AJWAIN

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 rating, 430 likes

SAVE FOOD

Ajwain is native to the Middle East and is still common in Egypt as well as Indian cooking. Like turmeric, ajwain is a spice used to enhance digestibility rather than flavor.

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 7 ratings, 552 likes

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Often used for weight loss, vinegar strongly increases the flow of bile. Bile is a fatty, oily substance made by the liver, and stored in the gall bladder. It helps you digest fats. Since bile is also a fatty oily substance, draining bile from the...

APRICOT (FRESH)

SAVE FOOD

Frank Cook and I happened to visit our friend Aaron Wilson during apricot season in Jerome, Arizona. The Turks have a saying, 'the only thing better than this is an apricot from Damascus.' We should rewrite that phrase to include wild apricots from...

AVOCADO

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 3 ratings, 746 likes

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The avocado fruit grows on trees, but does not ripen until after it has been picked. It has a pear shape, and a rough, dark green to black skin with tiny bumps, which earned it the name "alligator pear". Unlike other fruits, avocado isn't sweet at all,...

BALSAMIC VINEGAR

SAVE FOOD

Vinegar heats up digestion, but aids fat metabolism. Balsamic vinegar is made with red wine, which is hotter than other vinegars.

BASIL

SAVE FOOD

Basil's warm and spicy aroma adds a passionate flare to any dish, bringing the heat of the Mediterranean sun to your table. Its bright green color and vigorous flavor is unmistakable in pesto. It adds verve to a home-made tomato sauce, and is a perky...

BEETS

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 rating, 566 likes

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"A tale that begins with a beet will end with the devil", wrote Tom Robbins in Jitterbug Perfume. For good reason too - cooking with red beets leaves the hands looking blood-stained. A chef who slaughters beets cannot hide - only run from the scene of...

CARDAMOM

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 8 ratings, 736 likes

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Love for cardamom resonates through history - for instance, ancient Egyptians chewed cardamom to whiten their teeth and sweeten their breath. Cardamom helps take the edge off of caffeine in the famous drink Turkish coffee. Cardamom is a member of the...

CHERRY

SAVE FOOD

Berries arrive just in time for late spring, early summer. Berries are lymphatic movers that complete the spring process of cleansing your liver. They are also liver tonics to protect your liver during summer. Berries are rich in anti-oxidants that...

CUMIN

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 4 ratings, 374 likes

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Appreciated since ancient times, cumin's aroma has wafted through kitchens since at least the second millennium BC, even flavoring breads and soups mentioned in the Bible. The highly valued spice was a currency to pay tithes to priests. The ancient...

DILL

SAVE FOOD

Dill seems to lighten the palate. As one client reports, "Dill embodies the taste of freshness with a little kick." It is called shatapushpa in Ayurveda. Dill is a member of the carrot family (apiaceae) along with parsley, celery, cumin,...

FENNEL SEEDS

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 3 ratings, 478 likes

SAVE FOOD

Cool and soothing, verdant and fragrant, fennel is a member of the carrot family that includes other popular spices such as cumin, coriander, dill and celery. Fennel is used as a flavoring in some natural toothpastes and mouth fresheners. Fennel seeds...

FENUGREEK

(4.50 out of 5 stars) 2 ratings, 237 likes

SAVE FOOD

Fenugreek is one of the oldest medicinal plants. It has been used since 4000BC. It's name means "ram's horn clover". It was found in the tomb of Tutankhamen.

GINGER (FRESH)

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 4 ratings, 798 likes

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IntroductionA steaming hot mug of ginger tea on a damp day warms up your bones and burns away thick, heavy congestion. When the weather is soggy, you feel tired and groggy. You naturally crave sunlight and heat. Pungent and light,...

GRAPEFRUIT

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 rating, 226 likes

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Grapefruit is a relatively new addition to the citrus family. It is a hybrid first discovered in the 18th century. Described as tart, tangy, or sweet, the grapefruit is said to be one of the "Seven Wonders of Barbados, because legend says the fruit was...

GREEN CHILIS

SAVE FOOD

The entire nightshade family (solanaceae) aggravates Vata and Pitta, due to the weak liver of these two body types. All peppers aggravate Pitta due to heat. Note that black pepper...

KOMBUCHA

SAVE FOOD

Akin to vinegar, kombucha is highly acidic and increases Pitta. As a medicine, kombucha should be consumed in small quantities only, such as a tsp before meals.

MANGO

(3.00 out of 5 stars) 1 rating, 177 likes

SAVE FOOD

Mango's happy flamboyance will brighten your day with its healthy, festive atmosphere. Its sweetness invites happiness and a smile while nourishing qualities authentically replenish your body after summer heat leaves you feeling depleted. When its time...

PARSLEY (FRESH)

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 rating, 212 likes

SAVE FOOD

Parsley was revered for its medicinal potency long before it was eaten as a food. Native to the central Mediterranean region, the herb was sacred to the ancient Greeks. They used it to adorn victorious athletes and decorate the tombs of the dead.

PUMPKIN SEEDS

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 rating, 447 likes

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Pumpkin seeds are warming, sweet, heavy, oily and blood building. In fact, if you puree them into a butter, the oil that separates out is blood red. Building your blood generally boosts your umph and your digestion. Also known as pepitas, pumpkin seeds...

QUINOA

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 6 ratings, 583 likes

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This extremely nutritious pseudo-grain was originally cultivated on the high plains of the South American Andes Mountains. Although the wide variety of health benefits is just beginning to be studied and appreciated by modern western countries, the...

RED PEPPER FLAKES (CHILI)

SAVE FOOD

The entire nightshade family (solanaceae) aggravates Vata and Pitta, due to the weak liver of these two body types. All peppers aggravate Pitta due to heat. Note that black pepper...

RED WINE VINEGAR

SAVE FOOD

Vinegar heats up digestion, but aids fat metabolism. Balsamic vinegar is made with red wine, which is hotter than other vinegars.

SCALLIONS (RAW)

SAVE FOOD

Opens Up the Lungs As an aromatic pungent, raw scallions opens up circulation to the lungs, chest, and skin. This quality is used to purge all cold related disorders from these organs. Scallions are helpful as both an expectorant...

SEAWEED (HYDRATED)

SAVE FOOD

Seaweed must by hydrated before serving to pacify Vata, otherwise it is too dry. The fire quality of salt aggravates Pitta and the liquid quality Kapha. Seaweed supplies iodine and has a rich nutrient profile. Examples include: Wakame...

SPAGHETTI SQUASH

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 rating, 328 likes

SAVE FOOD

Spaghetti squash gives the sensation of eating a large hearty meal without the consequence of heaviness in the belly when you are finished. It is light and easy to digest.

TARRAGON

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 2 ratings, 99 likes

SAVE FOOD

The name tarragon is a corruption of the French esdragon, derived from the Latin dracunculus, which means a little dragon.

TURMERIC ROOT (FRESH)

SAVE FOOD

See Turmeric.

WASABI

SAVE FOOD

The heat goes directly to the sinuses, clearing them.