Small but potent, mustard seed's penetrating warmth enlivens agni, supports circulation, and clears heaviness from the system. Its hot, sharp, aromatic qualities dispel stagnation and are Ideal for cold, damp, or congested states.
Turmeric is a warm, yellow, earthy, slightly bitter spice used in ritual, medicine, and cooking. Turmeric paste is applied to bride and groom before marriage in some places of India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. Although a deep yellow color, turmeric...
The word 'pepper' is dervied from the South Asian word 'pippali'. Pippali (long pepper) is a famous herb in Ayurveda for lung and heart conditions, and is a close relative of black pepper. The word pepper gradually came to include the unrelated New...
Cinnamon is a small evergreen tree in the Lauraceae family native to Sri Lanka. Other members of this family include sassafras, avocado, camphor, and spicebush. Trees of the laurel family, including cinnamon, predominate in the world's laurel forests....
Eggplant has inspired colorful sayings and stories wherever it spread from its origins in South Asia. In India, where it was domesticated, it is sometimes called the "king of vegetables" (baingan ka raja) because of its ability to absorb spices...
Rosmarinus, is from the latin "dew" (ros) and "sea" (marinus), and means "dew of the sea". Rosemary grows in arid Mediterranean conditions and, as its name implies, can survive on the humidity carried by the sea breeze.
Apples are crunchy and leave a rough feeling on the roof of the mouth, both signs of astringency. Astringency is drying. Thus raw apples provoke Vata and constipation. Cooked apples and apple sauce are more Vata friendly. They are not astringent....
Parsnip is native to the Mediterranean, where it is cultivated like carrots.
Dates have been a staple food and cultivated in the Middle East for thousands of years. Their cultivation has been documented in Mesopotamia, Ancient Egypt and as far back as 6000BC in Arabia.
The country of Georgia is famous for its walnut sauces. Walnuts also exude a golden yellow oil when pressed that is used as a garnish in Georgian dishes. Discover more about walnuts from one of my favorite authors, Paula Wolfert, in "The Cooking of the...
Tofu is heavy, cold, estrogenic, and moderately difficult to digest. It is made by curdling soy milk and pressing the curds into blocks. It was invented in China over 2000 years ago.
Romance may be sealed with a box of chocolates, but passion for chocolate is as eternal as true love. Long before John Cadbury invented the chocolate bar, native meso-american peoples brewed chocolate with medicinal herbs. Chocolate has been used as...
Hot and stimulating, dried ginger kindles the digestive fire, supports healthy circulation, and melts away sluggishness.
Cloves are native to India and Indonesia. They are the aromatic dried flower bud of a tree in the same family as Eucalyptus and Guava (Myrtaceae family). Cloves resemble a nail in shape. The English name 'clove' derives from the latin 'clavus'...
Acorn Squash is a nourishing, grounding vegetable whose sweetness can be the centerpiece of a hearty meal. As sweet taste is almost always cold, be sure to warm your acorn squash with mild spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, or more savory options like...
Coffee as a SacramentWhat are your rituals around coffee? Coffee has become a sacrament in our culture. A client reports, "The only time my husband and I relax together is over coffee." My response, "If your marriage is dependent...
Sauerkraut is the perfect remedy for a hot dog. Often you can find wisdom in the food combinations of cultural cuisine. The ballpark, as it turns out, is no exception. Sauerkraut is fermented cabbage. Its name literally means 'sour-cabbage'. It...
Highly aromatic & spicy, Allspice is an ideal appetizer that refreshes the mouth. It is a delicious addition to meats and desserts, where it doubles as a digestive aid. It's taste and astringency closely resembles cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves and it...
Hot, pungent, antiemetic, appetizer, digestive, spleen tonic; stimulates saliva.
Goji berry is called wolfberry in Chinese medicine because it is a member of the nightshade family.
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Founder of Joyful Belly Ayurveda, John Immel, answers the question ‘What is Ayurveda?’
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