Ayurveda is a traditional holistic medicinal system that originated in India more than 5,000 years ago. “Ayurveda” is a combination of the Sanskrit terms “Ayus,” which means life, and “Veda,” means knowledge. 

The ayurvedic diet regimen is based on ayurvedic medicinal principles and focuses on balancing different types of energy in the body to enhance health.

In contrast to many other diets, the ayurvedic diet provides customised guidance about what to eat and what to avoid based on your body type to promote physical health and mental wellness, it is also well-liked.

Here in this blog, I will discuss everything you need to know about the Ayurvedic diet including how it works, the art of Ayurveda, its benefits and drawbacks.

Ayurvedic diet: What is it?

Ayurveda is a comprehensive medical approach that places a strong emphasis on promoting body-mind balance. 

The core of ayurveda is the concept of five elements in the universe: Teja (fire), vayu (air), jala (water), akash (space) and prithvi (earth). According to this theory, these components create three unique doshas, each of which is in charge of particular physiological processes.

For example, the kapha dosha regulates joint function, the vata dosha maintains electrolyte balance and mobility, and the pitta dosha controls body temperature, hunger, and thirst. To restore equilibrium between these energy forces, the ayurvedic diet identifies your dominant dosha and suggests particular foods to the individual based on their dosha.

How does an Ayurvedic diet work?

Ayurvedic medicine in the form of food contains numerous important aspects that relate to health and disease, based on the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health of the NIH. These ideas relate to the body’s constitution (prakriti), life energies (doshas), and universal connection.

Based on your dosha, or body type, an ayurvedic diet is a form of eating regimen that specifies when, how, and what foods you should eat.

To assist you in choosing the dosha that most closely resembles you, the following are some of its primary characteristics:

Pitta (fire and water) –  Intelligent, dedicated, and determined. This dosha typically has a medium physical build, and a short fuse, and may be afflicted with diseases such as cardiovascular disease, hypertension, stomach problem or indigestion.

Vata (space and air) – Vibrant, active, and creative. When out of balance, this dosha, which is typically associated with thin, light-framed people, may cause problems of digestion, weariness, or anxiety.

Kapha (Earth + water) – Naturally balanced, grounded, and devoted. A person with a Kapha dosha constitution has a stronger constitution and may suffer from diabetes, asthma, depression, or weight gain.

According to this diet, the foods you should eat to promote inner harmony are determined by your dosha.

• • For example, the pitta dosha avoids spices, nuts, and seeds in favour of cooling, energising meals.

• • The Vata dosha prefers warm, moist, and grounded foods while avoiding dried fruits, pungent herbs, and raw vegetables.

• • Last but not least, the Kapha dosha prefers fruits, vegetables, and legumes over heavy foods such as nuts, seeds, and oils.

Red meat, artificial sweeteners, and processed foods are all prohibited for all three doshas. The Ayurvedic diet, on the other hand, encourages the consumption of nutritious foods.

The art of ayurvedic diet

We have looked at some of the most crucial components of an Ayurvedic diet so far. Let us now discuss some more ideas to bear in mind as you prepare your meals. 

These ideas are pretty basic, but when put into practice, they help to have nutritious and delicious food.

Let us begin by deciding which things to include in your diet.

• • According to Ayurveda, pairing certain foods with others that are unsuitable for various reasons can be difficult for the digestive system.

• • For instance, beans and nuts are dense, heavy proteins that are harder for the body to digest, so ayurveda often does not advise eating them together in the same meal.

• • Melons, on the other hand, are light and digest rapidly, hence ayurveda advises against combining them with other foods because doing so might cause pain, gas, and bloating.

An Ayurvedic guide to food combining (consisting of six tastes) is recommended if you would like to see more examples of compatible and incompatible food products.

The Six tastes 

The rasa, or flavour, of food, is highly valued in Ayurveda. Rasa can also imply “experience,” “enthusiasm,” and “essence,” among other things. It is essential to the process of fully digesting (and consuming) our food in order to reap the most nutritional benefits.

The six flavours recognised by Ayurveda are sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent, and astringent. Each of these tastes acts in the body differently, has a preference for various organs and tissue layers, and can either balance the doshas or aggravate them. Thus, you can use taste to determine whether the foods you eat are balanced for your Ayurvedic body type.

Doshas and tastes

• • Vata dosha: Tastes to favour are sweet, sour, and salty. Tastes to minimise are bitter, pungent, and astringent.

• • Pitta dosha: Tastes to favour are sweet, bitter, and astringent. Tastes to minimise are salty, sour, and pungent.

• • Kapha dosha: Tastes to favour are bitter, astringent, and pungent. Tastes to minimise are sweet, sour, and salty.

You can choose flavours that are more balanced to your physiology by being aware of how these tastes affect the doshas. It’s also crucial to remember that for perfect harmony, everyone requires each of the six flavours. Ayurveda advises using as many different flavours in your cuisine as you can.

Benefits of the Ayurvedic diet

1. Reduces stress

An ayurvedic diet can also be beneficial for overcoming exhaustion, lethargy, and vulnerability to ailments brought on by stress. To increase energy levels, avoid anaemia, and strengthen the immune system, people consume foods like cooked vegetables, buttermilk, and spices like ginger, cardamom, pepper, and honey. 

Ayurvedic therapy uses herbs and supplements, such as adaptogens like ashwagandha and ginseng, in addition to a nutritious diet to help the body deal with stress.

According to additional studies, consistent yoga practice and a healthy ayurveda diet can enhance autonomic nervous system functions by lowering sympathetic activity, which is the fight-or-flight response in our bodies.

2. Weight loss or maintenance

Ayurvedic diets tailored to each participant’s dosha were found to promote weight loss or healthy weight maintenance in a study including 200 participants who represented a mixture of the three doshas. 

The pitta group shed the most weight but both the pitta and kapha groups saw improvements in various metrics after the three months of therapy. At the beginning of the trial, kapha and pitta participants were heavier than vata participants. 

Diets based on the Ayurvedic constitution may help aid weight loss, according to the research.

3. Hormonal balance

There is research that ayurvedic diets can enhance insulin sensitivity, balance hormones, and avoid diabetes.

A regular menstrual cycle or conception can be the consequence of using ayurvedic principles to naturally regulate hormones. Using essential oils can assist with hormone balancing, according to research conducted by the Institute of Indigenous Medicine at the University of Colombo in Sri Lanka in 2010. To help with all the negative impacts of hormone imbalance, ayurveda recommends natural formations and varied therapeutic characteristics.

4. Reduces inflammation

Inflammation can be caused due to poor food, insufficient sleep, and impaired digestion. By removing waste, the Ayurvedic treatment helps to reduce inflammation to balance the heart and digestive systems.

It is possible to reduce inflammation and enhance energy by consuming a combination of herbal remedies, gentle metabolism-boosting exercise, and antioxidants.

5. Reduce symptoms and risk of disease

A person can improve their diet and treat their ailment’s symptoms by eating a diet that is tailored to their particular illness, obtaining sun exposure, and breathing in and out. Iron is one of the metals that is known to offer therapeutic capabilities that can ward off illnesses and lower the likelihood of contracting them. Before buying any supplements, especially ones that are sold online, exercise caution because some of them might contain dangerous metals.

6. Enhanced mood

According to ayurveda, food is closely related to emotional states including lust, wrath, greed, desire, attachment, and ego. The ayurvedic diet can enhance mood stabilisation and energy by adapting the diet to a person’s personal needs. It does this by taking into account the individual’s unique body and mental type, metabolic processes, and biological rhythms, as well as seasonal fluctuations and life phases.

For instance, if a person is feeling anxious, having difficulties sleeping, or coping with anxiety, an ayurvedic diet can contain more calming foods like complex carbohydrates and good fats. To reduce lust and anger, lighter foods like smoothies and fruit are advised. A person’s constitution can also be weakened by specific tastes like sweet, sour, bitter, and salty.

7. Holistic balanced health

Ayurveda has the advantage of emphasising personalised care and enhancing both the interior and exterior health of the body. Physical exercise, good nutrition, and spiritual connection help rebalance your body whether you are under emotional stress or have health problems.

8. Treat insomnia

Your sleep can be disturbed and your nervous system can get agitated if you consume a heavy or spicy meal, late dinner, or coffee before bed, watch television, stare at your phone, or engage in any of these activities. 

Simple techniques from ayurveda, such as applying coconut or jasmine oil on the heels of the feet or the head, sipping warm almond milk or chamomile tea, or repeating a positive affirmation, can effectively treat insomnia and promote deep sleep.

9. Regulate bloating

By eliminating the accumulation of waste, ayurvedic treatment can help control bloating and poor digestion. Dyspepsia can be treated by ayurveda using spices, herbs, and roots including cumin, cardamom, fennel, and ginger. 

Before a meal, chewing ginger and cumin can aid with digestion, and drinking heated water with cardamom and fennel can both soothe cramps and relax the digestive tract.

10. Healthy and glowing skin

Ayurveda provides a wealth of tried-and-true methods to keep your skin soft and glowing without spending any money. 

Due to their cleansing qualities and high water content in them. Vegetables like cucumber, lettuce, and daikon radish are easier to digest when consumed and cleanse our body wastes. 

Along with with food exercise helps your body remove toxins through perspiration and keeps your muscles and joints in shape. Omega-3 fatty acids and other healthy fats are found in nuts and seeds are also help in healthy and glowing skin.

The drawback of the Ayurvedic diet

Although the Ayurvedic diet has several advantages, there are also some disadvantages to take into account.

Here are some possible drawbacks of the Ayurvedic diet.

1. Can be puzzling

The Ayurvedic diet has many drawbacks, one of which is that it can be complex and challenging to adhere to.

There are numerous additional guidelines to follow in addition to the specific dietary lists for each dosha.

For instance, depending on the season, suggestions for what foods to consume and what to avoid alter throughout the year.

There are also recommendations regarding when, how frequently, and how much one should consume, which can be difficult – particularly for individuals who are just beginning the programme.

2. It may seem extremely constraining

Depending on your dosha, there are lengthy lists of foods on the ayurvedic diet that you should eat or avoid.

This may entail avoiding certain food groups or healthful, whole meals that are known to irritate particular doshas.

You might need to significantly alter your existing diet because other components like red meat or processed foods are also excluded.

This may make it difficult to maintain the diet over the long run because it feels too restrictive and is less flexible than other meal plans.

3. Usually subjective

The Ayurvedic diet’s subjectivity is another drawback. Your dominant dosha, which is based on several physical and mental characteristics, is what the diet is all about.

Even though there are many instructions and online tests available to make the process easier, determining your dosha is not always accurate.

Making the wrong choice for your dosha could harm your results because the food guidelines are specific to each dosha.

Furthermore, there is currently no evidence to back up the idea of doshas or the assertion that the foods you should consume and stay away from are based on your personality.

Therefore, even if you accurately identify your dosha, it is uncertain how healthy the diet is.

Conclusion

The ayurvedic diet menu plan is based on the ideas of ayurvedic medicine, an age-old system of traditional medicine.

According to the diet, which is intended to promote weight loss and increase mindfulness, you must eat or refrain from consuming specific foods according to your dosha, or body type.

It is based on subjective presumptions about your personality and body shape, which makes it confusing and limiting. In addition, more scientific proof is required to back up its ideas.

Varsha M,
Senior Clinical Dietitian, Simplyweight