Hot Stuff – Our propensity to choose sugary cold cereals or a pastry eaten in a rush before work is not conducive to sustained, consistent energy. Halpern asserts, “These foods are of very low quality.” They provide immediate energy, but it is not long-lasting.
And cold, uncooked milk and refined sugar are considered to have “cooling” properties, similar to pouring buckets of water over your digestive fires. Slowly building digestive heat, according to Ayurvedic theory, will help you feel balanced throughout the morning and prepare your body to digest a complex meal by lunchtime.
Faith Stone, former head cook at the Shoshoni Yoga Retreat in Rollinsville, Colorado, and co-author of the cookbook Yoga Kitchen states, “Agni’s strength follows the path of the sun.” “In the morning, temperatures are still rising. At midday, when the sun is at its highest point, agni is at its strongest.
- Evening brings a cooling trend.
- A hot breakfast as the first meal of the day reduces the agitation associated with waking from a deep sleep and honors the calmed agni and newly awakened digestive system.” According to Stone, cooking your breakfast relieves your agni of some of the burden of breaking down the food.
A well-balanced breakfast might consist of apples, pears, and dates stewed with spices and mixed into hot cereal. “Warming spices are those that ignite agni and strengthen it,” says Halpern. They increase the metabolic rate. Allspice, basil, black pepper, cardamom, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, cloves, fenugreek, fresh ginger, green chili, mustard, nutmeg, rock salt, rosemary, and turmeric are examples of spices.
On the flip side, spices like coriander, fennel, and mint can moderately calm agni, according to Halpern. Stone explains that spices are adjusted according to the dominant dosha (life force) in your prakriti (constitution). Ayurveda takes a highly individualized approach to eating, so it can be beneficial to take your dominant dosha into account and modify your meal accordingly.
(To learn about your constitution, take our Dosha Quiz,) For slow-moving kapha, Stone suggests adding warming spices such as chili or hinge (asafetida) to get you going; for airy vata, she recommends cumin seeds with grounding foods like cooked milk and yogurt; and for fiery pitta, she offers oatmeal with cardamom.
It is simple to prepare a breakfast that is nutritionally balanced by cooking grains with spices and adding cooked fruits or vegetables. A staple in some yoga centers is a porridge made of millet or oats, boiled with chopped onions, tomatoes, dates, green chilies, and fresh ginger, plus shredded coconut, ghee, cumin, and fenugreek.
For a simpler option, try the Coconut Oatmeal Porridge. Or, for a more unusual breakfast, consider mashed sweet potatoes with cinnamon or lentil, winter squash, and cumin soup. Try beginning your day with well-cooked vegetables such as carrots, peas, or broccoli as an accompaniment to a spiced hot cereal such as Cream of Wheat.
It may take some getting used to, especially if your typical breakfast consists of something you toss in the toaster and eat in the car on the way to work. Though Ayurvedic breakfasts typically consist of lighter fare, it is important to determine how much energy you will require. “If you will be performing more physical labor, you will need a more substantial breakfast,” says Frawley.
“If you are going to sit in an office in front of a computer, a heavy breakfast will set you back.”
What do yogis consume daily?
The Fundamentals of the Yogic Diet At some point in their journey, the majority of yogis will question whether they should adopt a vegan or vegetarian diet. It goes without saying that a healthy, well-balanced diet has a significant impact on your physical and mental health.
- It is not always possible to adhere to a strict yogic diet due to health concerns, hectic lifestyles, and other factors (such as the high cost of organic/health food).
- However, it is crucial to pay attention to your body’s needs and adjust your food choices accordingly, rather than following a restrictive diet that could eventually make you sick.
Conscious Consumption Mindfulness is not only a crucial component of your yoga practice, but it is also crucial during mealtimes. Lifestyle, health, and age are important basic considerations that should be incorporated into your dietary decisions. Your diet should be based on a thoughtful, introspective examination of how your eating habits affect your body, mind, and spirit.
By eating mindfully, you quickly become aware of the effects of your choices. Sometimes these effects are felt immediately after a meal, and sometimes the next day. Consider heartburn, bloating, fatigue, constipation, etc. Yogic Cuisine. The yogic diet is founded on the yoga principles of sattva, ahimsa, and a balanced lifestyle.
It consists of foods with sattvic qualities, which increase energy and promote mental and physical balance. Rajasic and Tamasic foods are restricted or avoided whenever possible, as their low vibration or life force and inherent toxins diminish the vitality of the individual consuming them.
- Yogis advocate a vegetarian or vegan diet, as one of the fundamental tenets of yoga is non-harming.
- This is a pure diet that, with careful planning, leads to optimal health, a calm mind, and a physically fit body. Sattvic.
- Pure and life-giving, sattvic foods promote health, vitality, strength, and relaxation.
Fresh fruits and juices, vegetables and herbs, honey, whole grains, nuts, and seeds should be organically grown, locally sourced, unprocessed, and (whenever possible) additive- and preservative-free. These foods are easy to digest. Eating slowly, chewing thoroughly, and savoring each bite are also sattvic practices.
Rajasic. Rajasic foods are excessively stimulating and increase energy levels. They cause insomnia, anger, hyperactivity, and mental restlessness. These include meat, fish, coffee, black tea sweets, chocolate, food additives/colorants, certain spices, and eggs, and they are spicy, sour, bitter, dry, and salty.
Eating quickly is also regarded as rajasic. Tamasic. A Tamasic Diet is detrimental to both the mind and the body. This category includes stale, overgrown, packaged, preserved, and deep-fried foods. Tamasic foods are often difficult to digest, cause bloating, and promote lethargy.
- The immune system of the body is compromised.
- Additionally, overeating is considered tamasic.5 painless diet tweaks: Select whole grains, including brown rice, quinoa, oats, spelt, rye, and millet.
- Consume the fruit in its entirety rather than drinking juice from a carton.
- Ditch the carbonated beverages.
Convert to coconut oil. Attempt to consume something raw daily, such as fruit, salad, nuts, or seeds. Ultimately food should be used as an enjoyable fuel for our bodies – so keep it fresh and keep it funky. Shake up your old routines; small steps lead to significant changes.
- Avoid diets and incorporate healthy, delicious food into your daily routine.
- A little of what you fancy is good for you; indulge in sinful things in moderation.
- Remember that ahimsa includes the concept of self-care. Namasté.
- Content authored by Debbie Welfare.
- Debbie has extensive experience as an Ayurvedic massage therapist.
She graduated from The London School of Massage with an ITEC Level 3 Professional Diploma in Indian Head Massage in 2015. Debbie practices Indian Head Massage exclusively from The Refinery E9 and is available for appointments on Fridays and Saturdays: The Fundamentals of the Yogic Diet
Yogis also abstain from caffeine, tobacco, alcohol, and artificial sweeteners, which can all stimulate the brain in a potentially harmful manner. Still unsure about the yogic diet? Try flavors that you find familiar and comforting. If you like curry, you will enjoy this coconut curry served over quinoa.
What Ayurveda says about the morning meal?
Ayurvedic Breakfast Suggestions – According to Ayurveda, there are a multitude of delectable breakfast options. According to Ayurveda, fruit in the morning is comparable to gold. This is the optimal time to obtain the most nutrients from fruit. Consuming cooked apples first thing in the morning aids in the production of ojas, the final and most refined byproduct of digestion.
- Ojas contributes to increased vitality, strength, immunity, and well-being in general.
- Sweet, juicy fruits are excellent body purifiers; they help eliminate impurities.
- According to Ayurveda, fruits should be consumed first thing in the morning, thirty minutes before other breakfast foods such as hot cereal.
Other suggestions for breakfast include dried figs and raisins that have been soaked overnight or simmered for 30 minutes in a small amount of water. Or try one of the following healthy combinations: dates with a dab of ghee in place of the pit, chapati flatbread with raw honey and warm milk, or oatmeal with raisins.
Replace coffee with Raja’s Cup for an antioxidant-rich beverage without caffeine. Simple, light meals such as fruit, flatbread, or milk provide energy without burdening digestion in the morning. For additional breakfast ideas, visit the Ayurvedic recipe blog.1999 and 2021 Maharishi AyurVeda International, Inc.
(MAPI). Strictly Reserved. MAPI does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not evaluated these claims. The purpose of these products is not to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. See additional details.
We are aware that egg whites are an excellent source of protein and the yolk is a rich source of fat. Egg yolks are a nourishing and hearty tonic that pacifies Vata while aggravating Kapha. Cholesterol levels are high in egg yolks. Egg yolks are slightly aggravating and heating to Pitta.
- Eggs, like meat, are Tamasic foods.
- According to Ayurveda, eating eggs exacerbates physical and emotional aggression.
- Eggs have been strongly discouraged and strictly avoided for centuries.
- As with no meat in Ayurveda, there are multiple perspectives on no eggs in Ayurveda.
- Eggs create a veil for the development of spirituality.
It is an unbalanced food that causes an imbalance in the body. Spiritually speaking, eating eggs is completely incompatible with spiritual development. Spirituality is virtuousness! Eggs are artificial foods. Eggs are similar to infants, being the offspring of hens and roosters.
It is comparable to violating the sanctity of a group of female chickens. Although eggs are not like meat, which involves killing animals, egg consumption is associated with hen sexual exploitation! If you consume an egg, you kill a hen prior to its birth. Today, there are fewer chicken eggs, and they are gaining in popularity.
You may argue why I should consume an egg that is not the result of sexual reproduction in the chicken family. Remember that no hen naturally lays a chicken-less egg. Injecting hens with hormones to induce the laying of chicken-free eggs is undeniably artificial. 
Yogis consume yogurt?
Do yogis consume yogurt? –
- Yes, many non-vegan yogis include dairy products like cow’s milk, ghee, and plain full-fat yogurt in their diet.
- Full-fat yogurt, for instance, contains numerous essential nutrients, such as calcium, vitamin B12, and gut-health-important live bacteria.
- However, dairy products high in fat should be consumed in moderation, especially by those with lactose intolerance or cholesterol concerns.
