ALCOHOL

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 3 ratings, 190 likes

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Alcohol is a hot depressant. Initially, the heat combined with the relaxing qualties of alcohol dilate blood vessels, an aid to circulation. The heart, which is a naturally affectionate and social organ, predisposes one to fun and perhaps risky social...

ALFALFA SPROUTS

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Promotes strength and solidity. Anabolic, but without creating stagnation. Regulates estrogen (phytoestrogens can increase or decrease estrogen as needed). Liver, Spleen Yin Tonic. Alfalfa is a urinary & GI membrane restorative. (Source: Holmes)

ALOE VERA GEL

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 rating, 514 likes

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Aloe includes more than 250 species of flowering succulents and is native to Africa, Madagascar and Jordan. It is closely related to cactus, yucca and onion. For thousands of years and across many cultures, aloe has been used to heal a variety of...

ALOE VERA JUICE

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 rating, 350 likes

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Aloe includes more than 250 species of flowering succulents and is native to Africa, Madagascar and Jordan. It is closely related to cactus, yucca and onion. For thousands of years and across many cultures, aloe has been used to heal a variety of...

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 7 ratings, 546 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...

ARTICHOKE

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Artichokes, a member of the thistle family, are a hepatoprotectant. Artichoke may be gassy for those with weak digestion. Artichoke is very high in fiber. It's chologogue properties, together with its high fiber content make it ideal to flush toxic...

ARTICHOKE HEARTS

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See the Ayurvedic Analysis of Artichokes page.

ARUGULA

(4.50 out of 5 stars) 2 ratings, 470 likes

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Its sharp peppery flavor is a sign that arugula is light and easy to digest for those with slow, cold digestion, or to help take a heavy meal and "lighten" it, so your body can assimilate the nutrients of the entire dish.

ASPARAGUS

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 rating, 427 likes

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Asparagus has a delicate flavor and texture making it an ideal vegetable for gourmet cuisine!

AVOCADO

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 3 ratings, 737 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

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

BARLEY

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 rating, 353 likes

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Barley has an ancient history, and was first cultivated in the Near East.

BASIL

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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...

BEET GREENS

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 rating, 172 likes

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The astringency of the beet can cause a fuzzy feeling on the teeth.

BEETS

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 rating, 560 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...

BITTER MELON

(4.00 out of 5 stars) 3 ratings, 180 likes

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The bitterest member of the gourd family, bitter melon is a popular vegetable in south asia from India northward to China.

BOTTLE GOURD

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 rating, 147 likes

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Bottle gourds feel like a cross between a cucumber and pear. They are common in Asia, but new to the United States. Bottle gourd is one of the earliest cultivated plants in the world, grown for its usefulness as a water carrying device when dried and...

BROCCOLI

(4.00 out of 5 stars) 1 rating, 440 likes

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Broccoli is packed with nutrients, high in fiber, and keeps the stomach satisfied for a long time. An entire bag of broccoli has about 100 calories, or the equivalent of two french fries at a fast food restaurant. Raw brassicas contain chemicals...

BUCKWHEAT

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 rating, 180 likes

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Buckwheat's hearty warmth hits the spot on any damp cloudy day in November. Enjoy as you snuggle up with your loved ones, or while listening to crackling logs in a wood burning stove. Smoky, nutty and earthy, buckwheat is slightly demulcent like...

CARAWAY SEEDS

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In the Middle Ages, caraway seeds were served with a bit of sugar as a digestive after a big meal, much the way sugar coated fennel is eaten after a meal in India.

CARDAMOM

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 8 ratings, 729 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...

CAROB

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Carob is a hardy tree resistant to harsh climate and drought. It was used to feed swine and donkeys during famine. In the talmud and bible, numerous rabbis, the prodigal son, and St. John the Baptist reportedly lived on carob in the wilderness, earning...

CAULIFLOWER

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 2 ratings, 359 likes

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Cauliflower causes gas in Vata types.

CELERY ROOT

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 rating, 92 likes

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This bright food is one of the lightest of root vegetables. It's the only root vegetable with as much flavor and freshness as leafy greens - something you can't get from a turnip or carrot. Imagine a root vegetable that's perfect for spring, and that...

CELERY STALK

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The word for celery comes from the Greek word selinon which translates to 'parsley,' a close relative of celery. Celery's powers have been known since antiquity. Leaves of it were found in the garlands surrounding King Tut's tomb, and Homer makes...

CHAMOMILE

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Chamomile infuses your tea with a delicious floral aroma that is warm, light & airy. Its smell is reminiscent of apples, first noted by the Greeks, who named it 'ground-apple' (kamai=ground & melon=apple). Improve Sluggish...

CHERRY

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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...

CHICORY ROOT

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Maybe it's the name, or the pretty blue flowers that line the highway, but every time I think of chicory, I smile with the thought of a party in New Orleans.

CHOCOLATE (CACAO)

(4.00 out of 5 stars) 7 ratings, 285 likes

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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...

CILANTRO

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Cilantro is the leaf of the coriander seed. Both the leaves and the seeds have citrus overtones. Cilantro, as a cooling herb, pairs well with hot spicy dishes.

COFFEE

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 rating, 216 likes

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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...

COLLARD GREENS

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Collard greens, like other fibrous greens, can be difficult to digest for Vata dosha. Make sure they are cooked well!

CUCUMBER

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 rating, 253 likes

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Oft considered a vegetable, these elongated cylindrical delicacies are actually a fruit. They join watermelon and honey dew as succulent members of the summer friendly melon family. Originally from the Indian subcontinent, cucumbers are now grown...