ALMONDS

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 2 reviews, 452 likes

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As the most widely grown tree nut in the world, these crunchy little nuggets are highly revered for building strength and intelligence across many ancient cultures. Originally native to the levant and in Northern Africa as far west as Morocco, almonds...

AMARANTH

(4.00 out of 5 stars) 1 review, 364 likes

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Amaranth represented up to 80% of the caloric intake of the Aztecs before the Spanish conquest. Amaranth tastes somewhat like corn, but is somewhat less sweet. Others have described the taste as nutty, like bacon or wood, or slightly bitter. It is...

APPLE (COOKED)

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 review, 794 likes

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In Norse mythology, apples are said to provide eternal youthfulness. Apples appear in many religious traditions, including the bible, often as a forbidden fruit. Apples originated in Western Asia, where its wild ancestor still grows today. There are...

AVOCADO

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 3 reviews, 602 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,...

BANANA

(4.00 out of 5 stars) 5 reviews, 551 likes

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Replenish Electrolytes and RehydrateYou have spent a long hot afternoon tending your garden or chasing the kids and you're feeling parched. But sometimes, no matter how much water you drink, your body still feels thirsty. Simple...

BEEF

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Red meat strongly rebuilds deficient blood. It is especially useful in late summer and early fall. Red meat increases Pitta and Kapha. Too much red meat clogs the lymphatic system (Kapha blocking Vata in rasa dhatu), and causes blood stangation...

BEER

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 review, 90 likes

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Beer is Cheer Few people don't enjoy a cold beer on a hot summer's day. The paradox is that beer, although bitter and refreshing to taste, heats the body up. On a hot day, that increased heat leaves you thirsty and dehydrated,...

BUCKWHEAT

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 review, 159 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...

BUFFALO MILK

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Difficult to digest, heavy and cold. [Ashtanga Hrdayam Su 5:23]

BUTTERNUT SQUASH

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Winter squashes, including butternut, are eaten in the autumn after they have absorbed the sun's energy over the summer. This stored energy gives squashes a warm ojas building heartiness that can comfort you through colder weather. Where most tonic...

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...

CLOVES

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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'...

COCONUT MILK

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Fronds of a coconut palm sway in a tropical breeze,...

CRIMINI & BUTTON MUSHROOMS

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 2 reviews, 112 likes

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Stay GroundedMushrooms have an earthy taste like the dark, rich loamy soil itself. This earthiness is a sign of mushrooms' ability to keep you grounded and calm your nervous system. They are considered tamasic in Ayurveda meaning...

EGG YOLK

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Egg yolks are satisfying, creamy and soft. They have a high fat and nutrient content, containing everything necessary to nourish a baby chicken. This makes egg a strengthening tonic. Egg yolks are creamy when raw, and have a dry, pasty...

GREEN PLANTAIN

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Plantains have a festive yellow color and as you might guess, they are members of the banana family. While any Caribbean island dweller relishes a sweet banana for dessert or snacks, plantains are the preferred savory option for a meal. Plantains...

HEMP SEED

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 review, 247 likes

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Introduction Heavy, oily and slightly sweet, hemp seeds are a hearty addition to your winter diet. These dense seeds nourish and build tissue, leaving you feeling strong, stable and sustained, even during the harshest months of...

JACKFRUIT

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Jackfruit is grown in subtropical lowlands. They have the largest fruit of any tree. Like fig trees, jackfruit are in the moraceae family.

LAMB

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Lamb fat is heavy. Muscle fats are widely used in ayurveda for convalescing (recovering from illness). However, muscle (mamsa) and muscle fats (vasa) are heavy for digestion. Downstream, they cause 'sroto-rodha' or blockage of blood. After several days...

LAVENDER

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The name lavendar comes from the latin root lavare meaning 'to wash.' Lavender flowers yield abundant nectar for beekeepers. Pumas respond to lavender the way cats respond to catnip.

LIMA BEANS

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Lima beans are a relatively sweet, easy to digest bean and an important source of protein for vegetarian.

MILK

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 2 reviews, 207 likes

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Rich and creamy, milk is a soothing balm to both body and mind. As a schoolboy, I LOVED coming home to a cool, refreshing glass of milk. Milk's mild sweetness goes down easy. On hot days it refreshed me. On cold days, a warm glass of milk with hot...

MILLET

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Millet is drier than other grains. It's astringency can help bind diarrhea. It is warmer than other grains, stimulating good digestion and agni. Due to astringency, millet may feel like sandpaper if the tissues of the digestive tract are irritated or...

NUTMEG

(4.00 out of 5 stars) 1 review, 119 likes

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Nutmeg is aromatic, astringent, and a sedative. It's aromatic quality makes it ideal for improving digestion, while astringent quality helps bind the stool. Nutmeg is thus the preferred spice for cold type diarrhea. Nutmeg cuts through fat of milk...

OATS / OATMEAL

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 5 reviews, 360 likes

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Oats have a slimy quality helping expectoration in Kapha when combined with spices. The slimy quality also helps soften the GI tract in Vata. Be careful with granola bars! Dry oats in any form absorbs moisture from the GI tract, aggravating Vata if...

OYSTER

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Oysters are salty, watery, slimy, and fatty, all the qualities that are nurturing and soothing to Vata. Oysters are very Vata pacifying. In Chinese medicine (TCM) oysters are the number one food for reducing yin.

PEANUTS

(4.33 out of 5 stars) 6 reviews, 51 likes

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Why do we love nuts? Humans have a long history of eating nuts. Nuts were the primary source of fats and proteins prior to the agricultural revolution. Unfortunately, peanuts aren't nuts; they're beans.

POPPED AMARANTH

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Any dry grain will aggravate Vata.

POPPY SEED

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

PORTOBELLO MUSHROOM

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Mushrooms are considered to be tamasic and a bit dark in Ayurveda. They are earthy and soulful. Chinese medicine uses many mushrooms as immune tonics. Many western herbalists entertain the notion that mushrooms come from an alien planet. While this...

POTATO

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 review, 212 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...

PUMPKIN

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 review, 107 likes

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Soft, sweet, and buttery, pumpkin pie has been my favorite Thanksgiving treat since childhood. I've baked over 8 pumpkin pies this season alone.

ROMAINE LETTUCE

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Nothing is more refreshing on a hot summer day than a crisp salad. All year long, your Ayurvedic practitioner has been telling you to avoid cool foods, but in the summertime, that rule is put on hold. It is the perfect time to enjoy watery, crunchy...

SAFFRON

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Saffron's use is ancient. Saffron-based pigments have been found in 50,000 year-old paintings in northwest Iran. It conjures romance, royalty, and delicacy wherever it appears. Alexander the Great bathed in saffron to cure battle wounds. Cultivated...

SESAME SEEDS

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 review, 187 likes

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"Open sesame" was the secret password in the medieval Arabic adventure tale Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. These magic words revealed a cave rich with treasures secreted by thieves. Sesame seeds and oil are a food treasure rich with myriad health...