Ayurvedic Food Charts by Dosha: What to Favor, What to Avoid

Otherwise, the following charts take these factors into consideration in recommending what foods to eat or avoid. The charts categorize foods according to their suitability for each doshic type. Here are a few points to remember: • Foods marked “no” tend to aggravate that particular dosha, while foods marked “yes” pacify or balance that dosha. In planning your diet, choose foods that create balance, and avoid those that might provoke your predominant doshas or the dosha that is currently aggravated or increased.

• The recommendations are not meant to be absolute, but are guidelines. If a food is on your “no” list, that means you should avoid it most of the time, and if you eat it, eat a modest amount or do something to modify its effects. Apples, for example, are quite vata- provoking if eaten raw. But if you cook them and eat them warm, with a little ghee and warming spices such as cardamom or cinnamon, they are fine for vata individuals in modest amounts.

• Keep the seasons in mind. Summer, for example, is pitta season, and it is not good— especially for people with a predominantly pitta constitution—to eat too many hot, spicy foods, or pitta dosha will become aggravated. Similarly, during autumn, when the air is dry and cool and more vata is present in the atmosphere, everyone—but especially individuals with a vata constitution—should avoid dry fruit, salads, cold foods, and other vata- provoking items. In winter and early spring, the heavy, cold, moist season of kapha, one should make an extra effort to avoid cold food and drinks, ice cream, cheese, yogurt, melons, and other kaphaincreasing foods.

• For individuals with a dual constitution (two doshas approximately equal), a little extra care is needed, but you can figure it out. For example, a vata-pitta individual needs to avoid vata-increasing foods in the fall and winter (but without increasing pitta too much) and minimize pitta-provoking foods in the summer (but without aggravating vata). Stated in positive terms, favor vata-balancing foods in the fall, pitta-pacifying foods in the summer. Here are some general dietary guidelines for balancing the doshas: Vata 50 percent whole grains—whole-grain cooked cereals, some breads and crackers 20 percent protein—eggs, high-quality dairy products, poultry, fish, seafood, beef, tofu, black and red lentils 20–30 percent fresh vegetables—with an optional 10 percent for fresh fruit Pitta 50 percent whole grains—whole-wheat breads, cereals, cooked grains 20 percent protein—beans (except lentils), tofu, tempeh, cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, raw milk, egg white, chicken and turkey (white meat only), shrimp, rabbit, venison 20–30 percent vegetables—with an optional 10 percent for fresh fruit Kapha 30–40 percent whole grains—rye crackers, dry cereals, cooked grains 20 percent protein—chicken, turkey, boiled and poached eggs, small amount of goat’s milk, and most beans (including garbanzos, adzukis, pintos, black beans, red lentils, navy and white beans, split peas, and black-eyed peas) 40–50 percent fresh vegetables—with an optional 10 percent for fresh or dried fruit.

A daily salad is good. FOOD GUIDELINES FOR THE BASIC CONSTITUTIONAL TYPES Note: Guidelines provided in this table are general. Specific adjustments for individual requirements may need to be made, e.g., food allergies, strength of agni, season of the year, and degree of dosha predominance or aggravation. *okay in moderation; **okay rarely.