According to an old Chinese saying, “the man digs his grave with his own teeth.” Guided by a similar principle, to keep illness and death away, the Ayurvedic alternative therapies recommend a rational and responsible selection, cooking and dosage of food.

How to choose foods according to Ayurvedic principles

Both the physical and the mental body base their origins and development on the energetically balanced combination of food, water, air and Prana (vital energy, vital breath). According to Ayurvedic nutrition, food can be rajasic/ tamasic – destructive and satvic – full of life.

Satvic food determines the creation and the development of cells, supporting all the human abilities and faculties, from the reproductive function to the superior cognitive functions. Satvic foods (foods with life) are foods that mantain untouched their nutritional value and active principles: vitamins, proteins, hormones, minerals, carbohydrates, lipids, and, enzymes. Prana foods are: vegetables, fruits, milk, fresh eggs, cereals, medicinal herbs, algae, fresh fish, bread, mushrooms, fresh meat (meat from vegetarian animals used in less than 3 minutes from cutting), fatty seeds.

The food which has been cooked at very high or very low temperatures for more than 30 seconds or the one containing nervous stimulants, such as spices, salt, alcohol, fruits, cocoa, coffee, chocolate, vanilla, cinnamon, cloves, are rajasic. Also, the Prana content of food is lost or contaminated through the contact with the metals (knife, fork, etc.; note that the Asians people eat most of their food with wooden sticks).

The opposite of the satvic food is the tamasic food, which is produced through a forced growing process, under the influence of chemical, noxious or radioactive factors. There are also tamasic foods those which are consumed after more than one day of light after their preparation time.

Food Preparation

To benefit from the positive properties of satvic food, they should be consumed as soon as possible after the harvest or after slaughter, in a state as close to their natural state.

A healthy, satvic food can become rajasic during the cooking process.  The process of boiling, baking, frying takes the Prana out of the foods. A food which sticks to the bottom of the pot, which forms a reddish-brown crust, is a rajasic food. Any element: water, air, food, mood, can become rajasic. Even in the Bible, it is mentioned that, when God will decide the end of the world, everything will go through fire, turning in rajasic matter.

Ayurvedic food portions

In order to obtain and maintain health, Ayurvedic nutrition recommends implementing a nutritionally correct concept. The Ayurvedic diet is against stereotype regimen, based on vegetable only, or only on fish, or cereals; it must combine all the Prana foods.

The secret of the Ayurvedic nutrition lies in the gradual reduction of the food portions, combined with the principle of non-mixing the foods during the same meal. Therefore, even if it is necessary to have a diet based on various foods, they shouldn’t be combined within the same meal. To stay healthy, for a man a single dish at a meal should be enough, and the act of feeding must be completed before reaching the state of satiety.

Following these general rules of Ayurvedic nutrition, you can keep your body healthy, clarify your mind and stay emotional balanced.

Read more:

Alexandru Doboș – ”Medicină ayurvedică”, ed. Nirvana, București, 1995;