“You are what you eat” is a famous saying which is indeed true when it comes to your health and habits. It is important to eat good food to feel good and be healthy. What we eat eventually affects our lives. If we eat healthy food we feel healthy and if we keep putting junk and rubbish in our tummies we will not feel healthy. The food we eat has a direct bearing on our physical and mental health. That’s simple!
Many people mistake the vegetarian diet to be the same as a yogic diet. But the yogic diet is much more. So, what is a yogic diet? A yogic diet is a Sattvic (pure) diet that gives you health, happiness, satisfaction, and longevity. It is a diet that the ancient yogis believed had a significant influence on our mind and body.
The Basics of Yogic Diet
According to Ayurvedic philosophy, all the things in nature can be classified into three categories-Sattva (pure), Raja (hot), Tama (slow) and so foods can also be classified into three types- Sattvic, Rajasic, and Tamasic. Each of these foods affects our physical and mental wellbeing. Understanding the differences between these foods is significantly important.
Sattvic Foods
Sattvic foods are considered purest and most suitable for the yogis and ultimately lead to a healthy mind and body with a balanced flow of energy between the two. Raw fruits and vegetables, legumes, lentils, dairy products, sprouts, nuts, seeds, oil, ghee, etc., are all considered sattvic foods.
Rajasic Foods
Rajasic foods stimulate the mind and body into action. If consumed in excess these foods can lead to sleeplessness, anger, irritability, restlessness, and hyperactivity. Spicy foods, onion, garlic, tea, coffee, and fried foods are considered rajasic.
Tamasic Foods
Tamasic foods bring about lethargy and laziness in the body and also cause confusion and disorientation. Non-vegetarian foods, foods containing artificial preservatives, oily, stale, and sugary foods are all deemed tamasic.
Vata, Pitta, and Kapha Doshas
According to Ayurveda, three forces of nature – Vatta, Pitta, and Kapha regulate our physiological processes, temperament, dietary choices, likes, dislikes, and much more. These doshas make up an individual’s constitution and a balance of these forces is extremely important. If these doshas are out of balance in our bodies it can be detrimental to our health. The balance of these doshas is affected by seasonal changes, lifestyle, and food.
These doshas are made up of five elements, which are considered the building blocks of the material world – air, fire, water, earth, and ether (space).
Vata- consists of air and ether
Pitta- consists of fire and water
Kapha – consists of water and earth
The ratio of the three doshas in every person defines their health. A person’s doshas can be determined based on physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral characteristics. Your doshas can determine which foods to consume to promote inner balance.
What is a Yogic Diet?
A yogic diet follows the principles of Ayurveda which is a 5000-year-old holistic healing system developed in India. It focuses on nourishing your body with fresh and unprocessed foods, and mindful eating. A yogic diet is also called a sattvic(pure) diet and is based on the fact that the mind and body are not separate entities but one. So, having a sattvic diet will ensure you have both a pure mind and body. A yogic or sattvic diet is a vegetarian, low fat, high-fiber, balanced diet that leads to optimal physical and mental health.
A yogic diet is vegetarian
A yogic diet is made up of no-animal foods except for honey and dairy foods. It includes green and leafy vegetables which make the diet easily digestible creating a healthy digestive system. The yogic diet excludes onions and garlic. It gives more importance to uncooked foods as cooking destroys the food’s fiber, nutrients, and enzymes to a great extent.
A yogic diet is free of chemicals and stimulants
A yogic diet stresses refraining from stimulants like tea, coffee, alcohol, tobacco, and artificial sweeteners. These things are unhealthy for the body and alter the mind and can also prevent one from concentrating on the Divine.
A yogic diet consists of fresh foods
A yogic meal should be made from fresh and organic ingredients. Food should be freshly cooked and not refrigerated. Therefore, the food has to be consumed right after it has been cooked.
A yogic diet involves fasting
The Hindu scriptures show a cosmic connection for fasting. The tides rise during the full moon and decrease by the new moon. And these phases affect our bodies also which consists of 70% water. According to Indian astrology, our bodies are always under the influence of the moon that causes imbalances in our digestive system. Fasting on specific days is considered the best method. However, it is believed that fasting on Ekadashi – the eleventh day in both the lunar phases each month is more effective than any other day, as it has positive effects on the body and brain. Fasting helps to clean up our digestive system of all the toxins and mess.
A yogic diet stresses eating at regular times
As per the yogic diet, the meals should be taken at the same time every day.
A yogic diet includes good fats
A yogic diet is incomplete without good fats such as ghee, coconut oil, soaked nuts, and seeds. These good fats make food delectable, digestible, and satiating. They also improve memory and neural conductivity.
A yogic diet is about eating in moderation
A yogi believes in harmony, and so eats only for sustenance and does not live to eat. Eating neither too much nor too little is the key to promote health, strength, energy, and life. Moderation in eating, thinking, recreation, and actions are the mantra to a happy and fulfilling life.
A yogic diet encourages mindful eating
According to Bhagwad Gita (9.27) “while eating, one should concentrate only on eating as the food is served to one’s consciousness.” The yogic diet promotes mindful eating and developing a healthy relationship with your food. Mindful eating is about eating and chewing food slowly minus any distractions, minding your portions, and understanding your body’s cues about hunger and satiety.
Benefits of a Yogic Diet
1. Enhances metabolism
Having a plant-based diet ensures you take in a prodigious amount of fibers that improve the metabolism.
2. Improves digestion
The yogic diet mainly includes green vegetables, fruits, and sprouts and does not include foods like onion, garlic, meat, and fish, etc. Therefore, your digestive system does not have to work hard to digest the food. Exclusion of meat and non-vegetarian food from the yogic diet keeps the body from too many toxins which may lead to serious ailments like cancer, skin diseases, etc.
3. Boosts energy
Eating whole plant foods gives you a plethora of nutrients to keep you going and boosts your energy levels. Eliminating non-vegetarian food from the diet eases the workload on your entire system.
4. Uplifts mood
A yogic diet can help you fight blues, improve your mood and quality of life. According to some studies, a diet high in processed foods is linked with a higher incidence of depression and anxiety.
5. Curtails the risk of severe diseases
A yogic diet can also reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, leading to longer and healthier living. Non-vegetarian foods are full of unhealthy fats which give rise to high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
6. Boosts your immunity
A yogic diet can strengthen your immune system. This diet encourages the inclusion of immune-boosting foods, herbs, and spices which can lower the risk of many chronic health conditions.
7. Contains good fats
Yogic diet includes good fats such as ghee, coconut oil, sprouted seeds which help to keep the brain healthy and memory sharp. These fats make food digestible, satisfying, and heal the mind also.
8. Longevity
A yogic diet not only keeps one physically fit but also mentally agile. It brings about harmony in the mind, body, and soul, thereby resulting in longevity of life.
9. Helps lose fat
A yogic diet is high in fiber and so improves the metabolic system. An enhanced metabolism boosts weight loss by decreasing body fat levels and the body mass index(BMI). A yogic diet also consists of foods that are low in calories which aid in healthy weight loss.
10. Enhances yogic practice
A yogic diet also enhances your yogic practice and helps you attain a higher level of spirituality by generating positive energy in the body.
How Can You Follow the Yogic Diet?
The yogic philosophy of living supports eating the right foods, the art of moderation, and following certain lifestyle habits that balance our emotions as well as clear out toxins from our bodies. There are certain foods which you have to include in your diet and some which have to be completely avoided.
Recommended foods
- All green and leafy vegetables and fruits.
- Dairy products like milk, curd, ghee, paneer, cheese made from the milk of cows, goats, buffaloes that are fed organic fodder.
- Whole grains like wheat, rice, oats, and wheat.
- Legumes such as beans, peas, and lentils
- Sprouts
- Spices and condiments such as cardamom, cinnamon, mint, basil, fennel, ginger, cumin, etc.
- Nuts (unsalted and not fried) and seeds
Foods to avoid
When following a yogic diet avoid the following foods:
- Non-vegetarian food such as animal meat, fish, and eggs
- Processed and junk food with maida, white sugar, artificial sweeteners, etc.
- Fried and oily food
- Onion, garlic, and overly spicy food.
- Caffeinated beverages like tea and coffee
- Fizzy drinks
- Alcohol and tobacco
- Stale food and also refrigerated items
The Takeaway
A yogic diet in conjugation with yoga asanas, pranayama and meditation is a perfect way for anyone to attain a healthy and peaceful mind and body. So, switch to a yogic diet for both your physical and mental health and your emotional and spiritual wellbeing.
A yogic diet is not a short-term diet but a long-term lifestyle change!