ADZUKI BEANS

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 review, 343 likes

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Adzuki beans are known to have originated in China where they are used extensively in traditional medicine. They are a staple in the macrobiotic diet and very popular in Japan, second only to the soybean in terms of consumption and popularity.

AMARANTH

(4.00 out of 5 stars) 1 review, 358 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, 772 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...

APPLE (RAW)

(1.00 out of 5 stars) 1 review, 303 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....

APRICOT (FRESH)

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Frank Cook and I happened to visit our friend Aaron Wilson during apricot season in Jerome, Arizona. The Turks have a saying, 'the only thing better than this is an apricot from Damascus.' We should rewrite that phrase to include wild apricots from...

ASPARAGUS

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

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

BARLEY

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 review, 294 likes

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

BROWN RICE

(4.75 out of 5 stars) 4 reviews, 286 likes

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Brown rice has a superior nutritional profile than white rice but it more difficult to digest. Brown rice is made by removing the husk from harvested rice grain but the bran layer and the germ are kept intact. In white rice, the bran and germ are...

BUCKWHEAT

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 review, 155 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...

CABBAGE (COOKED)

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Cabbage juice is an anti-inflammatory. It was used by the Greeks and Romans to relieve eye inflammation. Fresh cabbage juice promotes rapid healing of ulcers. Raw cabbage is very difficult to digest and strongly provokes Vata. Cooked cabbage is...

CELERY ROOT

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 review, 79 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...

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...

CINNAMON

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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....

CORN

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 2 reviews, 105 likes

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Meso-Americans domesticated corn (also known as maize) in pre-historic times, spreading through much of the Americas between 1700 and 1250 BCE. While most corn stands at 8.2ft, at least one variety of corn grows to 39 feet in length.

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.

FENNEL STALK

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Cool and soothing, verdant and fragrant, fennel is a member of the carrot family that includes other popular spices such as cumin, coriander, dill and celery. Fennel is used as a flavoring in some natural toothpastes and mouth fresheners.

GOJI BERRY

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 2 reviews, 248 likes

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Goji berry is called wolfberry in Chinese medicine because it is a member of the nightshade family.

GRAPEFRUIT

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

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A green mango is an unripe mango. Green mangoes are more sour than ripe ones. In Bangladesh, green mangoes are served sliced with mustard and lime. Green mangoes are also used in mango pickle.

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...

GRITS

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Most likely named after the texture of road grit, grits are simply a course grinding of corn. Corn flour is finely ground and corn meal somewhere in between.

HONEY

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 review, 210 likes

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Honey - The Nectar of the Gods This pure and natural heavenly gift from nature was the first sweetener known to man. Honey's sweet goodness has been an icon of abundance for centuries. It's golden syrup seems to capture the...

MASA

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 review, 46 likes

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Masa is spanish for dough, although masa usually refers to 'masa de maize', meaning corn dough. Masa is a dried flour prepared from processed hominy and wood ash. The wood ash contains slaked lime, which makes the nutrients in the corn more bio...

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...

OKRA

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Okra is ojas building like most plants in the mallow family. It is also slimy and astringent, a seemingly unusual combination. Since okra is also cool, it is tri-doshic. Okra is especially helpful for relieving dryness in the joints.

PARSNIP

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 2 reviews, 88 likes

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Parsnip is native to the Mediterranean, where it is cultivated like carrots.

PEARS

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Pears are an ancient fruit eaten since pre-historic times. Older varieties had a hardened flesh that required hours of cooking to soften. Impossible to eat raw, the Romans stewed pears with honey and spices. Around the 18th century pears were bred to...

PECANS

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 review, 112 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.

POMEGRANATE

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 review, 254 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...

POPPED AMARANTH

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Any dry grain will aggravate Vata.

POTATO

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 review, 209 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 review, 136 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...

QUINOA

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 6 reviews, 450 likes

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This extremely nutritious pseudo-grain was originally cultivated on the high plains of the South American Andes Mountains. Although the wide variety of health benefits is just beginning to be studied and appreciated by modern western countries, the...

RED BELL PEPPER

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 review, 99 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 ONION (RAW)

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Like all roots cooked onion brings a grounding feel. Yellow onions are the standard onion in American grocery store shelves. White onions tend to be sweeter and crunchier. Red...