Ayurvedic diet for Doshas recommends certain forms of specific ayurvedic diets, meant for the various types of mind and body principles. The Ayurvedic diet is one that not only nourishes the body, but also restores balance of "Tridoshas" which is very much essential for maintaining health. According to the ancient science of Ayurveda, doshas are of three kinds: "Vata", "Pitta" and "Kapha". Ayurvedic diet for these doshas includes a series of several kinds of fruits, vegetables, spices and beverages which prevent the aggravation of the different kinds of doshas of a human body. Depending on our dosha, or constitutional type, some foods can be beneficial, and others should be avoided. A nutritious and healthy ayurvedic diet would ensure that all the doshas are in perfect balance for the overall nourishment of man.
Ayurvedic Diet for Vata Dosha
Milk products like ghee and food grains like rice, wheat, and oats must be consumed by people with Vata doshas. Bananas and vegetables like beans, cucumber, sweet potatoes, carrots, asparagus, ladies` finger, onions, beets and radish are known to pacify Vata doshas. Raw salads, raw vegetables, desserts and cold foods should be eliminated from the ayurvedic diet. Brown rice, alcohol, leafy green vegetables, cauliflower, cabbage and tea brewed from long leaves should be avoided at all costs, to keep Vata dosha under control. Spices like saffron, turmeric, fenugreek seeds and coriander leaves should not be consumed.
Ayurvedic Diet for Pitta Dosha
Ayurveda recommends that a person in whom the Pitta dosha is dominant should consume those foods, which aggravates Pitta. Such a person should take cool, dry, heavy, bitter or astringent food and also mildly natural sweet food is known to pacify pitta. Coriander, cumin, cardamom, coconut oil, ghee and boiled vegetables are quite beneficial for people with pitta dosha. Rice, oats, barley, garlic and ginger are some of the foodstuffs which should be avoided by people with this kind of dosha. Unripe and sour fruits should not be consumed by such person and mainly fruits like grapefruits, papayas, bananas, apricots and peaches. Junk food like pizza, burger, hot dog, roll, samosa, pastry and deep-fried snacks generally elevates Pitta dosha. Grains like brown rice, millets, rye and corn also increases Pitta dosha.
Ayurvedic Diet for Kapha Dosha
The basic qualities of the Kapha dosha are cold, heavy and somewhat sticky. Puffed rice, corns, chillies, ginger, turmeric, butter, ghee, oil and fruits like apricots, pomegranates and dried fruits like raisins, figs, pears and several other fruits are advantageous for kapha dosha. Milk products, avocados and garlic are a few of the ayurvedic foods which help this dosha. Vegetables having too much water within them and sweet juicy fruits also aggravate Kapha dosha. Excess salt also increases Kapha dosha.
Different foodstuffs may cause specific doshas to increase or decrease. Salty, sweet or sour foods are preferable for balancing the vata dosha. Similarly, milkproducts, rice, wheat and several kinds of food cooked with oils or ghee pacify pitta dosha effectively. Dry fruits and food-grains like barley, rye and buckwheat, sunflower seeds, pumpkins and all sorts of herbs and spices are essential ayurvedic diet for controlling kapha dosha. Fresh fruits and beverages like milk, lukewarm water, ghee and dry fruits are generally recommended as a suitable ayurvedic diet for all the doshas.