.

Find Out More

AGGRAVATES
CHOLERIC

ABOUT CHOLERIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Has a hot and dry metabolic nature. Enthusiastic, vibrant and bright. In excess burns up fluids and ojas, irritable. Corresponds to high bilirubin in the blood that irritates and heats up the body and liver.

LEARN MORE ABOUT CHOLERIC

MELANCHOLIC

ABOUT MELANCHOLIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Cold and dry with a slow, variable or erratic metabolism. Colicky, tense. Withdrawn, pensive, anxious, and hesitant. Analytical, intelligent, detail oriented and creative. Prone to ojas depletion, dehydration, an overactive nervous system, and depression.

LEARN MORE ABOUT MELANCHOLIC

PHLEGMATIC

ABOUT PHLEGMATIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Wet & cold. When out of balance becomes congested, stagnant, and overweight. Loving, trusting, and patient.

LEARN MORE ABOUT PHLEGMATIC

SANGUINE

ABOUT SANGUINE BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Hot & moist. Full-blooded, vigorous. Vivacious, social, and epicurean. Bullish.

LEARN MORE ABOUT SANGUINE

Other

Subtaste:
Crunchy

CRUNCHY

Makes an audible noise when you eat them. Can provide fun texture variation.

SEE ALL 'CRUNCHY' FOODS / HERBS

Tissue (dhatu):
Blood Plasma Lymph

BLOOD-PLASMA-LYMPH

Plasma (Rasa Dhatu) includes plasma, white blood cells, and lymph.

SEE ALL 'BLOOD-PLASMA-LYMPH' FOODS / HERBS

,
Bone

BONE

Bone tissue (Asthi Dhatu) includes the bones, hair, and nails.

SEE ALL 'BONE' FOODS / HERBS

,
Fat

FAT

Fat tissue (Meda Dhatu) includes adipose tissue and sebum (skin oil).

SEE ALL 'FAT' FOODS / HERBS

Affinity:
Bowel Poop Elimination

Medicinal Benefits, Uses & Herbal Actions of Acorn
Experiences are Personal
Experiences vary according to the person and constitution. Individual results may vary. The list of herbal-actions below has not be approved by the FDA and should not be used to treat a medical condition.

(see all)
Bowel Health:
Constipative

CONSTIPATIVE

An herb that binds stools / stops diarrhea. When used in excess, these herbs and foods can cause constipation.

SEE ALL 'CONSTIPATIVE' FOODS / HERBS

Energy Vitality:
Nutritive

NUTRITIVE

An herb that is strengthening and nourishing.

SEE ALL 'NUTRITIVE' FOODS / HERBS

Heart & Circulation:
Styptic

STYPTIC

A herb that contracts tissue or blood vessels. Generally styptics are astringent. They are often used topically as a hemostatic to stop bleeding, or to reduce secretions.

SEE ALL 'STYPTIC' FOODS / HERBS

Kidney & Urinary:
Dries Mouth

DRIES-MOUTH

Makes the mouth feel dry, or pasty.

SEE ALL 'DRIES-MOUTH' FOODS / HERBS

Constituents:

Foods with a Similar Nature to Acorn

  • Millet

    Millet has these Actions in Common

    Dries-mouth, Nutritive, Constipative, Styptic

    LEARN MORE

  • Adzuki Beans

    Adzuki Beans has these Actions in Common

    Nutritive, Constipative, Styptic, Dries-mouth

    LEARN MORE

  • Urad Dal

    Urad Dal has these Actions in Common

    Styptic, Constipative, Nutritive

    LEARN MORE

  • Walnuts

    Walnuts has these Actions in Common

    Nutritive, Styptic, Constipative

    LEARN MORE

  • Brown Lentil

    Brown Lentil has these Actions in Common

    Nutritive, Styptic, Constipative

    LEARN MORE

  • Yellow Lentil (Toor Dal)

    Yellow Lentil (Toor Dal) has these Actions in Common

    Constipative, Nutritive, Styptic

    LEARN MORE

  • Egg Yolk

    Egg Yolk has these Actions in Common

    Nutritive, Constipative, Dries-mouth

    LEARN MORE

  • Red Lentils (Masoor Dal)

    Red Lentils (Masoor Dal) has these Actions in Common

    Nutritive, Styptic, Constipative

    LEARN MORE

  • Chickpea (Garbanzo)

    Chickpea (Garbanzo) has these Actions in Common

    Nutritive, Styptic, Constipative

    LEARN MORE

  • Kidney Beans

    Kidney Beans has these Actions in Common

    Styptic, Constipative, Nutritive

    LEARN MORE

Herbs & Supplements with a Similar Nature to Acorn

  • Raspberry Leaf Tea

    Raspberry Leaf Tea has these Actions in Common

    Constipative, Styptic

    LEARN MORE

  • Black Walnut

    Black Walnut has these Actions in Common

    Dries-mouth, Styptic

    LEARN MORE

  • Agrimony

    Agrimony has these Actions in Common

    Constipative, Styptic

    LEARN MORE

  • Ashoka

    Ashoka has these Actions in Common

    Constipative, Styptic

    LEARN MORE

  • Arjuna

    Arjuna has these Actions in Common

    Constipative, Styptic

    LEARN MORE

  • Vidari

    Vidari has these Actions in Common

    Constipative, Nutritive

    LEARN MORE

  • Amalaki

    Amalaki has these Actions in Common

    Nutritive, Styptic

    LEARN MORE

  • Holy Basil Leaf (Tulsi)

    Holy Basil Leaf (Tulsi) has these Actions in Common

    Constipative, Dries-mouth

    LEARN MORE

  • Cordyceps

    Cordyceps has these Actions in Common

    Nutritive

    LEARN MORE

  • Asparagus root

    Asparagus root has these Actions in Common

    Nutritive

    LEARN MORE

  • Sea buckthorn

    Sea buckthorn has these Actions in Common

    Nutritive

    LEARN MORE


Joyful Belly is a recognized college of biocharacteristics medicine.

View other ingredients
for Autumn-Winter

Acorn is recommended for Autumn-Winter. Check out these other Autumn-Winter foods here.
VIEW ALL AUTUMN-WINTER FOODS MAIN INGREDIENT PAGE

HOW DOES EATING AYURVEDICALLY MAKE YOU FEEL?

Eating Ayurvedically makes you feel nourished and energized. Food digests with ease when right for your body type (dosha). Healthy digestion is seen as the cornerstone of well-being in Ayurveda. Healthy digestion generally prevents illness. If you do get sick, a strong digestive fire reduces the severity of illness and increases your resilience. It also improves your mood. Once you begin eating Ayurvedically, you will feel refreshed, vital and strong.
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About the Author

John Immel, the founder of Joyful Belly, teaches people how to have a healthy diet and lifestyle with Ayurveda. His approach to Ayurveda is clinical, yet exudes an ease which many find enjoyable and insightful. John also directs the Joyful Belly College of Ayurveda, offering professional clinical training in Ayurveda for over 15 years.

John's hobbies & specialties include advanced digestive disorders, medieval Catholic philosophy, & botany. He holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Harvard University. His wife and family of 7 kids live in Asheville, NC.

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Comments & Impressions of 'Acorn'

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Jonathan Hadas Edwards Danville, VT
2009-12-02
“Though few realize it these days, acorns formed a nutritious and sustaining staple for native peoples across pre-colonial America. The average native family ate 500lbs a year. There are dozens of acorn-bearing oak species, and the size and quality of their acorns varies dramatically: from pea to pingpong ball in size, and bitter to sweet in flavor. Most acorns do contain at least some degree of unpalatable bitterness due to tannins. Tannins are bitter, astringent, and acidic. They give acorns, wood, and autumn leaves the characteristic brown color of Vata. As with red wine, the tannins in acorns can cause constipation. Native peoples employed various techniques to leach out the offensive-tasting tannins. Grinding the acorns into a meal, tying them up in a sack, and placing it in a stream is one way. After a few days the bitter-astringent tannins are removed and the sweet, nourishing acorn meal remains for use on its own or in breads, pancakes, porridges, soups, etc. Acorn flour, acorn corn bread (say it out loud), and acorn crusted Thanksgiving pies are delicious! As with so many foods, the key is knowing how to prepare them!"
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Jess Allen park, MI
2014-04-05
“I collected acorns this past autumn and made some muffins and a flat bread after properly preparing them. These were possibly the tastiest baked products I've made! Acorn flour is really something special. Just make sure to keep hydrated the day you consume them."
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