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Bring almond milk to a simmer, uncovered. Watch closely as milk starts to heat up, as almond milk overflows the pot if it boils. As soon as almond milk starts to simmer, remove from heat and add spices. Brew for 3-5 minutes and serve.
When I don't have ghee I substitute butter (but not for Kapha). The result of adding the fats is a creamier texture. A bit of ground fennel seeds are also a tasty addition to this recipe.
How Does This Ayurvedic Recipe Improve Wellness?
CLINICAL AYURVEDIC REVIEW
You and your loved one will enjoy a cozy night snuggling on the couch with this creamy chai. Sweet & hearty, almond milk chai is a rich and decadent treat on any winter's eve. Aromatic spices bring cheer to the season. Serve at a holiday party as a healthy alternative to eggnog or hot cocoa.
Restore Peace & Tranquility
Almond milk's cool, heavy sweetness creates a sensation of stability and calm as it nourishes your nervous system. After a night of insomnia, its liver nourishing qualities provide relief from lingering sleep deprived jitters. This almond drink is a great substitute to kick your coffee habit and replenish your adrenals. If the stress of the day leaves you feeling wiped - this drink is liquid comfort food that will help you decompress.
Reproductive Tonic
When it comes to its aphrodisiac and reproductive support qualities, almonds are second to none. Eating almonds encourages a build-up of "vigor" or ojas (the vital nectar of life). Almonds are also symbols of male fertility and their high zinc content aids in sexual potency. Men should drink a glass of Almond Milk after sexual activity to rebuild fluids and vitality.
Supportive When Healing
As almonds build ojas, it supports a hearty constitution and boosts your immunity. Almond milk and ghee are easy to digest, making them supportive for a recovering patient, especially one with fragile digestion. This drink is an easy way to nourish your body while it is healing.
Soothes Your Digestive Tract
The creamy nature of almond milk, ghee and maple syrup soothes your digestive tract when you are inflamed. Almond milk's cooling nature is a traditional remedy for ulcers and gastritis. Its demulcent, coating properties can also soothe a dry, irritated throat. For those suffering from lactose intolerance, a warm mug of almond chai is an excellent substitute that won't cause digestive upset.
Note: To get these benefits you have to use homemade almond milk - a store bought variety will not suffice as they are normally too diluted.
AYURVEDA'S GUIDE TO VITALITY & WHOLESOME NOURISHMENT
Your Ayurvedic diet is tailored to your individual body and your specific imbalances.
With an Ayurvedic diet you feel joy and satisfaction because what you are eating truly nourishes and balances you.
Disease results from diets and lifestyles that are incompatible with your nature.
By eating a personalized diet matched to your body, you experience optimal health.
See How it Works.
Is Almond Milk Chai / Smoothie Good for My Ayurvedic Diet?
Find out by taking this free, easy quiz.
You'll learn your body type, and whether 'Almond Milk Chai / Smoothie' is a good fit.
Complete the basic quiz in 1 minute, or go deeper with additional quizzes at your own leisure to learn more about your body.
Functional Ayurveda helps you assess imbalances through 20 main biocharacteristics
(gunas).
Aggravating these characteristics weakens your body and causes imbalance.
By knowing which characteristics are habitually imbalanced in your body, you will be able to identify and correct imbalances before you get sick.
Every characteristic has an opposite which balances it (i.e. hot balances cold).
You restore balance by favoring diet and lifestyle choices that increase the opposite characteristic.
Taste is used to sense the most basic properties and effects of food.
Each taste has a specific medicinal effect on your body.
Cravings for food with certain tastes indicate your body is craving specific medicinal results from food.
Taste is experienced on the tongue and represents your body's reaction to foods.
Sweet taste causes physical satisfaction and attraction whereas bitter taste causes discomfort and aversion.
Kapha should use less sweet taste while Vata and Pitta would benefit from using more sweet taste.
One of the first signs of illness is that your taste and appetite for food changes.
The six tastes are sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent.
Do you crave foods with any of the tastes below?
According to the biocharacteristic theory of medicine,
people tend to get sick, over and over again, due to habitual causes and imbalances that are unique to the person.
Your body type summarizes this tendency, showing you the 'type' of conditions and imbalances that frequently challenge your health & wellness.
Using body type, you can also identify remedies likely to improve your strength and resiliency.
Your body type identifies physical and mental characteristics as well as your personal strengths and weaknesses.
The calculation of your body type is based on your medical history.
The 3 functional body types
(doshas),
are Catabolic (Vata), Metabolic (Pitta), and Anabolic (Kapha).
Catabolic individuals tend to break down body mass into energy. They are easily stimulated, hyperactive, underweight and dry.
Metabolic individuals tend to burn or use energy. They tend to be rosy-cheeked, easily irritated, focused, driven, and easily inflamed.
Anabolic individuals tend to store energy as body mass. If they store too much energy, they could gain weight easily and have congestion. Anabolic people tend to be stable and grounded.
Herbs or spices with volatile essential oils that present strong aromas. Aromatic oils shock, refresh and numb tissue, with the end result of relaxing, opening and clearing stagnant fluids in tissues.
Bland means doesn't have much taste. In Chinese medicine, bland taste refers to afood without little macronutrients, such as cabbage, radish or bok choy.
Experiences vary according to the person and constitution. Individual results may vary.
The list of herbal-actions below has not be approved by the FDA and should not be used to treat a medical condition.
Stimulates the release of gas. Helpful for bloating or cramping abdominal pain. Propels food downward. Carminatives typically expel gas by relaxing the muscles of the intestines.
Herbs that increase sexual arousal through various actions including increased circulation, relaxation, stimulation, or tonics that strengthen glandular health.
Herbs which stimulate menstruation. Emmenagogues are used for scanty menstruation, to relieve menstrual pain, and improve blood flow in the pelvic area and uterus.
John Immel, the founder of Joyful Belly, teaches people how to have a
healthy diet and lifestyle with Ayurveda biocharacteristics.
His approach to Ayurveda is clinical, yet exudes an ease which many find enjoyable and insightful.
John also directs Joyful Belly's School of Ayurveda,
offering professional clinical training in Ayurveda for over 15 years.
John's interest in Ayurveda and specialization in digestive tract pathology was inspired by a complex digestive disorder acquired from years of international travel,
as well as public service work in South Asia.
John's commitment to the detailed study of digestive disorders reflects his zeal to get down to the roots of the problem.
His hope and belief in the capacity of each & every client to improve their quality of life is nothing short of a personal passion.
John's creativity in the kitchen and delight in cooking for others comes from his family oriented upbringing.
In addition to his certification in Ayurveda, John holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Harvard University.
John enjoys sharing Ayurveda within the context of his Catholic roots,
and finds Ayurveda gives him an opportunity to participate in the healing mission of the Church.
Jesus expressed God's love by feeding and healing the sick.
That kindness is the fundamental ministry of Ayurveda as well.
Outside of work, John enjoys spending time with his wife and 6 kids, and pursuing his love of theology, philosophy, and language.
Comments & Impressions of 'Almond Milk Chai / Smoothie'
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Almond skins are brown because they contain tannins, an acidic and astringent substance that provokes Vata and Pitta. The cyanide in almond skins is toxic to the liver and starves the cells of oxygen (prana).
Skinned, the creamy, gentle, oily sweetness of almonds is wonderful for Vata in small amounts. But even skinned nuts can provoke Vata because their density makes them difficult to digest. Almonds are much easier to digest when soaked for thirty six hours first.
Oily nuts, when eaten in excess, stress the liver and may increase Pitta. Nuts, brown rice and other foods are also high in arginine, an amino acid that encourages proliferation of the virus that causes cold sores in infected indviduals.
Do you not boil any of the spices in this recipe in water before hand ?
If you were to boil the spices in almond milk, doesnt it destroy the Vit. E and a lot of valuable nutrients ?
I heard that L arginine helps with improving circulation as to help my Reynaud's disease.
Here you are recommending 30 almonds of 1/4 of a Cup but Dr Vasant Lad recommends not eating more than 10 almonds per day. Why would he recommend this ? Is there such a thing as "overdosing " on blanched almonds ? I have experienced that I can't take them at night or else I havetoo much energy and cannot fall asleep, so I think this beverage is best earlier in the day
Hi Erin, for sure you can! In my experience cashews are heavier in nature than almonds so you might only want a smaller cup. But definitely experiment and see! You can see more about cashews here: https://www.joyfulbelly.com/Ayurveda/ingredient/Cashews/104
* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
The information and products on this website are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any
disease.