Ayurvedic Diet: Benefits, Drawbacks and 10 Rules

An Ayurvedic diet is an eating plan that guides when to eat, what to eat, and how to eat. Followers believe it supports health, helps prevent or manage disease, and maintains wellness by balancing the body and mind.

The diet is based on the principles of Ayurvedic medicine, which focuses on balancing different types of energy within your body. These ideas have not been tested well in scientific studies.

What Is Ayurvedic Diet?

Ayurveda is a traditional system of medicine that began in ancient India and is one of the world’s oldest medical systems. It developed alongside yoga, and its followers see it as a way to prevent illness and imbalance.

The word Ayurveda consists of two Sanskrit words that means life (Ayur) and science (Veda). The exact meaning of Ayurveda is “the science of life.”

Photo by Ankur P, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

A popular saying in Ayurveda goes: “When diet is wrong, medicine is of no use; when diet is correct, medicine is of no need.” Diet matters a great deal, but it does not replace medical care when you need it.

Elements Of Ayurvedic Diet:

According to Ayurveda, five elements are responsible to make up the universe:

1. Vayu (air),
2. Jala (water),
3. Akash (space),
4. Teja (fire),
5. Prithvi (earth).

Doshas

In Ayurveda, these elements combine to form three doshas. Doshas are described as types of energy that circulate in the body and govern specific functions, and they shape a person’s dominant mind and body type.

Ayurveda holds that each of us has a dominant dosha that is set at birth. It teaches that balanced doshas mean health, while imbalance leads to problems such as skin issues, poor digestion, insomnia, irritability, and anxiety. These are traditional beliefs, not proven medical facts.

How Do These Elements Work?

In Ayurveda, each dosha is said to have its own qualities.

• Vata (space and air): Vata types are often described as creative, intense, or expressive. Attributes include dry, light, cold, and rough.
• Pitta (fire and water): Pitta types are often described as intelligent, joyful, and driven. Attributes include sharp, hot, liquid, and mobile.
• Kapha (earth and water): Kapha types are often described as calm, grounded, loving, and loyal. Attributes include moist, heavy, soft, and static. Ayurveda links Kapha imbalance with weight gain and sluggishness.

Ayurvedic Diet Plan

According to the Ayurvedic diet, your dosha decides which foods are best for you. The lists below reflect common Ayurvedic recommendations, not scientific evidence. Alcohol is left off the “eat” lists: the CDC advises that if you don’t drink, you shouldn’t start for any reason.

Vata

Foods to eat

• Sweet fruit
• Cooked vegetables like spinach or beets
• Grains including quinoa or rice
• Red lentils
• Dairy products
• Beef
• Eggs
• Fish
• Black pepper
• Coriander leaves
• Vinegar
• Peanuts and pecans
• Chia or flax seeds
• Sesame oil and ghee
• Hot water or herbal tea

Foods to avoid

• Dried fruit
• Raw apples and watermelon
• Frozen, raw, or dried vegetables
• Potatoes
• Barley
• Corn
• Chickpeas
• Split peas
• Yogurt
• Lamb
• Turkey
• Red wine
• Chocolate

Pitta

Foods to Eat

• Raisins
• Watermelon
• Sweet or bitter vegetables like broccoli or cauliflower
• Dry cereal
• Pasta
• Black beans
• Unsalted butter
• Chicken (white meat)
• Egg whites
• Almonds
• Coconut

Foods to Avoid

• Apricots
• Avocado
• Pungent vegetables like onion or raw leeks
• Sour fruits
• Spinach
• Bread made with yeast
• Quinoa and brown rice
• Rye
• soy sauce
• Salted butter
• Sour cream
• Beef
• Chicken (dark meat)
• Chili pepper
• Red or sweet wine
• Seafood other than shrimp
• Chocolate

Kapha

Foods to Eat

• Astringent fruit like applesauce or prunes
• Pungent or bitter vegetables like celery or carrots
• Granola
• Polenta
• Lima beans
• Buttermilk
• Cottage cheese
• Shrimp
• Turkey

Foods to Avoid

• Sweet or sour fruits like grapefruit or figs
• Sweet or juicy vegetables like cucumber or zucchini
• Cooked oats
• Rice
• Pasta
• Pancakes
• Wheat
• Kidney beans
• Soft or hard cheese
• Duck
• Tofu
• Freshwater fish
• Ketchup
• Hard alcohol
• Chocolate

Benefits Of Ayurvedic Diet

The Ayurvedic diet has some potential benefits, although research on the diet itself is limited.

1. In-take of whole foods

   The Ayurvedic diet promotes whole foods like fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes. These foods are rich in essential nutrients and fiber.

2. Helps in weight loss

   Filling up on nutrient-rich whole foods and limiting processed foods may help some people manage their weight. A few small studies have looked at Ayurvedic approaches for weight loss, but the evidence is limited.

3. Promotes mindfulness

   Besides what you eat, mindfulness is a major part of the Ayurvedic diet. Mindfulness means paying close attention to how you feel in the present moment. Mindful eating focuses on limiting distractions during meals so you notice the taste, texture, and smell of your food.

Drawbacks Of Ayurvedic Diet

Here are some drawbacks of the Ayurvedic diet.

1. Confusing

   One of the major issues with the Ayurvedic diet is that it can be confusing and hard to follow. It is not just about specific foods but also many additional rules.

2. Overly restrictive

   The diet includes long lists of foods to eat or avoid based on your dosha. This can mean cutting out healthy whole foods, or entire food groups, that are thought to aggravate a particular dosha.

3. Often subjective

   Another issue with the Ayurvedic diet is that it’s subjective.

The diet is built around figuring out your dominant dosha, which is based on a set of physical and mental traits rather than measurable tests.

4. Safety of Ayurvedic products

   Some Ayurvedic herbal preparations may contain lead, mercury, or arsenic at harmful levels. Talk with your doctor before using Ayurvedic remedies, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or have a health condition.

Rules Of Ayurvedic Diet

These 10 common rules summarize how Ayurveda approaches eating:

1. Select foods from your dosha type

2. Eliminate snacks

3. Eat until satisfied, not full

4. Consume whole, fresh foods

5. Include All Six Tastes at Every Meal

6. Reduce ice cold foods and beverages

7. Eliminate distractions while eating

8. Stop eating three hours before bedtime

9. Favor herbal teas between meals

10. Eat your largest meal of the day at lunchtime

HP Thoughts: Learn about another popular diet method here: Okinawa Diet.

Conclusion

The Ayurvedic diet is an eating plan based on Ayurvedic medicine, a form of traditional medicine. It sets foods to eat and avoid according to your dosha, or body type. Supporters say it aids weight loss and balances mind and body.

Its focus on whole foods and mindful eating can be healthy. However, it can be confusing and restrictive, and it rests on subjective ideas about your personality and body type.

Its core hypotheses are not backed by scientific proof, so talk with your doctor or a dietitian before making big changes to your diet.

Sources

• Ayurvedic Medicine: In Depth, National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH)
• About Moderate Alcohol Use, CDC