The Diet and Doshas
THE VATA DIET
• THE VATA DIET
• This regime nourishes the nervous system,
raises the digestive fire (Agni) and aids the
absorption of nutrients.
• Follow this diet if you are predominantly a
Vata-type
• Suffering from a vata imbalance, as it is useful
for relieving nervous tension, cramps, pain,
anxiety, coldness, insomnia, bloating,
constipation, and dryness.
• It is particularly valuable at the vata times of
year, which are primarily spring and autumn.
Qualities of vata
• Dry
• Cold
• Sharp
• Rough
• Unstable (moving)
Ø One has to choose opposite qualities
Ø warm, moist, oily, smooth, and nourishing
Ø Tastes: sweet sour salt
• In general:
• eat at regular times
• eat to less than full stomach
• emphasise foods that are warm, soupy, heavy and oily
• Balance digestive fire
• favour foods that are sweet, sour or salty
• reduce foods that are cold, dry or hard(white bread,dry
cracker,spicy foods,)
• Reduce foods that are very spicy, bitter or astringent
• avoid yeast, refined sugars, coffee, tea, tobacco, drugs,
poor-quality oils and extremely spicy foods
• supplement your diet with Aswaganda.
Life style Recommendations
• It is important to slow down, ground, and create a sense of
routine and stability
• Planning your day ahead
• Have enough time to Rest and Relax
• 7 to 8 hours of sleep
• Less movement
• Reduce intense physical activity
• Management of stress
• Mindful practises yoga , breath work, meditation
• Yin yoga, hata yoga (gentle style)
• Regular Relaxing massage body massage
• Epsom salt baths
•
Grains
• Rice (basmati, brown, wild), wheat, oats
(cooked) and quinoa are very good.
• Amaranth is fine in moderation
• but reduce barley, corn, millet, buckwheat
and rye, as these are a little drying and can be
difficult to digest, creating wind.
• Beans and pulses Avoid all beans in excess,
except mung beans and, occasionally, red
lentils
Vegetables
• Avocado, beetroot, cucumber, carrot, sweet
potato and seaweeds are the best.
• Peas, Brassicas and leafy green vegetables,
summer and winter squashes and potatoes
are best well-cooked in oil or ghee with mild,
digestive spices
• Raw vegetables, especially onions should also
be avoided, as these aggravate vata
Fruits
• Favour sweet, sour or heavy fruits, such as
berries, banana, grapes, cherries, all citrus
fruit, fresh fig, peach, melon, plum, fresh
dates, pineapple, mango and papaya.
• Soaked prunes and raisins should be taken in
moderation
• Pear, apple, cranberries, pomegranate in
lesser quantity
• Cooked pear and apple are accepatable
Nuts and seeds
• All are good in moderation, especially when
soaked
• Avoid NUTS if you have coilic issues after
consumption
Meat and fish
• Seafood and a little chicken and turkey are
fine
• beef should be avoided as it is difficult to
digest.
• Avoid Red meat in excess
Dairy
• All dairy products are nourishing, particularly
yoghurt( Lassi)
• Always boil milk before you drink it, mix with
cardamom seeds and drink it warm.
• Don’t take milk with a full meal or with fruit. If
intolerant, substitute with almond or rice milk.
• Cook with plenty of ghee to moisten ‘dry’
foods
Oils
• All oils Reduce dryness and are nourishing.
Emphasise hemp, sesame, olive, sunflower
and flax.
• All oils Reduce vata
Herbs and spices
• All are fine, particularly asafoetida,
cardamom, cumin, fresh coriander, ginger,
fennel, dill, cinnamon, salt, cloves, mustard
seed and black pepper.
• These help reduce gas and spasms in the
digestive system but in lesser quantity
Sweeteners
• All are good, especially honey, molasses, cane
sugar, palm sugar, coconut sugar and jaggery.
• Avoid all refined white sugar.
Superfoods
• Drinks Take plenty of warm water and spicy
and relaxing herbal teas, such as ginger and
chamomile
• ASHWAGANDHA
• Triphala
Masala Dosa
• Rice 200g
• Black gram lentil – 100g
• Fenugreek seeds – 1 and ½ table spoon
• Poha – 50g
Soak the ingredients for 6-8 hours / overnight
Grind them into fine paste and allow it to
ferment for 5- 6 hrs
Method
• Prepare batter as said before
• Add salt and 2-3 pinch of baking soda (optional)
• Heat the pad
• Pour the dosa batter and spread into round shape
like a pan cake but try making it more thinner
• Add small spoon of oil to the edges
• Once it turn crispy , remove it and serve with
potato palya and chutney
Potato palya
• Cooking Oil – 2 table spoon
• Mustard seeds-1/2 tea spoon
• Cumin-1/2 tea spoon
• Curry leaves-6-8
• Chilly-2
• Grated ginger- 1 small piece
• Turmeric- 1 tea spoon
• Chopped onions- 1 medium sized
• Boiled potatoes – 4-5
• Salt for taste
Method
• Heat cooking oil add mustard seeds,Cumin
seeds,Curry leaves , green chilly , sauté them
• Then add onions and fry till they turn
translucent
• Add turmeric powder , mix them all
• Lastly add potatoes and mix them well
• Add coriander leaves
• Serve it with dosa
Sabja seed drink(basil seed drink)
• Basil seeds 2 table spoon(soaked for 1 hour)
• Lemon 2 lemon
• Ginger 1 small piece
• Mint 1 bunch
• Honey/sugar 1 table spoon
• Pinch of black salt
• Water
Method
In a blender. take mint leaves and ginger and
make fine paste.
Add water , lemon juice, black salt
Filter it
Add honey as per your taste
Lastly add soaked basil seeds and serve
