Food and health are inseparable in Ayurvedic medicine. The goal of Ayurvedic nutrition is to achieve or maintain an inner balance. What exactly is behind this oldest form of healing, what Ayurvedic nutrition looks like and what rules to follow in Ayurvedic cuisine, we explain here.
What is Ayurveda?
Ayurveda is the oldest traditional medicine of mankind and means translated from Sanskrit “the knowledge of long life” (ayus: long life, veda: knowledge). The ayurvedic principles, which are about 3,500 years old and have been handed down in writing, originated in India. They already influenced Hippocrates, who advocated a holistic treatment of the human being. In contrast to Western systems, Ayurveda is a concept of life: it seeks not only to cure diseases, but also to provide a comprehensive answer to the question of the purpose of life, bringing man and nature into harmony.
Vata, Pitta, Kapha: 3 forces govern the human body.
In Ayurveda, everything that exists is composed of the five elements of earth, water, fire, air and space – including food. The three ‘doshas’ (forces) that influence the human body also play a central role in Ayurvedic health and nutrition. Vata: Controls movement, circulation and digestion, it is associated with the element air. Vata types are mentally active, slim and petite, yet rather restless and easily suffer from sleep disorders. They need very regular, warm meals and drinks and should avoid flatulent and overly spiced dishes. Pitta: The metabolic principle consists of the elements fire and water; it gives warmth and nourishment to the body. Pitta types tend to be fair-skinned, sensitive and ambitious, prone to skin diseases. They should be careful with coffee and alcohol and avoid spicy as well as oily foods. They tolerate sweet, bitter and tart particularly well. Kapha: The structural principle. The good-natured with rather strong stature belong to it. Water and earth are their elements. They love hot spices and like to eat, but have a sluggish digestion and do not always like to move. They should avoid all fatty, fried and heavy foods, as well as desserts and dairy products.
Ayurvedic diet
According to Ayurvedic conception, food intake has two aspects: It provides us with the necessary building blocks of life and it serves to maintain or restore physical, mental and spiritual balance. For this purpose, it is important, among other things, to know one’s constitutional type (mixing ratio of the three doshas Vata, Pitta and Kapha). On the basis of the three basic types and their mixtures, it can be explained why two people who eat the same food sometimes react completely differently to it. A healthy person feels exactly which foods are good for him and which are not. Everything he likes to eat, his organism needs to stay healthy. Or in other words: proper nutrition is medicine. And depending on what food he eats, the doshas are influenced positively or negatively. If the three regulating forces of the mind-body system are not in balance, disturbances and diseases arise. In order to maintain or restore the balance, nutrition plays an important role. In contrast to other dietary guidelines, Ayurveda does not have any strict regulations or prohibitions. Ayurveda gives individual recommendations tailored to the personal situation of the individual.
Ayurvedic cooking and seasoning
By the way, cooking Ayurvedic has nothing to do with Asian cooking. The basic principles can be found in most cuisines of the world. Among other things should:
- The food should be predominantly warm, gently and freshly prepared
- You avoid ice-cold drinks, they weaken the digestive power
- One drink hot water with meals
- One take the main meal at noon, light food in the evening.
A perfect meal ideally contains all six tastes: sweet, sour, salty, spicy, bitter and astringent – this creates a balance between all five elements. It should be appropriate for the season and time of day and take into account the eater’s dosha. With the exception of fresh herbs, the many spices, especially nutmeg, saffron, cardamom and cinnamon are always cooked from the beginning.In Ayurvedic cuisine, but not in Indian cuisine, garlic and onions are avoided because, according to Ayurvedic opinion, the strong smell impairs the sense of taste and dulls the mind. In Ayurvedic medicine, however, garlic is used to lower high blood pressure and for digestive problems.
Ayurvedic recipes: What to consider?
In an Ayurvedic menu, for example, care is taken to ensure that all six flavors are represented and that all necessary building blocks are included (i.e., proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, trace elements). The ingredients and courses are coordinated in taste, color, consistency and method of preparation. After an Ayurvedic meal, guests should not feel tired, but refreshed and able to perform; they should be pleasantly satiated and satisfied. For the cook, cooking must be a pleasure. The mindset of the cook flows into the dishes during preparation. In addition, the following 5 food rules should be followed in Ayurvedic cooking:
- Eat only when you are also hungry and the previous meal is completely digested (after 3 to 6 hours).
- Eating is pleasure and should be done in a quiet and beautiful environment, with plenty of time and few distractions.
- Always prepare your food fresh and pay attention to whole, natural foods.
- The main meal of the day should be taken at noon, in the evening is better to eat only light (and not too late).
- Rely on your instinct: The body expresses what it lacks through its appetite for food.
Lassi recipe
Lassi is drunk especially after the midday meal, a salty or sweet yogurt drink depending on how it is prepared. In summer, it is refreshing and nourishing when thirsty. Lassi soothes the stomach, cleanses and strengthens the intestinal flora and normalizes all the body forces. Take high-quality, fresh, mild yogurt and dilute it two to three times with water. Then beat it with a whisk until there are no more lumps. Drink it plain or seasoned with salt, cumin and coriander. It can be sweetened with honey or brown sugar and a few drops of rose water. Lassi should not be served too cold.
