“Eat like an emperor in the morning, like a king at lunchtime and like a beggar in the evening” is a well-known saying in German-speaking countries. In Ayurveda too, breakfast in conjunction with a balanced morning routine is considered essential for a good start to the day.
However, it is less about eating as much and as sumptuously as possible and more about preparing the body and mind for the stresses and strains of the day with a digestible – and preferably smaller – portion of food and avoiding unwanted energy lows. From an Ayurvedic point of view, wholesome means: preferably warm. According to Ayurveda, warm food is easier to metabolize than cold food.
Better warm than cold – Ayurvedic breakfast for a digestive fire
Sandwiches from the bakery or canteen should be the exception rather than the rule. From an Ayurvedic point of view, cold food does not nourish our body sufficiently and places a heavy burden on our digestive fire, or agni. As a result, we often feel tired and listless and as if we have even less energy afterwards than before.
According to Ayurveda, this is because kapha dosha dominates between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m., an energy that provides stability but also sluggishness. During this time, our agni is therefore still very weak and needs gentle stimulation.
With a balanced Ayurvedic breakfast, however, you can ignite your Agni and start the day full of energy. If you are a Vata or Pitta type, you should definitely have a warm breakfast.
What does an Ayurveda breakfast look like?
A soothing breakfast is part of the morning routine in Ayurveda.
You can make this beneficial with very simple tricks such as a glass of warm water with a splash of lemon. The warm water in the morning compensates for the loss of fluids during the night, activates digestion and optimally prepares your body for the upcoming breakfast.
A freshly cooked cereal porridge is particularly recommended at this time, which not only strengthens the body but also the mind.
Dosha-friendly breakfast
As at any other time of day, you should also take your own Dosha type into account at breakfast:
As a Vata type, you tend to be cold and dry. A warm breakfast with rice or oats, sour fruit and sweet spices such as cinnamon will soothe and nourish you.
As a Pitta type, you have a strong digestive fire. A breakfast of spelt or barley combined with sweet fruit has a cooling and balancing effect.
As a Kapha type, you sometimes find it difficult to get going. A light breakfast of millet or buckwheat, seasoned with ginger or pepper, will wake up your body according to Ayurvedic principles and also get your mind going.
According to Ayurveda, choosing the right type of grain and spices can make a noticeable difference to your well-being.
Ayurveda breakfast for connoisseurs – a simple and delicious recipe
To show you how quickly and easily a healthy Ayurvedic breakfast can be prepared, we have a recipe from our Ayurveda restaurant for you. The delicious spelt porridge is particularly suitable for Pitta types.
For the warm spelt porridge you need
- 10 grams of ghee
- 100 grams of spelt flakes
- 400 milliliters of water
- 12 grams of raisins
- one apple
- one cinnamon stick
- 3 cardamom pods
- (if required) maple syrup
First roast the cinnamon stick and cardamom pods in hot ghee and then add the spelt flakes! Pour in water and allow to boil briefly. To finish, add the grated apple and raisins and add a little maple syrup at the end.
In addition to this simple recipe, Ayurvedic cuisine naturally has many more breakfast recipes to offer. From hearty spreads on toasted bread to nourishing kichari and practical energy balls for on the go, you will find numerous simple recipes here.
For even more inspiration, we invite you to visit our restaurant at the Ayurveda Resort Mandira. Here you will find a breakfast buffet with a variety of warm Ayurvedic specialties, tailored to your Dosha type.
