One of the main pillars in Ayurveda is Food (Ahara). So, I often get asked where to purchase food items locally in Tucson. When it comes to Ayurvedic nutrition I’m always recommending foods that are unique to the individuals body constitution or imbalance. I will joyfully share the stores that commonly provide the foods and spices I recommend.
The Indian Dukaan located at 2754 N. Campbell Ave, Tucson, AZ 85719. Sukanya is the local small business owner. She is always eager to help customers find what they’re looking for or even provide cooking recipes and tips. You will have no shortage of finding all types of whole spices, spice blends, lentils, grains, and staples of Indian cooking. I recommend this place for purchasing digestive spice such as; ajwan, black pepper, cumin, coriander, fennel, ginger, Hing, mustard seeds, pink salt, turmeric, and many more. When in season you can even find fresh curry leaves she buys from a local grower!
Lee Lee International Supermarket located at 1990 W. Orange Grove Rd, Tucson, AZ 85704. This is an ethnic market where you will find many varieties of spices, lentils, grains, fresh vegetables, and meats. Lee Lee is an experience, and can be overwhelming if you’re not familiar with these regional foods. If you like to explore set aside time to roam the aisles and have fun!
Aqua Vita Natural Food Market located at 2801 N Country Club Rd, Tucson, AZ 85716. This is a locally owned small business. Ayurveda explains water as being one of our major inputs and Aqua Vita sells delicious filtered water. Carrying many Ayurvedic and Western herbs, this is a great place to purchase organic bulk herbs. You can also find many digestive whole spices as well. This is a fun store to shop around in as they have many natural and organic foods.
For shopping organic dairy products, I recommend Natural Grocers, Sprouts, or Whole Foods. You can also find fresh organic produce and meats at these places too. They also sell some digestive spices, grains, and lentils, but quantity is smaller and pricing is usually higher.
If you are incorporating Ayurvedic items into your diet may this information successfully help nourish your mind and body along your health journey.
*There can be some confusion about an Ayurvedic diet and Indian food. Since, Ayurveda is birthed out of India an Ayurvedic diet does not mean eating Indian food. We must acknowledge that Ayurvedic nutrition is based off many principles that involves anything we take in to nourish our body and mind.