The Concept of Food in Ayurveda
Ahara, also known as food, is considered a pillar of life in Ayurveda. Good food equals a good life, health and wellness. Classical texts of Ayurveda dating back to 300BC-700AD elaborate on its importance and means to living a full life. “Healthy and wholesome food nourishes not just the body, but also the mind and soul,” Ayurvedic Physician at Jetwing Ayurveda Pavilions Dr. Gayathri Nissanka expressed.
Ayurveda is an ancient philosophy that is focused on more than a basic health care system. In Ayurveda, a well balanced lifestyle also includes choosing well what we should eat. There is no terminology such as good food or bad food; on a holistic level, there is a balanced diet for every individual and their identifiable dosha, for optimal nutrition. In other words, food should be chosen according to the doshic predominance of an individual.
Prakurthi and one’s digestive fire play significant roles in terms of hunger. an individuals’ digestive fire will differ according to predominance of dosha in the body. Those with a Vata dika Prakurthi have vishamagni or irregular hunger and cravings. That is, that those with predominance of the vata dosha will tend to eat a lot at times, and not at all at other times. Pitta dika Prakurthi individuals have Theekshana Agni, meaning an intense fire, sharpness or appetite. This intensity is typically severe enough to digest all ingested food very quickly and feel hunger again. In other terms, they have a high metabolism. The nutritious juice within the body however can become less in quality as well as quantity due to this. Kapha dika Prakurthi individuals are prone to Manda Agni which means they would not be capable of digesting even smallest of quantity of food properly. This is a major factor leading to all kapha related diseases.
“Sama Agni is the digestive fire when all doshas are in equilibrium state and would ideally digest food properly without causing any problem. This nature of metabolism nourishes all the body tissues and organs in balanced and healthy way,” added Dr. Nissanka.
Ahara as mentioned in Ayurveda dina charya (see previous article in this series) is a main priority because food is wholesome and is the cure for many conditions.
A typical Ayurvedic diet should be enriched with six tastes:
- Madura (sweet)
- Amla(sour)
- Lawana(salty)
- Katu (pungent)
- Thiktha (bitter)
- Kasaya (astringent)
Each taste plays an important role in the stimulation of the digestive and immune systems. Sweetness promotes life as a whole, provides overall strength, lustre to the skin and is beneficial for the throat. Excessive use will leads to kapha aggravation and obesity however. Sourness stimulates the digestive fire, stimulates salivation, awakens the mind but excessive use leads to pitta aggravation. Salt when consumed moderately promotes energy and helps maintain water and electrolyte balance. However when used excessively consumed, can lead to severe health concerns and problems. The ideal and healthy salt level to be consumed per day is 5g per individual. Pungent food warms the body and promotes sweating, improves metabolism but when in excess causes irritability, anger and impatience. Bitterness cleans and detoxifies the body, reduces fat and excess water, relieves thirst and even fever. When in excess it aggravates the vata in the body, and also leads to insomnia. Astringent food cleanses the blood, and maintains healthy blood sugar level. Excessive consumption leads to constipation, and abdominal distension.
“Sweet, salty and sour food increase kapha dosha and soothes vata dosha. Pungent, bitter and astringent food aggravate vata dosha while soothing kapha dosha. Salty, sour and pungent food heightens pitta dosha. Sweet, bitter and astringent food suppresses pitta dosha. To keep a balance intake of these tastes and food is in the hands of every individual. you have the power and ability to choose what to eat, or not,” shared Dr. Nissanka.
When considering the quantity of food, it is said to eat until half the stomach feels full and have an intake of ¼ water then leave the balance ¼ free.
It is advisable not drink too much of water along with food, as it will decrease the digestive fire. Ideally an individual should have water in-between main meals frequently in small quantities. Warm water is light, digestive and alleviates all three doshas. Keep in mind that excessive water intake after meal leads to obesity.
Dr Nissanka also advises to eat when one feels hunger. Consume your meals with a pleasant mind, not very fast and not very slowly, chewing properly and swallowing mindfully.
Spices play a significant role in the preparation of food. In most occasions, those changes effect the quality of food; like when adding ginger to a meal, it convert the heaviness into a lighter state, and bees honey reduces acidity.
Ayurveda further elaborates on the subject of viruddha ahara or incompatible food:
- Veerya Viruddha (potency incompatibility) — fish + milk.
- Sanskar Viruddha (processing incompatibility) — heated honey.
- Matra Viruddha (dose incompatibility) — honey + cow’s ghee mixed in equal proportion.
- Krama Viruddha — hot water after taking honey.
- Kala Viruddha — (time incompatibility) pungent substance in summer and cold substances in winter.
- Krama Viruddha (order incompatibility) — consuming curd at night. Taking Madhura Rasa food or Dravya at the end of meals and Tikta and Katu Rasa Dravyas (food substances) at the starting of meals.
- Samyoga Viruddha (combination incompatibility) — fruit salad or milk + banana.
- Parihar Viruddha (contraindication incompatibility) — consuming cold water immediately after having hot tea or coffee.
