Find nutrition in Ayurveda - find balance

Ayurveda is the oldest natural healing system in the world and translates as "knowledge of life." This ancient Indian teaching assumes that humans and their character are composed of the three energies Kapha, Vata, and Pitta. These bioenergies, also called "doshas," are present in varying proportions in each person. From birth, these three forces are in an individual balance. If this balance is disrupted, it impacts our well-being and health. In this article The basics of Ayurveda are explained again in detail.
Due to the different energetic composition of our bodies and minds, what we consume on a daily basis also plays a major role in Ayurvedic teachings. According to Ayurvedic teachings, nutrition should be tailored to our individual needs. You'll learn exactly how this works in today's blog post.

Basics of Ayurvedic nutrition

In Ayurveda, nutrition and health are directly linked. It focuses primarily on the correct combination of foods. The basis for this is the sense of taste, which allows us to determine the quality of food and the ideal diet for our individual needs.
Ayurveda distinguishes between the tastes sweet, sour, salty, spicy, bitter, and astringent. Ideally, a good meal should contain each of the six tastes.

Aligning food to the doshas also plays an important role in Ayurvedic nutrition. The doshas are responsible for how we absorb and utilize food. Pitta people are advised to eat less spicy, acidic, and salty foods. Vata types should avoid gassy foods like cabbage or aged cheese, and Kapha types should choose bitter and spicy dishes and light meals with plenty of fruit and vegetables.

People with different doshas should therefore consume different amounts of different foods. This explains why two people who eat the same food can react quite differently.

What rules should I follow?

There are some basic guidelines and rules in Ayurvedic nutrition that you can follow (more on this below). However, these shouldn't be considered too strict. You should always observe what works for you and what doesn't. Ultimately, Ayurveda is also about becoming more aware of yourself and your body and finding a proper balance.

The basic conditions of nutrition in Ayurveda: timing, time, distance of food intake

It's emphasized that eating slowly, mindfully, and in portions is beneficial for maintaining our health. Above all, you should eat when you're truly hungry. So, leave three to five hours between main meals. When it's time for the next meal, don't stuff your stomach completely, but leave about a quarter of space.

Even if this sounds strict or difficult to implement at first, it's worth giving it a try. Eating main meals slowly, taking longer breaks in between meals, and eating in moderation has made a huge difference for me! I'm hardly tired after eating anymore and feel more energetic.
However, I still struggle with another aspect of Ayurvedic nutrition. It's about mindful eating in a calm and relaxed environment. I like to "occupy" myself with an episode of my favorite TV show or read while I eat. However, this separates your attention from the actual activity—namely, eating. You quickly lose track of exactly what you're consuming, how, and for how long. So, here's a quick note to myself: put your phone and laptop away more often while eating.

Mindful eating also includes allowing yourself five to ten minutes of quiet sitting immediately afterward. Ayurvedic nutrition often emphasizes the benefits of eating at roughly the same time of day—something I can confirm for myself!

About food and the food itself – some basic rules

• We work with fresh and/or carefully processed ingredients. We also place great value on high-quality, natural, and regional produce.
• In Ayurvedic cuisine, meals are mostly warm.
• Cooked food forms the main part of meals. Raw food should be used as a side dish – or, if at all, as lunch.
• There are three main meals (morning, noon, evening) without snacks
• Breakfast should be warm and light if possible
• The main meal is served at lunchtime (this should be eaten by 2 p.m.).
• In the evening, as with breakfast, eat something light. Avoid raw foods and animal proteins such as meat, cheese, yogurt, eggs, etc. If you do indulge in a heavy meal, a hot water bottle can help soothe your stomach.
• Ayurvedic cuisine emphasizes drinking. It's important to drink plenty of fluids, preferably warm water or ginger water. The general rule here is: hot drinks are always preferred to chilled ones!
• The flavors sweet, sour, salty, bitter, spicy and tart should ideally all be present in one dish
• Spices are an absolute must in Ayurvedic cuisine because of their healing powers. The ten most important spices are: cloves, turmeric, ginger, cardamom, coriander, cumin, nutmeg, pepper, saffron, and cinnamon.
• Use salt sparingly – and if salt, then rock salt
• Use honey and maple syrup instead of sugar. Do not heat honey (i.e., do not use it for cooking or baking)!
• Instead of butter or oil, ghee is used as it cleanses the fabric
• Avoid sweet and heavy foods
• Another "do": pulses like lentils, chickpeas, and mung beans. Also: rice always works!
• Avoid consuming milk with salty or acidic foods, fresh fruit, or leafy vegetables—according to Ayurvedic teachings, this promotes the formation of digestive toxins. Milk, on the other hand, is well-suited to cooked grains such as rice, oats, or spelt.

Is this even for me?

If you're feeling a little overwhelmed right now, I totally understand. If you have completely different eating habits, the Ayurvedic diet can seem very strange at first. Nevertheless, if I were you, I would definitely give it a try. You'll quickly notice how good you feel!

Remember, you don't have to implement everything perfectly right away. Take it slow and initially view the "rules" as a guide rather than set-in-stone guidelines.

The nice thing about this diet is that not everyone is “prescribed” the same thing.We should listen more closely to our bodies' feelings – then we'll notice more quickly what's actually good for us and what's not. This way, the balance between body and mind can ultimately be restored.

And if you've tried it and realize that the Ayurvedic diet just isn't for you or your body needs something different, that's perfectly fine too. We live in very different circumstances and environments. You do you!

If you would like to learn more about healthy eating, mindfulness, sustainability or family and pregnancy, Check out more exciting blog articles on these topics here.