Here's what you need to know about the Ayurvedic diet

Alisha Alam | Aug 2, 2019, 15:28 IST
Diets have turned into a fad these days. Every day we wake up to a new diet being shoved in our faces, all of them promising the best results and fast. But while some of these diets hardly do anything to help, some can work wonders. One such diet happens to be the Ayurvedic diet. Ayurveda has been a part of our culture for centuries and is known for its wonderful remedies. The Ayurvedic diet focuses on personalising a person's diet based on their body type so as to provide specific help to them.



The Ayurvedic diet is said to be a component of Ayurveda and has also been practised for ages. The diet is followed by focusing on one's dominant dosha and eating foods that can help bring a balance between the three doshas. The pitta dosha is said to control hunger, thirst, and body temperature while the vata dosha can help maintain electrolyte balance and movement. The kapha dosha is said to promote joint function.



People with dominant pitta dosha (fire + water) - These people have a medium-physical build and are likely to suffer from conditions like indigestion, heart disease, or high blood pressure.



People with dominant vata dosha (air + space) - These people are thin and have a light frame in general. They tend to struggle with digestive issues, fatigue, or anxiety.



People with dominant kapha dosha (earth + water) - These people have a sturdy frame and tend to have issues with weight gain, asthma, depression, or diabetes.



Foods to consume:



Pitta: Protein like poultry in small amounts, egg whites, tofu; dairy like milk, ghee, butter; fruits like sweet, fully ripe fruits like oranges, pears, pineapples, bananas, melons, and mangoes; vegetables like sweet and bitter veggies, including cabbage, cauliflower, celery, cucumber, zucchini, leafy greens, sweet potatoes, carrots, squash, and Brussels sprouts, legumes like chickpeas, lentils, mung beans, lima beans, black beans, kidney beans; grains like barley, oats, basmati rice, wheat; nuts and seeds like pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, sunflower seeds, coconut; herbs and spices like black pepper, cumin, cinnamon, cilantro, dill, turmeric.



Vata: Protein like poultry, seafood, tofu; dairy like milk, butter, yoghurt, cheese, ghee; fruits like fully ripe, sweet, and heavy fruits, such as bananas, blueberries, strawberries, grapefruit, mangoes, peaches, and plums; cooked vegetables, including beets, sweet potatoes, onions, radishes, turnips, carrots, and green beans; legumes like chickpeas, lentils, mung beans; grains like cooked oats, cooked rice; nuts and seeds like almonds, walnuts, pistachios, chia seeds, flax seeds, and sunflower seeds; herbs and spices like cardamom, ginger, cumin, basil, cloves, oregano, thyme, black pepper.



Kapha: proteins like poultry, seafood, egg whites; dairy like skim milk, goat milk, soy milk; fruits like apples, blueberries, pears, pomegranates, cherries, and dried fruit like raisins, figs, and prunes; vegetables like asparagus, leafy greens, onions, potatoes, mushrooms, radishes, okra; legumes like black beans, chickpeas, lentils, and navy beans; grains like oats, rye, buckwheat, barley, corn, millet; nuts and seeds like pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, flax seeds; herbs and spices like cumin, black pepper, turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, basil, oregano, and thyme.

Copyright © 2021 Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd.
All rights reserved.