If the food does not grow from the ground the beracha is Shehakol. Example: Beef, venison, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, cheese, kosher locust, salt, salt water, meat broth, mushrooms, date beer, barley beer, strong vinegar mixed with water, weak vinegar that doesn’t bubble when poured out. (ShA1 – MB24)
Food that grows from the ground but is not chashuv, drops down to Shehakol. Examples: moldy bread, spoiled porridge, sun-beaten dates, immature grain and vegetables, raw pumpkin, grain flour, field grasses (even tasty ones), edible spices. (ShA1 – MB13,15,19)
Moldy bread and spoiled porridge that is too spoiled for human consumption has no beracha. (MB1,2)
If part of the bread is not yet moldy, say Hamotzi and Birkas Hamazon on that part. (ShaH1)
Fresh legumes are Hoadama even if grown for the purpose of drying them for cooking. When eating them with their pods, the pods are toffel. However if you eat the pods alone emptied from the beans, say Shehakol. (MB9 – ShaH9)
Shehakol, not Mezonos is the appropriate beracha on grain based drinks. Mezonos is only for foods. (MB16)
Cultivated grasses are Hoadama. Example: lettuce. (MB18)
Wine that begins to smell like vinegar is still Hagoffen until the flavor changes sour to the point that people don’t want to drink it. Since it is hard to define this point, when in doubt, exempt this wine with a beracha on unspoiled wine. (ShA3,4 – BeH “kol”)
Wine made from the juice of grapes that had up until 6 parts water added to it can still be classified as Hagoffen. As long as it has a wine flavor and people drink it as wine even at that dilution, it is wine. (MB29)
If you drink water to quench your thirst say Shehakol beforehand and Boray Nefashos afterwards. If you enjoy the water, you are probably thirsty enough to say a beracha. (ShA7 – MB40)
Included in “quenching thirst” is when you drink after eating to soak the food in your stomach. (BeH “hashoseh”)
Other reasons for drinking water do not require a beracha. Example: To wash down something stuck in your throat. (ShA7 – BeH “hashoseh”)
A drink other than water, swallowed just to wash something down, requires a beracha. So too with swallowing a piece of bread; since you enjoy the food or drink, say a beracha. (MB42)
Drinking water solely for health does not require a beracha. But if you are also thirsty, say a beracha. (MB42)
Any good tasting food or drink consumed for medicinal purposes requires the appropriate beracha. Even though you have no appetite for it, and you are eating it just to get better, your palate benefits so say a beracha. (ShA8 – MB43)
It is a mitzva to save your life even if it means eating traif or on Yom Kippur. As long as you aren’t repulsed by the food, bless on it before and after eating. (ShA9 – MB46,47,48)
Bees honey – Shehakol. (ShA10)
Some plant products are edible only when candied. The sugar or honey is toffel so say the appropriate beracha on the product (Hoaytz or Hoadama). This applies even when the product has been crushed, as long as it is essentially recognizable, do not say Shehakol. (ShA11 – MB51,52)
Candy covered almonds (even if the candy is the majority) – Hoaytz. (MB51)
If an ingredient of a mixture is one of the five grains, even a minority becomes the ikkar – the beracha is Mezonos. This is true only if the purpose of the grain is for flavor, but if it used only to thicken the mixture or to give it a desired aroma or color, it is not ikkar. (ShA12 – MB57)
When you have a doubt about the correct beracha on a food, it is preferable to exempt it by having a bread meal. Otherwise, just say Shehakol on it because Shehakol exempts all foods, b'dieved. (ShA13 – MB60) LAWS OF BIRKAS HAPAIROS