ACAI

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 2 ratings, 77 likes

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Acai means fruit that cries. Acai is a sweet & juicy fruit with a satisfying purple pulp. It provides rich nutrition, high antioxidant value, and fiber.

APPLE (RAW)

(3.67 out of 5 stars) 3 ratings, 362 likes

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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....

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...

BLUEBERRY

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 3 ratings, 508 likes

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Pop a few blueberries in your mouth and you'll notice reduced agitation, a relaxing sensation in the eyes, and cool feeling in your skin. These visceral signs are your personal cue indicating blueberries' beneficial effect on your liver, and their...

CARROT

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 2 ratings, 603 likes

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Ancestors of the wild carrot came from Iran and Afghanistan, the center of genetic diversity for carrot. Carrots were bred from a species of wild carrot, called Queen Anne's Lace. Originally they were grown for their aromatic leaves and seeds. Since...

CAULIFLOWER

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 2 ratings, 360 likes

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Cauliflower causes gas in Vata types.

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...

CHIA SEEDS

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The word chia is a native american word meaning 'oily'. Chia seeds were an important food crop in central America. Chia seeds are one of the few seeds of the mint family consumed as a food. It is closely related to culinary sage.

CHOCOLATE (CACAO)

(4.00 out of 5 stars) 7 ratings, 286 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...

COFFEE

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 rating, 217 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...

CRANBERRY

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Cranberries grow in acidic bogs. Early settlers in North American thought cranberry flowers looked like a crane, and named them 'craneberry'. They are a major commercial crop in North America.

DANDELION LEAVES

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 rating, 300 likes

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When most people think of dandelion, they think of pulling this pesky weed out of their manicured lawn. It's the poster child for weeds. This is especially ironic because colonists brought the dandelion to the Americas as an important medicinal plant....

GRAPE

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 2 ratings, 334 likes

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Grapes are considered a superior fruit to all others in Ayurvedic. They are an important tonic (rasayana) for late summer. Grapes have been a sign of abundance since Greek times. The Greek God or agriculture, Dionysus, is often portrayed with a crown...

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 TEA

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 rating, 314 likes

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Green Tea is a preparation using minimally processed leaves from the camellia sinensis plant. This is the same plant used in normal black tea. Black tea leaves, however, are more processed.

HIBISCUS

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Hibiscus is from the same family as okra, cotton, and chocolate. More obscure members include durian, marshmallow root, & kola nut.

MANGO

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

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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...

MULBERRY

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Each little sweet bite of mulberry cools the mind. Dark colored fruits are rich in flavonoids, which support blood vessels.

PARSLEY (FRESH)

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

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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.

PECANS

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 rating, 134 likes

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Pecan is from the Algonquin word meaning 'a nut needing a stone to crack.' Pecan is a species of hickory native to south central north america.

PLUM

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Plums are the second most cultivated fruit in the world, second to apples. Varieties of plums have been traced back to Eastern Europe, the Caucasian mountains, and China. Plums along with olives, grapes and figs are among the earliest cultivated foods....

POMEGRANATE

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 rating, 293 likes

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Pomegranate comes from the latin words for apple (pomum) and seed (granatum), altogether meaning 'seeded-apple'. The seeds of the pomegranate are embedded in a white membrane that is also used for its medicinal qualities in Ayurveda. The french word...

POPPY SEED

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From the poppy family, contains slight traces of narcotics that, like nutmeg, help induce sleep.

POTATO

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 rating, 251 likes

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Causes Weight Gain The abundance of starch in potato and their high glycemic index cause weight gain.This heaviness puts you to sleep and can slow digestion. Cools Inflammation Potatoes, un-remedied by spices...

PRUNES (DRIED)

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 rating, 170 likes

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High fiber (pectin) and phenolic compounds have made prunes famous as laxative. While prunes are a great choice of laxative for Kapha's with lazy colon constipation, Vata should take caution due to the diuretic nature of prunes. High potassium makes...

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...

RED BELL PEPPER

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 rating, 115 likes

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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

(4.00 out of 5 stars) 1 rating, 102 likes

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Wine stimulates agni & taste. It penetrates deeply into tissues. It is warming and brings mental satisfaction. Wine softens stools. Wine contains tannins which are astringent. It is hot, sweet and sour. Certain wines may be sharp or bitter as...

RED WINE 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.

SPINACH

(3.50 out of 5 stars) 2 ratings, 109 likes

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Spinach is heating in the digestive tract and drying. It is unusual because very few foods are both astringent and hot. It contains oxalic acid which provokes Pitta and is especially contraindicated for kidney stones. Cooking destroys the oxalic acid.