Eating for Vibrancy, an Ayurvedic Workshop

An Ayurvedic diet pacifies your dominant dosha by emphasizing foods with the opposite qualities. For personalized dietary advice, it is recommended to consult with a qualified Ayurvedic practitioner, as the guidelines below are considered “general.”

Vata-pacifying foods

Vata is characterized by cold, dry, rough, and light qualities. To balance it, favor foods that are warm, moist, oily, smooth, and grounding.

Grains: Cooked oats, rice, and wheat.

Vegetables: Cooked root vegetables like carrots, beets, and sweet potatoes, as well as asparagus and squash.

Fruits: Sweet, ripe, and heavy fruits such as bananas, mangoes, and plums. Cooked or stewed fruits are especially beneficial.

Dairy: Most warm dairy products, including milk, butter, and ghee.

Legumes: Small, well-cooked quantities of mung beans and red lentils.

Oils: Nutritious and heavy oils, such as sesame, almond, and avocado.

Spices: Warming spices like ginger, cumin, cinnamon, and cardamom.

Pitta-pacifying foods

Pitta is hot, sharp, and oily. Its fiery nature is balanced by foods that are cool, soothing, and somewhat dry.

Grains: Cooling and dry grains like basmati rice, barley, and oats.

Vegetables: Sweet and bitter vegetables like asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, leafy greens, and zucchini.

Fruits: Sweet, juicy fruits such as melons, pears, mangoes, and sweet grapes.

Dairy: Cooling and nourishing dairy, including milk, ghee, and unsalted butter.

Legumes: Most legumes are acceptable, especially chickpeas and mung beans.

Oils: Cooling oils like coconut and sunflower.

Spices: Mild and cooling spices like coriander, cardamom, fennel, and mint.

Kapha-pacifying foods

Kapha is heavy, cold, moist, and slow. It is balanced by foods that are light, dry, warm, and spicy.

Grains: Light, dry grains such as barley, quinoa, and millet.

Vegetables: Pungent, bitter, and astringent vegetables like leafy greens, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, and radishes.

Fruits: Astringent and mildly sweet fruits like apples, berries, and pomegranates.

Dairy: Minimizing dairy is best, but small amounts of warm skim milk or goat's milk are acceptable.

Legumes: A wide variety of legumes are suitable, such as lentils, split peas, and black beans.

Oils: Use light oils like corn or sunflower in very small quantities.

Spices: All spices, especially warming and pungent ones like ginger, cumin, turmeric, and black pepper.

Important Ayurvedic considerations

Focus on fresh, local produce aligned with the current season.

Encourage mindful eating by starting with a few deep breaths, eating in a calm environment, and chewing food thoroughly.

Emphasize warm, cooked foods and healthy fats to aid digestion and pacify Vata, particularly if individuals tend towards a dry or cool constitution.

Include all six Ayurvedic tastes in the meal – sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent – to create a balanced and satisfying experience. Be mindful of Ayurvedic food combining principles for better digestion. For instance, combining fruits with other food groups can sometimes lead to digestive issues.

This framework provides a foundation for crafting a delightful and nourishing Ayurvedic meal for your family. Remember to tailor the specifics to your preferences and any known dietary needs or dosha imbalances.