Snacks And Ayurveda: Include Foods As Per Your Body Dosha

It's easy to go for quick snacks in the busy world of modern munching without really considering how they impact our health. However, what if I told you that the snacks you select might be in line with Ayurveda, an age-old system of holistic health and well-being?

According to Ayurveda, every person has a distinct constitution, or dosha, that affects both our physical and mental qualities. Depending on what you are, mostly Vata, Pitta, or Kapha, your dosha can help you choose snacks that will satiate your cravings while also fostering harmony and balance within. 

We'll explore in this blog how certain snacks can balance your dosha and improve your general health.

What Is Dosha And How Does It Impact Your Body? 

According to Ayurveda, doshas are basic elements that stand in for various bodily forces or principles. The three primary doshas are Pitta, Kapha, and Vata which are essential to preserving general health and well-being. Here's a brief description of every dosha:

• Vata:  The elements of space and air are connected to the Vata dosha. It controls the body's communication and movement systems. It encourages flexibility and inventiveness when it is in balance. On the other hand, too much Vata can cause nervousness, agitation, and stomach problems.

• Pitta:  Fire and water are the elements associated with Pitta dosha. It regulates digestion, body temperature, and metabolic activities. While an excess Pitta can lead to irritation, inflammation, and digestive issues, a balanced Pitta encourages knowledge and zeal.

• Kapha: The elements of soil and water are associated with the Kapha dosha. It controls the body's structure, strength, and stability. While Kapha, when in balance, encourages serenity and stamina, too much of it can cause sluggishness, weight gain, and congestion.

In order to sustain optimum health, Ayurveda emphasises maintaining the balance of these doshas. The predominance of one or a combination of these doshas determines an individual's distinctive constitution or Prakriti. 

The doshas are balanced and supported by Ayurvedic practices such as nutrition, lifestyle, and herbal medicines based on a person's Prakriti and current state of health, or Vikriti.

Top Foods To Include And Avoid As Per Your Doshas 

1.Top Foods for Vata Dosha

• Eat extra hot or warm liquids, such as stews or soups
• Eat more foods such as yoghurt, berries, melons, summer squash, coconut, avocado, coconut, olives, buttermilk, and whole milk.
• In moderation, fruits such as pineapple, oranges, and green grapes
• Khichdi, warm spiced chai, sweet potatoes, ghee-roasted veggies, and soothing lentil soups 
• Consume cooked vegetables, but ensure they're cooked thoroughly and topped with coconut oil or ghee.
• Try roasted spiced chickpeas, masala puffed rice, or seasoned pumpkin seeds.

Foods To Avoid 

• Frozen or cold meals, red wine, and chocolate; raw apples and watermelon
• Grains like barley, buckwheat, couscous, and millet.
• Dried fruits like popcorn, potatoes, barley, and maize.
• Raw or dried veggies.
• Restrict your use of stimulants such as nicotine and coffee.

2. Top Foods for Pitta Dosha

• Vegetables like asparagus, cucumbers, celery, okra, lettuce, green beans, sweet potatoes, leafy greens, pumpkins, broccoli, cauliflower, and zucchini.
• Grains like wheat, white rice, barley, and oats also help to balance pitta.
• Consume fruits like grapes, mango, pomegranate, pineapple, oranges, melon, cherries, coconut, and plums.
• Cucumber raita, and soothing mint chutney. 
• Use soothing spices in cooking like coriander, cardamom, saffron, and fennel seeds. 
• Roasted pumpkin seeds, roasted makhana, Dry figs or apricots, and Coconut chips.

Foods To Avoid 

• Eggs, shellfish, sour cream, steak, dark chicken, chilli pepper, red or sweet wine, chocolate, apricots, avocado, and pungent or sour vegetables like onion, tomatoes, hot peppers, carrots, beets, eggplant, or raw leeks.
• Avoid using any warming spices at all, including cloves, ginger, cumin, black pepper, fenugreek, chilli pepper, and cayenne.

3. Top Foods for Kapha Dosha 

• Veggies such as sweet potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, celery, okra, lettuce, green beans, and leafy greens
• Additionally aiding in pitta balancing are grains, including wheat, white rice, barley, and oats.
• Eat assorted fruits, such as avocados, plums, pomegranates, pineapple, oranges, melon, cherries, coconut, and grapes.
•  Chai, lentil soups, warm spices, and saag and khichdi
• Roasted chickpeas seasoned with cumin and coriander or air-fried spiced pumpkin seeds 
• When cooking, incorporate calming spices such as fennel seeds, coriander, cardamom, and saffron.

Foods To Avoid

• Fruits that can be sweet or sour, such as bananas, peaches, dates, or figs; vegetables that can be sweet or juicy, such as tomatoes and cucumbers.
• Consuming chocolate, ketchup, wine, kidney beans, pasta, oats, and cheese, either soft or hard.

Takeaway 

When it comes to snacks and Ayurveda, knowing your dosha, whether it is Vata, Pitta, or Kapha, is essential to eating a balanced, harmonious diet. Snacking in accordance with your dosha might help you maintain good mental and physical health. 

You're headed towards a healthier, more balanced lifestyle, whether you go for cooling Pitta-approved selections like cucumber slices or grounding Vata-friendly options like warm spiced nuts, or whether you prefer light, Kapha-balancing snacks like roasted chickpeas.

Keep in mind that Ayurveda respects uniqueness; therefore, for tailored advice, speak with an Ayurvedic practitioner. Ayurvedic nutrition can help you nurture your body and soul with thoughtful snack selections.

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