HeyMonicaB: A Blooming Resource on Ayurveda

To keep agni strong, Indian lemonade is a great appetizer to make before meals. It’s not quite lemonade as us Americans know it. It is much smaller in quantity and it is used as a medicine to aid in digestion.

The ginger and salt are heating to the body which “stokes” our internal fire (agni). That way, when we put food in our stomach, it will be digested thoroughly and give proper nutrition to the tissues. It’s like a metabolic boost! In addition it cleanses our tongue so we properly taste the food. Taste is extremely important because we eat less when we are satiated.

Below is a recipe for this Indian Lemonade. It’s the best appetizer to prepare your body for digestion and you won’t even be full before your dinner arrives ;)

Indian Lemonade
Make it into a paste and store in a small container in the fridge. Before lunch and dinner, take about as much as your pinky finger nail and eat. Share some with your feasting comrades. If you are high pitta, take less.

Freshly squeezed lemon juice (1/2 lemon)
Freshly grated ginger 1″ piece (I chop mine up in a chopper thing)
Rock salt 1/4 tsp
*for pitta constitutions, can add some sugar