Nutrition

AYURVEDIC NUTRITION

Balancing Your Dosha with Proper Nutrition

Nutrition is vital in Ayurvedic healing, emphasising foods that align with one’s dosha to promote balance and health. Proper nutrition supports digestion, enhances energy, and fosters mental clarity, making it essential for overall well-being.At JAPA Ayurveda Retreat, we prioritise nutrition as a core element of our holistic approach. Our expert chefs create personalized meal plans with fresh, locally sourced ingredients tailored to your dosha. These meals detoxify the body, improve digestion, and provide essential nutrients, ensuring that each dish contributes to your journey toward optimal health and balance.
nutrition-type

Principles of Ayurvedic Nutrition

Ayurvedic nutrition emphasizes balance and alignment with one’s dosha through fresh, natural, and seasonally appropriate foods. Each dosha—Vata, Pitta, and Kapha—has specific dietary needs: Vata types benefit from warm, grounding foods; Pitta types from cooling, hydrating foods; and Kapha types from light, invigorating foods.

TasteFoodEffect
SweetGrains, pasta, rice, bread, starchy vegetables, milk products, meat, poultry, fish, sugar, honey, syrupCalming, builds body mass, can restore equilibrium to Vata and Pitta
SourCitrus fruits, berries, tomatoes, pickled foods, salad dressing, alcoholStimulates the appetite, aids digestion, can balance Vata, can strengthen Pitta and Kapha characteristics
SaltySalt, soy sauce, salty meat, fishStimulates the appetite, emphasises other flavours, balances Vata, can strengthen Pitta and Kapha characteristics
PungentPeppers, chili, onions, garlic, cayenne, black pepper, cloves, ginger, mustard, salsaInduces sweating, cleanses the paranasal sinuses, balances Kapha, can strengthen Vata and Pitta characteristics
BitterGreen leafy vegetables, cabbage, celery, broccoli, bean sproutsDetoxes the body, balances Kapha and Pitta, high levels of consumption can strengthen Vata and lead to bloating and digestive issues
AstringentLentils, dried beans, green apples, grape skin, cauliflower, pomegranate, teaBalances Kapha and Pitta, high levels of consumption can strengthen Vata characteristics
Ayurvedic Diet
What We Do

Identifying the right diet for your type

Vata

Warm, grounding foods that are moist and easily digestible.

Pitta

Cooling, hydrating foods that are mild and non-spicy.

Kapha

Light, invigorating foods that are dry and low in fat.

WHEN TO EAT

The influence of time

In Ayurvedic nutrition, the timing of meals plays a crucial role in maintaining balance and promoting health. Ayurveda recommends eating in alignment with the body’s natural rhythms and the times of day when digestion is most efficient.

The digestive system is most effective from 2 am to 6 am, making it ideal to have breakfast early. Between 6 am and 10 am, digestion is weaker, so light foods are recommended. The peak digestive time is from 10 am to 2 pm, aligning with Pitta, making it best for your main meal. From 2 pm to 6 pm, when Vata prevails, sweet and spiced teas are ideal. In the evening, from 6 pm to 10 pm, Kapha dominates, so it’s best to avoid heavy meals.

Ayurveda also considers seasonal changes: during Kapha months (March to June), appetite decreases, making it a good time for fasting; Pitta months (July to October) call for cooling, moist dishes; and Vata months (November to February) are suitable for richer, high-fat foods.

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