ALLSPICE

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 2 ratings, 447 likes

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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...

ALOE VERA JUICE / GEL

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 2 ratings, 794 likes

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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...

APPLE (RAW)

(3.67 out of 5 stars) 3 ratings, 406 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....

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 7 ratings, 633 likes

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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...

ARTICHOKE

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Artichokes are a traditional liver remedy. As a member of the thistle family, they are

ARTICHOKE HEARTS

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See the Ayurvedic Analysis of Artichokes page.

ARUGULA

(4.50 out of 5 stars) 2 ratings, 537 likes

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Its sharp peppery flavor is a sign that arugula is light and easy to digest for those with slow, cold digestion, or to help take a heavy meal and "lighten" it, so your body can assimilate the nutrients of the entire dish.

BARLEY

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 rating, 390 likes

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

BEET GREENS

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 rating, 190 likes

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The astringency of the beet can cause a fuzzy feeling on the teeth.

BITTER MELON

(4.00 out of 5 stars) 3 ratings, 204 likes

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The bitterest member of the gourd family, bitter melon is a popular vegetable in south asia from India northward to China.

BLUEBERRY

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 3 ratings, 618 likes

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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...

BROCCOLI

(4.00 out of 5 stars) 1 rating, 488 likes

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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...

BUCKWHEAT

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 rating, 203 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...

BURDOCK ROOT (GOBO)

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 rating, 166 likes

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Bitter detoxicant, Cold vasodilator, depurative, alterative, astringent diuretic. Stimulates kidneys to eliminate uric acid. like dandelion rt but not a potassium diuretic

CELERY SEED

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 rating, 95 likes

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Celery seeds are actually a very small fruit, these "seeds" yield a valuable volatile oil.

CHIA SEEDS

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The word chia is a native american word meaning 'oily'. Chia seeds were an important food crop in central America. Chia seeds are one of the few seeds of the mint family consumed as a food. It is closely related to culinary sage.

CHICORY ROOT

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Maybe it's the name, or the pretty blue flowers that line the highway, but every time I think of chicory, I smile with the thought of a party in New Orleans.

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....

COLLARD GREENS

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Collard greens, like other fibrous greens, can be difficult to digest for Vata dosha. Make sure they are cooked well!

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.

CUCUMBER

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 rating, 302 likes

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Oft considered a vegetable, these elongated cylindrical delicacies are actually a fruit. They join watermelon and honey dew as succulent members of the summer friendly melon family. Originally from the Indian subcontinent, cucumbers are now grown...

DANDELION LEAVES

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 rating, 333 likes

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When most people think of dandelion, they think of pulling this pesky weed out of their manicured lawn. It's the poster child for weeds. This is especially ironic because colonists brought the dandelion to the Americas as an important medicinal plant....

ENDIVE

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Endives are more bitter and cooling than other greens.

FENUGREEK

(4.50 out of 5 stars) 2 ratings, 284 likes

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Fenugreek is one of the oldest medicinal plants. It has been used since 4000BC. It's name means "ram's horn clover". It was found in the tomb of Tutankhamen.

FLAX SEED

(4.00 out of 5 stars) 2 ratings, 462 likes

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If you are constipated, try soaking a teaspoon of flax seeds in warm water for 2 hours. Soaking releases the soluble fiber in flax, which forms a slimy gel that bulks up stools for easy elimination. Its high oil content can lubricate a dry intestinal...

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...

HIBISCUS

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Hibiscus is from the same family as okra, cotton, and chocolate. More obscure members include durian, marshmallow root, & kola nut.

HOMEMADE YOGURT

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 2 ratings, 246 likes

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Lassis are a popular yogurt drink in India. A lassi is simply equal parts yogurt and water blended together, often with digestive spices like cumin and salt.

KALE

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 rating, 416 likes

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Start with lacinto kale if regular Kale is too bitter but make sure you eventually switch over to the real stuff.

KEFIR

(4.00 out of 5 stars) 3 ratings, 136 likes

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Kefir is a thin yogurt drink that cools and soothes as it refreshes. Its sour taste, like yogurt, improves its digestibility when compared with other dairy products. As it is less thick than yogurt, it also digests more easily than yogurt. Kefir can...

MUSTARD GREENS

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Raw brassicas contain chemicals that can block thyroid function called goitrogens. These chemicals are easily inactivated by steaming or cooking.

NIGELLA (BLACK CUMIN)

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 rating, 203 likes

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Found in Tutankhamun's tomb, black cumin is a famous as an Old World spice and medicine. The 'Tibb-e-Nabavi" or "Medicine of the Prophet (Muhammed)", reports the only disease it cannot cure is death. It's many uses have earned it the nickname "seed of...

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.

PUMPKIN SEEDS

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 rating, 555 likes

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Pumpkin seeds are warming, sweet, heavy, oily and blood building. In fact, if you puree them into a butter, the oil that separates out is blood red. Building your blood generally boosts your umph and your digestion. Also known as pepitas, pumpkin seeds...