
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.
Acorns are high in tannins, a bitter and astringent acid that irritates the digestive tract and causes constipation. However, tannins are water soluble.
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.
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...
Strength & Energy Building TonicLong before the agricultural revolution, humans feasted off nuts. This ancestral food is still one of the best ways to strengthen your body. Warm and creamy almonds contain more protein per serving...
Almond milk is a wonderful soothing drink that builds strength, immunity, and grounded energy. Its cool, heavy sweetness creates a sensation of stability and calm in the body, while offering easily accessible energy. For those suffering from lactose...
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...
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...
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...
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....
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...
Vinegar heats up digestion, but aids fat metabolism. Balsamic vinegar is made with red wine, which is hotter than other vinegars.
Barley has an ancient history, and was first cultivated in the Near East.
Half as sweet as sugar, with a distinct 'malty' taste. Dark brown, thick and sticky. Produced from sprouted barley. When seeds sprout, some of the carbohydrates get converted to simple sugars.
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...
"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...
Tangy and moldy, like gym socks but glorious all the same.
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...
Brazil nuts have received recent popularity for their ability to stimulate the thyroid. This warm, rich nut won't fail to please you either. It's buttery, oily tastes is universally appreciated.
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...
Bitter detoxicant, Cold vasodilator, depurative, alterative, astringent diuretic. Stimulates kidneys to eliminate uric acid. like dandelion root but not a potassium diuretic
Butter increases cholesterol, which is Kapha in nature. Eat organic butter only because the toxins are concentrated as the milk is concentrated. Ayurveda recommends ghee over butter because it is lighter for digestion. Every get thirsty after eating...
Cabbage's cool, light nature makes it ideal for recovery from a few days of heavy foods. Cooked, it is soft yet bulky, providing ample fiber to clear and gently cleanse the GI. A hot steaming bowl of soft cabbage soup soothes as it satisfies. Though...
Raw brassicas contain chemicals that can block thyroid function called goitrogens. These chemicals are easily inactivated by steaming or cooking.
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.
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...
Sweet and heavy, cashews calm the nerves and satisfy your belly. The crescent shaped cashew is dense and warm, building strength and leaving you feeling sustained, particularly in cooler months. Initially crunchy, these nuts become creamy and smooth...
Cauliflower causes gas in Vata types.
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...
Celery seeds are actually a very small fruit, these "seeds" yield a valuable volatile oil.
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Founder of Joyful Belly Ayurveda, John Immel, answers the question ‘What is Ayurveda?’