The weather in March is unpredictable, you might step out to find wind, rain, ice or sunshine – anything can happen! These fluctuations can leave us vulnerable to colds, coughs, congestion, flue, fatigue, all common alignments for this time of year.
Just as we choose our clothes depending on the season, in the same way we need to be conscious of choosing foods based on the time of year. Selecting local produce that is grown and harvested in alignment with the season can help support and ground us during these unpredictable months.
Nutrition, what we refer to as ‘Prana’ in Ayurveda, is being lost from the moment the food is harvested. The shorter the time in between harvest and consumption the more potency, value and availability of the food’s nutrition … not to mention the better taste!
And so, choosing local seasonal produce guarantees freshness and more nutritional value
Spring is the season to focus on regaining energy and restoring our radiance lost during winter. As hibernating animals start to come back to life so should you!
Replenish your mind, body and spirit and get ready to bloom from the inside out by stocking up on these U.K Spring offerings.
Ayurvedic Shopping
List for Spring
| Vegetables | Fruits | Grains | Protein | Seeds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arugula, asparagus, beets, bok choy, broccoli, brussel sprouts, carrots, cauliflower, chili peppers, daikon radish, dandelion greens, endive, garlic, green beans, spinach, jicama, onions, kale, parsley, green peas, sprouts, watercress. Cut back on sweet and watery veggies such as cucumbers, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and zucchini. | Lemons, apples, applesauce, dried apricots, dried cherries, pears, persimmon, pomegranate, prunes, raisins. Fruits to cut back on: Out of season fruits and high pesticide fruits like non-organic grapes and berries. In general avoid very sweet or very sour or very juicy or very watery fruits: avocado, bananas, melons. | Barley, bran, buckwheat, dry cereals, granola (dry with NO milk or added sugar) or muesli, millet, oats, spelt, sprouted bread Grains to cut back on: Bread (containing yeast), pasta, rice flour, wheat (tamasic dull mind), whole wheat flour. | (Beans, Legumes, Meat): Adzuki beans, black beans, black-eyed peas, chick peas, lentils—red and brown, lima beans, mung beans, navy beans, pinto beans, split peas,white beans; chicken—white, eggs, fish—freshwater, pheasant, rabbit, shrimp, turkey—white, venison. Avoid: Red meat, tofu, and kidney beans | Chia, flax, popcorn, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds. |
| Beverages | Oils | Dairy | Sweeteners | Spices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aloe vera juice, spiced apple cider (drink hot with a stick of cinnamon), apple juice, bancha tea, cinnamon tea, dandelion tea, hibiscus tea, jasmine tea, lemon balm lemon grass tea, peppermint tea, yerba mate. If you crave alcohol, dry wines are best. Avoid: Milk shakes, cold drinks, iced smoothies, carbonated drinks, and hard alcohol | Ghee, olive oil, mustard oil, almond oil, sunflower oil | Buttermilk, goat’s cheese—unsalted and not aged (try Queso Blanc from the Patches of Star farm on Union Square Farmers Market), ghee, non-fat milk, goat’s milk (avoid homogenized if possible) Avoid: Sweetened yogurts, aged cheese, blue cheese, cream, butter, and ice cream :(. (Hold on until summer) | Honey (raw, uncooked only) | Ginger, Cumin, Cilantro, Black Pepper, Sesame Seeds, Mustard without vinegar. |