Garlic and onions are supposed to be very cleansing, but I’ve read they can unbalance the left and right sides of the brain, and therefore interfere with meditation.
Personally, I’ve never done any experiments by eating garlic/onion, and then trying to meditate. I just notice I don’t digest these foods very well in their raw form.
I’ve been using hing (aka asafoetida) for the past couple years, and I enjoy it very much. It’s a spice that originated in Iran, but nowadays it’s used extensively in Indian cooking. It’s very pungent, and it’s kind of pricey if you buy the good stuff. A lot of the hing out there contains edible gums and turmeric.
If you’re interested, check with your local spice merchant, or go to worldspice.com. :)
Comments
Thanks for that ifo. :)
Is hing raw? I thought the edible gums can’t be consumed raw. For example guar gum is toxic when raw.
I imagine it’s raw if it’s pure hing. A lot of Indian and Pakistani stores carry hing, but in order to cut down on costs, the manufacturers will add edible gums and/or turmeric. So it’s probably not raw if you buy unpure version. :)
I hate hing. It smells funny. To those who agree with me, I’d suggest using green onions or leeks or shallots. There are so many non onion options.
Yes, some people hate the smell! It’s very pungent, you only need a little bit. I took to it right away, though. It’s kind of an individual thing. :)
Thanks for the worldspice link. Went their today and ordered several spices. They didn’t say any of their stuff is organic but seemed like a really nice company to deal with.
LimeLady: I asked them once about whether their spices are organic, and sometimes they do source organically, depending on availability. :)