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...
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...
The mere taste of Maple Syrup's rich aroma transports you back to nature, to the calm and cool serenity of the forest. The full bodied taste let's you know this is a whole food. It's earthy impurities add a rustic component that is likely to be rich in...
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...
There is a popular saying, "Wheat increases brawn, but rice increases brain." Wheat is dense nutrition, but it is difficult to digest. It pulls too much blood out of circulation and into the digestive tract. The loss of blood dulls the mind, and voila...
We note that yams are a useful alternative to sweet potato, a mild diuretic that can aggravate Vata. Yams contains phytoestrogens helpful for tonifying Vata in the female...
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...
Star anise is a small evergreen tree native to China that closely resembles anise in flavor. Its licorice-flavored start shaped fruit is also grown in Japan and Vietnam. It has a dark brown color and contains six to eight seeded petal-like segments. ...
Native to the dry hills of the Middle East and Central Asia, these little gems are among the world's oldest harvested nut trees, cultivated for over 9,000 years. Ancient Persians called them the "green gold," prized by kings and travelers alike for...
Egg whites are a great source of protein. The egg yolks are a hearty and nourishing tonic pacifying Vata but aggravating Kapha. Egg yolks are high in cholesterol. Egg yolks are heating, and mildly aggravating to Pitta. Some people are allergic to the...
"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...
"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...
Tapioca is actually made from tree resin. Like most resins tapioca is sticky.
Cottage cheese is one of the world's oldest and simplest cheeses — a humble curd born from the age-old practice of gently souring milk. Its name comes from the small country cottages where it was first made by farmers using leftover milk from...
Oatmeal is warm, soft, and gently nourishing. The expression "Feeling your oats" testifies to the use of oats as a tonic for increased vigor. Oatmeal provides steady, long-lasting energy without overstimulating the system, making oatmeal a perfect...
Sweet potato is unique among comfort foods for its Kapha pacifying lightness. This tuber is beneficial even for those with heavy digestive symptoms. Unlike dairy products, potatoes, and other common comfort foods like pasta, sweet potatoes feel light...
Acorn Squash is a nourishing, grounding vegetable whose sweetness can be the centerpiece of a hearty meal. As sweet taste is almost always cold, be sure to warm your acorn squash with mild spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, or more savory options like...
Poppy seeds are taken from the same plant as opium. While the culinary seeds themselves contain little to no of the opium alkaloid used in narcotics; small residues of the pod's latex are typically found on the seed's surface, giving them the...
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...
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...
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...
Chestnuts are warm, sweet and nourishing. Their building nature is perfect for winter. Winter is a perfect time of year to strengthen your body, since your body responds better to building tonics throughout October, November, and December. Chestnuts...
Pork refers to the meat of the domestic pig (Sus scrofa domesticus), prized for its tenderness and rich umami flavor. Depending on the cut and preparation, pork can range from delicate and mild (as in tenderloin or loin chops) to deeply savory and...
Wild rice is four species of grain from the genus zizania.
Shrimp are small, decapod crustaceans found in both salt and fresh water, loved for their sweet, delicate meat and quick cooking time. Sold in many forms, with the shell-on or peeled, raw or pre-cooked, head-on, frozen or fresh, shrimp also vary widely...
Bone Marrow and bone marrow fat are the heaviest and densest of all fats. It is a strong tonic and blood builder used for debilitated clients and those who over-exert their bodies, such as athletes. It is rich in minerals.
Date sugar is a complex cabrohydrate that takes longer to digest, thus releasing it's energy more slowly over time into the body. Dates contain phyto-hormones for women that tonify reproductive organs.
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Founder of Joyful Belly Ayurveda, John Immel, answers the question ‘What is Ayurveda?’
