5 Best Ayurvedic Approved Foods For Yogis

5 Best Ayurvedic Approved Foods For Yogis

5 Best Ayurvedic Approved Foods For Yogis

If You want to make yoga a part of your lifestyle, you have to think and eat like a yogi. If you happen to peek inside your yoga guru’s kitchen, you will find sattvic food, mostly. Eating may have a higher implication, than you may think of in a yogi’s life.

The food that you eat, while practicing yoga provides nourishment to the tissues which form the foundation of the mind as well as emotions. It has been lately observed, by modern fitness proponents, that you reflect what you eat. The way you commit yourself to eating certain foods, affects the way you think about asanas, pranayama, and meditation. 

If you peek into classic toga texts, like Patanjali Yoga Sutras, and the Gita, you will not find any special food, enlisted for the yogis. However, in your day-to-day life, you will definitely come across certain foods, that keep the body light, and the mind clear. You should know what such foods comprises. Ayurveda and Yoga go hand-in-hand. Both are the two sides of the same coin, literally. Ayurveda is basically the science and Yoga is the application or practice. 

Six Tastes According to Ayurveda

According to the ancient Ayurvedic scriptures, there are six tastes, sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent, and astringent. Ayurveda asks one to mix all the tastes, in the meals that you have all day. You can adjust the amount of each one, according to your body constitution or dosha. It will help you to maintain a balanced nutrition level in your body. 

You will be amazed to know,  that tastes are made of the five  elements, that make up the doshas in the human body. The five elements are air, water, earth, fire, and ether. Each taste has an effect on the doshas Vata, Kapha, and Pitta. If your doshas are out of balance, the six tastes will help you to repair the imbalance. 

• Sweet – This taste comprises water and earth. It helps to balance imbalances in Vata and Pitta. Sweet is also known to be the most grounding of all tastes. If you eat it in moderation, it can increase longevity and strength. It also helps in the proper flow of bodily fluids. If you are underweight, you should have more of sweets. It is quite heavy in nature. 

• Sour – This is the next taste that we are going to talk about here. It stimulates the production of saliva and also increases appetite. It has heating properties, as well. The sour taste is said to wake one’s thoughts and emotions. It improves the appetite, digestion levels, and also elimination. If you gorge on it, it can lead to aggression in the body. 

• Salty – The salty taste comprises earth and fire. It can balance Vata. However, all those who are governed by Pitta and Kapha may suffer due to the excess heat. The salty taste has many other functions, like adding taste to food, stimulating digestion, helping in electrolyte balance, and cleansing the tissues. However, too much of it can negatively impact the blood and skin. 

• Pungent – The taste pungent, is made up of fire and air. Pungent food is the spiciest and hottest of all the tastes. Therefore, it can improve digestion, increases appetite and also promotes the flow of blood. It can also help you to think clearly. However, anything in excess is bad for the health. Pungent foods tend to aggravate Pitta and balance Kapha. If you have a Vata prakriti, you should maintain a balance between sweet, sour, salty, and pungent foods. 

• Bitter – Bitter taste is a combination of air and space. It is the coolest of all tastes. Moreover, it can detoxify the body, due to the very same reason. It can remove the waste products from the body, as well. Pitta and Kapha can benefit from the bitter taste. But, Vata people should keep their distance from it. You may also decrease mental stimulation with a proper balance of bitter taste in your diet. 

• Astringent – It is made up of air and earth. It is cool, dry, and firm in nature. However, it tends to produce gas in Vata people. Pitta and Kapha can benefit from astringent taste, if induced in the right quantities. Astringent foods also help in mental purification. 

Types of Food Categories in Ayurveda 

According to Ayurveda, there are three main food groups. And, each one is governed by a specific ‘Guna.’ You should also know your dominant dosha, to decide which foods will suit you and which ones will not. 

Sattvic Food – This is the food of the yogis. It is derived from the Sanskrit word, ‘Sattva’. If you follow the sattvic diet, you will be able to keep a calm mind. Moreover, this diet also keeps the individual active and also increases longevity. A Sattvic diet also flushes out the toxins and purifies the body. Sattvic foods generally top all nutrition charts. A Sattvic diet mainly consists of foods that are pure and rich in Prana. Such food also energizes the mind. You should know about some of the foods, in this category. 

They consist of grains like rice, wheat, oats, and legumes. Then, there are fresh green vegetables, fresh fruits, lightly roasted seeds and nuts, fresh buttermilk, butter, ghee, coconut oil, sesame oil, and olive oil. Moreover, spices such as ginger, coriander, cardamom, saunf and haldi also form an important part of the Sattvic diet. You can also include jaggery and raw sugar. 

Rajasic Food – In the Ayurvedic food hierarchy, Rajasic foods form the second category. This type of food denotes activity, power, decision-making, and energy required to perform big tasks. These foods are very stimulating in nature. This sort of food also activates the nervous system. Rajasic food also encourages dominance. If one eats an excess of Rajasic food, it can lead to imbalance. It is something, that one should have in moderation. 

Rajasic foods include spicy, hot, bitter, and pungent foods. Moreover, it takes a lot of digestive fire to digest such foods. Some of the foods, such as red meat, red lentils, green gram, chillies, black pepper, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, onion, garlic, tea, coffee, soda, pickles, and refined sugars are a part of this food group. In the purest form, Rajasic food is good for the body, and yogis can have them.

However, the problem arises, when you add oil and spices to it. When people tend to have too much Rajasic food, the mind starts reflecting the qualities of Rajasic food. It is also not the ideal food for any of the doshas. And it tends to aggravate Vata. 

Tamasic Foods – Tamasic foods give one the desire to stop and rest. It makes you lethargic. Moreover, the food tends to suck the energy out and spoils life. According to the principles of Ayurveda, tamasic foods slow down the mind and makes one lazy. The sleeping cycles may also be longer and so will be an increase in mood swings and jealousy. 

It also tends or block the flow of energy. No yogi should ever take or think of taking such foods. Some of the prime examples of Tamasic foods are fast food, frozen food, processed food, stale foods, alcohol, wine, mushrooms, margarine, beef, sausages, bacon, and ham. Pasteurized milk, refined sugar, white flour, and jams are also considered tamasic in nature. 

5 Best Ayurvedic Approved Foods For Yogis 

5 Best Ayurvedic Approved Foods For Yogis

By having Sattvic foods, you can explore as well as embrace all the levels of yoga. A Sattvic diet promotes a calm, focussed, and healthy mind. Moreover, it also enhances physical wellbeing. A yogi’s diet must be vegetarian in nature. You should read about the top five and best Ayurvedic-approved foods that yogis must have. 

Fresh Fruits 

Fresh fruits are packed with nutrients and have the life force called prana. Moreover, it should form at least 50% of the yogi’s diet. All organic, sweet, and fresh fruits are considered Sattvic. That is why, all the yogis are turning to fresh fruits in a variety of forms. Use fruits in snacks as well as desserts. If you combine fruits and milk, it can give a huge boost to your mental constitution. Moreover, it can also aid in meditation. 

Ghee 

Ghee or clarified butter, is slightly sweet, which makes it the perfect cooking oil. Moreover, ghee is a powerful food. However, it is a bit cold and heavy. So, you must have it in moderation. Ghee is a fatty acid, which is rich in Vitamins A and E. Yogis should use it in the early stages of yogic practice. You should replace all other processed oils with ghee, or other plant-based oils. Apart from ghee, you can also use sesame oil, sunflower oil, and olive oil, as well. You can also make ghee at home. 

Fresh Vegetables 

Most of the mild and sweet-tasting vegetables are Sattvic in nature. They include beets, carrots, celery, sweet potatoes, and squash. Potatoes, cabbage, and spinach are also called Sattvic. You can also include fresh vegetable juice in your diet. Moreover, it will easily replace cold drinks, coffee, tea, and other beverages. 

However, you should refrain from having too much of garlic, onions, mushrooms, pickles, radish, and turnip. These tend to aggravate Vata and causes excess gas production. You can add more Sattva to your diet with fresh vegetables and juices. 

Honey 

It is another Sattvic food, which is derived from nature. You should ensure to have in raw and organic form. Moreover, it may be free from preservatives. It is amongst the top Sattvic foods, which is also the least perishable. It does not rot so easily. You can also digest it quite easily. Additionally, it also helps in the detoxification process. You can use it as a sweetener in teas, coffees, juices, and Ayurvedic concoctions.

However, Ayurveda does not recommend boiling honey. You should ensure to mix it in the beverage of your choice after it has cooled down considerably. Raw unfiltered honey is the best. Apart from honey, you can also use unprocessed jaggery, maple syrup, and molasses in your beverages or food. 

Nuts and Seeds 

You can introduce nuts and seeds in your daily diet, in the modern world quite easily. Moreover, it is a great snack, for mid-evening hunger pangs. You can add nuts and seeds into your salads as well. Nuts and seeds are packed with fats, fibre, mineral, and vitamins. You can gorge on raw and organic almonds as well. It tends to energize the mind. Moreover, almonds also contain a high concentration of magnesium and calcium. Thus, it aids in the development and proper maintenance of bones, as well. If you are suffering from lactose intolerance, you can also take it in the form of milk. Almond is a great alternative for individuals with dairy intolerance. Cashews and pistachios are quite rich in proteins. Whereas, pumpkin and sunflower seeds are great for pacifying Vata. When you soak nuts and seeds overnight before eating them, their nutritional value increases. Moreover, your body can digest them quite easily. 

Thus, these are the five best Ayurvedic-approved foods, for yogis. If you want to lead a yogic lifestyle, you should include all the above in your regular diet plan. 

The health benefits of a plant-based yogic diet are many. You should know about them today. 

• It improves digestion. A plant-based diet promotes heathy gut microbes. Such helpful organisms help in proper digestion and regularizes the bowel movements. 
• It also tends to boost your metabolism. Plant-based dieters have a higher metabolism at rest, and their body burns fat faster. 
• It also improves energy levels. Foods like nuts and seeds have low glycaemic index, which means the body takes time to digest them. So, you can also keep full longer. 
• All those who follow a vegetarian diet, are least likely to develop chronic illnesses. 
• Such foods also keep the mood happy. The gut and brain likely connected with one another, according to the latest research. What you eat tends to impact your emotions. Eating healthy puts less pressure on the brain. 

So, now you know what the Ayurvedic Yogic diet is all about. Include it in your lifestyle and enjoy a blissful and disease-free life. 

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Pramod Sahoo

Pramod came from a spiritual family. He loved meditation and yoga from a young age. He spent 7 years in an Ashram, learning ancient Himalayan yoga and meditation traditions. After that, he traveled and taught yoga in many places like Mumbai, Rishikesh, New Delhi, Italy, Austria, and Germany. He believes in a peaceful and joyful world for everyone, which inspired him to create Hari Om Yoga Vidya School.

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