Food is One of the Essential Sources of Prana (Energy).

Prana (Energy)

In Ayurveda, food is categorized under three qualities:

Sattvic Foods

Fresh, organic, nourishing foods that uplift the body and positively effect the mind fit this category. Sattva is the quality of balance and positivity. These include fresh and local fruits and vegetables.

Rajasic Foods

Highly spiced or foods filled with refined sugars are described as Rajasic foods. Rajas is a quality that creates restlessness increasing the activity level of the body and the mind. Too much movement and excessive thoughts can be a results of these foods.

Tamasic Foods

Heavy, oily and processed foods fit under the category of Tamas. These foods impact the body in a negative manner, bring lethargy and make the mind dull and depressed.

Furthermore, Ayurveda suggests a customized diet as per the dosha (constitution) and person’s Vikruti (current imbalance).

Like increases like...

A simple way to understand how to chose the right foods for yourself is to first recognize that food is one of the main sources of prana (energy) meaning the purpose of food is to gain positive energy to support our body and mind. Choosing foods that add qualities the body is lacking helps to compensate for the qualities we are missing or don't have enough of. This is why Ayurveda suggests a customized approach to each person. I.e. If a person is experiencing dry skin, constipation and difficulty sleeping this would signal to qualities of dry, airy, mobile, cold from the list of 20 gunas from the Ayurvedic text. Like increases like, so once you identify the qualities of your imbalance, you may chose foods that will provide you with the opposite qualities. With the previous example it would be suggested to have moist, hydrating, warming, cooked, grounding foods. I.e. Foods such as sweet potato, pumpkin cooked in soups, stews and easily digestible forms with spices creating a warming effect such as cumin, coriander, mustard seeds and so on.

Food Charts for Vata Pitta Kapha

View Food Charts by Dosha

Ayurvedic
Diet

Vata Balancing Diet

View Vata Food List

Pitta Balancing Diet

View Pitta Food List

Kapha Balancing Diet

View Kapha Food List