Pungent Foods--Dispersing Damp in Rainy Maine
OK, so it has been a little rainy in Maine lately.
Some would say more than a little rainy.
I won't quibble over semantics. One wonderful thing about the rain is that things have continued to grow. At a recent visit to the Monument Square Farmers Market, I found booths overflowing with flowers...
and fresh produce.
My favorite finds included kohlrabi and amaranth greens. I also picked up some beautiful daikon radish, carrots, table turnips, and lavender to augment my two pots of cheerful, gloom-clearing flowers.
The farmers' market veggies complemented those from our Tuesday New Elm share. This week's farmshare consisted of
- broccoli raab
- pea pods
- beet greens
- cabbage
- scallions
- white turnips
and a delicate dill plant.
Last week we received bok choy, lettuce, scallions, garlic scapes, red radishes, kale and cilantro (not pictured).
We're enjoying the abundance of cruciferous vegetables (kale, broccoli raab, red radishes, daikon, bok choy and turnips). As I've mentioned before, these cruciferous vegetables contain the anti-cancer compound indole-3-carbinol. They are high in fiber and many other nutrients.
From a Chinese medicine standpoint, cruciferous vegetables are considered "pungent" foods. Pungent foods, which also include green onions, garlic and ginger, help clear dampness from the body by inducing perspiration. They help move energy "upward and outward," through the lungs and large intestine.
Which is exactly what we need here in rainy Maine.
P.S. Speaking of rainy Maine, join me this morning with Ray & Ted at 7 am on WLOB 95.5 FM, streaming worldwide at wlobradio.com. We will discuss the many healthful properties of pungent foods and give a sneak preview of our upcoming summer weight loss program.
