ACAI

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 2 ratings, 214 likes

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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.

AJWAIN

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 rating, 490 likes

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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.

ALCOHOL

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 3 ratings, 233 likes

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Alcohol is a hot depressant. Initially, the heat combined with the relaxing qualties of alcohol dilate blood vessels, an aid to circulation. The heart, which is a naturally affectionate and social organ, predisposes one to fun and perhaps risky social...

ALLSPICE

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 2 ratings, 445 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...

ALMOND BUTTER

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 2 ratings, 803 likes

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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

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 5 ratings, 924 likes

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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...

ALMONDS

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 2 ratings, 658 likes

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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...

AMARANTH

(4.00 out of 5 stars) 1 rating, 476 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...

ANISE

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Anise is sweet and very aromatic.

APPLE (COOKED)

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 rating, 1148 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)

(3.67 out of 5 stars) 3 ratings, 403 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, 631 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...

AVOCADO

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 3 ratings, 868 likes

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The avocado fruit grows on trees, but does not ripen until after it has been picked. It has a pear shape, and a rough, dark green to black skin with tiny bumps, which earned it the name "alligator pear". Unlike other fruits, avocado isn't sweet at all,...

BANANA

(4.00 out of 5 stars) 5 ratings, 810 likes

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Replenish Electrolytes and RehydrateYou have spent a long hot afternoon tending your garden or chasing the kids and you're feeling parched. But sometimes, no matter how much water you drink, your body still feels thirsty. Simple...

BARLEY

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 rating, 388 likes

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

BASIL

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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...

BEEF

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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...

BEER

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 rating, 128 likes

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Beer is Cheer Few people don't enjoy a cold beer on a hot summer's day. The paradox is that beer, although bitter and refreshing to taste, heats the body up. On a hot day, that increased heat leaves you thirsty and dehydrated,...

BEETS

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 rating, 679 likes

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"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...

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...

BOK CHOY

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See Cabbage

BONE MARROW / FAT

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 rating, 207 likes

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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.

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...

BUFFALO MILK

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Difficult to digest, heavy and cold. [Ashtanga Hrdayam Su 5:23]

BUTTERNUT SQUASH

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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...

CABBAGE (COOKED)

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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...

CARAWAY SEEDS

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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.

CARDAMOM

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 8 ratings, 843 likes

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Love for cardamom resonates through history - for instance, ancient Egyptians chewed cardamom to whiten their teeth and sweeten their breath. Cardamom helps take the edge off of caffeine in the famous drink Turkish coffee. Cardamom is a member of the...

CAYENNE PEPPER

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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...

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.

CELERY STALK

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The word for celery comes from the Greek word selinon which translates to 'parsley,' a close relative of celery. Celery's powers have been known since antiquity. Leaves of it were found in the garlands surrounding King Tut's tomb, and Homer makes...

CHAMOMILE

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Chamomile infuses your tea with a delicious floral aroma that is warm, light & airy. Its smell is reminiscent of apples, first noted by the Greeks, who named it 'ground-apple' (kamai=ground & melon=apple). Improve Sluggish...

CHERRY

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 rating, 404 likes

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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...

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.

CHOCOLATE (CACAO)

(4.12 out of 5 stars) 8 ratings, 326 likes

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Romance may be sealed with a box of chocolates, but passion for chocolate is as eternal as true love. Long before John Cadbury invented the chocolate bar, native meso-american peoples brewed chocolate with medicinal herbs. Chocolate has been used as...

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....