Spring Foods (Reprint)

The snow has melted and the earth is reawakening. In the winter you need richer foods to keep you warm. In the winter Kapha is in a solid state and it liquifies, just as the snow has, as the temperatures rise. Now is the time to lighten up and cleanse your body just like the earth is cleaning out. If we have excess Kapha it will show up as Spring allergies, colds, lung issues, loss of appetite, weight gain, lethargy, heaviness or depression.

Read more about Kapha and Spring

In Spring you need to stoke your agni (digestive fire) and clean out your body with foods that are bitter, pungent and astringent. Nature gives us exactly what we need. In a few weeks there will be spring onions and dandelions growing in my yard. These are perfect Spring foods. Eat a spicy and easy-to-digest soup, spring greens, drink some ginger water (recipe in ….) or add some turmeric to your foods.

Spring Is Kapha Season
Kapha: Earth + Water elements
             Heavy, oily, sticky, cold, slimy, cloudy, dull and stable.

Prefered foods and drinks that are opposite to Kapha’s qualities.
             Light, dry, warm, clear and sharp/penetrating.

Bitter Foods
Spring greens, brassicas (kale, cabbage, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, etc.), burdock root, dandelion (root or greens), bitter melons, artichoke, and asparagus. The bitter taste detoxifies your body, liver, skin and reduces ama (toxins in GI).

Pungent Foods
Pungent spices like radish, black pepper, ginger, onion, garlic, fenugreek seeds, chilis, and hing. Pungent stimulates appetite and metabolism and dries excess moisture.

Astringent Foods
Turmeric, pomegranate, most legumes, black teas, apples and some berries.

Dry Grains
Millet, rye, corn, buckwheat, barley, amaranth and quinoa.

Other Foods
Olive oil is good for cooking as it is bitter. Use it in small amounts.
Honey is the best sweetener for Kapha as it is astringent. Use it in moderation.
Tulsi tea is great for the lungs and dries up excess Kapha there.
Kapha season is a great time to eat vegetarian. If you do eat meat, stick to lean meats such as white chicken meat.

Interested in learning more? Join my Spring Health workshops on April 6 & 7th.