Awaken Your Metabolism: Spices That Serve You

“It’s not what you eat that counts, it’s what you digest.”

When your digestive fire (agni) is imbalanced, energy and vitality are hard pressed to find their way to you.

Agni is the driving force behind your metabolism. When agni is strong, food digests well and you feel light and healthy. When agni is weak, toxins build up and you feel heavy, sluggish, off.

In Ayurveda, one of the fastest ways to balance your digestive fire is through spices! This is great news because nothing could be simpler than adding spices to your daily meals.

Awakening your metabolism will mean something different for everyone. If your metabolism runs hot, fast, and acidic, you’ll need cooling spices. If your metabolism is too cold or slow, you’ll need warm and invigorating spices.

Use the following Spices That Serve You Cheat Sheet to discover your digestive nature. And learn which spices to use to awaken your metabolism! Ayurveda Every Day With Talya Detox Your Body With Ayurveda Bootcamp, 2019 ©Talya Lutzker and www.talyaskitchen.com

Your Mantra Today: In this moment, what do I need?

Keep going back to self-love and self-care. Most of us don’t take the time and space to ask ourselves: What do I need right now?

Ayurveda says, “anything can be poison, anything can be medicine.” It’s LISTENING to your body that’s the key.

Vata Metabolism = fast. Elimination = poor. Vata digestion tends toward indigestion, gas, constipation.

Pitta Metabolism = fast. Elimination = strong. Pitta digestion tends toward acidity, acid reflux, loose stool.

Kapha Metabolism = slow. Elimination = steady. Kapha digestion tends toward bloating, fatigue, flatulence.

Ayurveda Every Day With Talya Detox Your Body With Ayurveda Bootcamp, 2019 ©Talya Lutzker and www.talyaskitchen.com

Most herbs and spices are great for Vata because of their warming qualities. However, too many pungent spices can be drying and over-stimulating over time. For Vata metabolism, use fresh herbs with spices whenever you can.

Vata Reducing Spices: asafetida, basil, bay leaf, caraway seed, cardamom, fresh cilantro, cinnamon, clove, coriander, cumin, fennel seed, fresh garlic (cooked), ginger, marjoram, fresh mint, nutmeg, fresh rosemary, saffron, tamarind, thyme, turmeric, vanilla

Vata Reducing Spice Mix V-K=P+ Preparation Time: 5 minutes Yield: 18 servings

2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 teaspoon ground turmeric

Ayurveda Every Day With Talya Detox Your Body With Ayurveda Bootcamp, 2019 ©Talya Lutzker and www.talyaskitchen.com

1 teaspoon ground ginger ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg or cardamom

Mix everything together in a clean, dry jar. This blend is warming, grounding, and calming. Mix ¼ teaspoon of this spice mix into steaming bowls of whole grains with cooked root vegetables and a Tablespoon of high-quality sesame oil or olive oil. You can also stir ¼ teaspoon into warm milk, with a bit of maple syrup and ghee.

Most herbs and spices stimulate or aggravate Pitta. However, there is a not-so-short list of exceptions. For balancing Pitta heat, focus on fresh, green herbs such as mint, cilantro, and dill to flavor the bulk of your meals. Pitta can indulge in this following, pleasing list of spices.

Pitta Reducing Spices: fresh basil, caraway seed, cardamom, fresh cilantro, Ceylon cinnamon, coriander, cumin, dill, fennel seed, fresh ginger, lavender flowers, lemongrass, mint, parsley, rose, saffron, tulsi, turmeric, vanilla

Pitta Reducing Spice Mix VPK- Preparation Time: 5 minutes Yield: 18 servings

2 teaspoons ground coriander 1 teaspoon whole fennel seed 1 teaspoon ground cardamom ½ teaspoon ground turmeric or mint leaf

Mix everything together in a clean, dry jar. This blend is cool, calming, and soothing. Mix ¼ teaspoon of this spice mix into steaming bowls of steamed vegetables with sprouts and a Tablespoon of high-quality olive oil or hemp seed oil. You can also stir ¼ teaspoon into warm oat milk, with a bit of maple syrup and one pinch of saffron.

Most herbs and spices balance Kapha because of their warm, pungent qualities. Kapha can emphasize pungent root herbs and the whole world of Italian spices because they’re so helpful for supporting healthy circulation of lymph and blood.

Kapha Reducing Spices: allspice, anise, asafetida, basil, bay leaf, black pepper, caraway seed, cardamom, cayenne, cinnamon, clove, coriander, cumin, fennel seed, garlic, ginger, Marjoram, mint, neem, nutmeg, orange peel, rosemary, rose, sage, tamarind, tarragon, thyme, tulsi, turmeric

Kapha Reducing Spice Mix VK-P+ Preparation Time: 5 minutes Yield: 18 servings

1 teaspoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon ground turmeric 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground cardamom ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Mix everything together in a clean, dry jar. This blend is warming and invigorating. Mix ¼ teaspoon of this spice mix into hot soup or steaming bowls of cooked dark leafy greens with a teaspoon of high-quality flaxseed seed oil. You can also stir ¼ teaspoon into warm almond milk, with a bit of raw honey.