Ayurvedic Diets

A sattvic diet of pure vegetarian is encouraged for developing higher qualities of peace, love and awareness for a yogi. Eating is our first interaction with the environment. Food includes not just what we eat but what we feed our soul. ‘Anna’ is the first Sanskrit word for Brahman meaning food. The inner self of Atman is the eater of everything. Ayurvedic techniques like Sattvic diet aim to bring health and balance to the physical body while yoga helps us transcend body consciousness. The digestive fire (agni) is increased through the practice of yoga. A lot of digestive fire is required for raw foods and it is best done to only achieve proper vitamins and minerals generally around 10-20 percent of the diet. The six tastes are associated with different elements and Gunas.

• ○  Sweet = earth and water = Sattva

• ○  Salty = water and fire = Rajas

• ○  Sour = earth and fire = Rajas

• ○  Pungent = fire and air = Rajas

• ○  Bitter = air and ether = Tamas

• ○  Astringent = earth and air = Tamas
  

  Sattvic diets can also be different for dosha type. Ayurveda prescribes dietary regimens depending on the type of dosha imbalance one is experiencing. Certain foods can be more beneficial for the yoga practice and others can be avoided.