Basic principles of Ayurvedic nutrition

Dosha Type-Appropriate Diet for Holistic Wellbeing

Something that Affects us All

Would you like to follow the principles of Ayurvedic nutrition? Today, there are innumerable guidebooks to tell us how best to feed ourselves. They advise us what to eat and what to avoid, inform us about vital vitamins and the foods that contain them. Nevertheless, finding a really good diet for health is becoming increasingly difficult. Ayurvedic nutrition, however, combines all the major nutritional principles into an easy to implement plan.

At the Ayurveda Resort Mandira, Holistic Ayurveda offers light, easily digestible dishes prepared according to the principles of Ayurvedic nutrition. This doesn’t mean following an ‘exotic’ diet. The concept for our Mandira Ahara Ayurvedic cuisine centres on the basic principles of Ayurvedic nutrition, yet makes use of local ingredients and herbs. This is entirely in line with the philosophy of Ayurvedic medicine, which teaches that our bodies find it easiest to digest foods grown in the soil on which we were raised.

Anyone can follow the basic principles of Ayurvedic nutrition – these ground rules are good for us, give us more energy and contribute to a healthier interaction between the bodily functions.

Ayurveda Resort Mandira Bad Waltersdorf
The Basic Principles of Ayurvedic Nutrition

What dietary concepts do I need to bear in mind for an Ayurvedic diet?

… Ayurvedic nutrition is about mindful, measured eating in a pleasant, calm atmosphere. Meals should be prepared carefully using fresh, high-quality food, which should suit your own needs and ideally be adapted to your dominant Dosha type – Pitta, Vata or Kapha.

For undisturbed digestion, Ayurveda recommends maintaining a gap of three to four hours between meals and avoiding snacking as much as possible. Large quantities of raw food, as well as meat, fish, cheese and fatty foods should be avoided. Ayurvedic nutrition gives preference to cooked, warm and easily digestible dishes.

Important to note in Ayurvedic nutrition is the combination of foods. Animal proteins (meat, fish, eggs and dairy products) should not be consumed together as this creates metabolic waste (Ama). Rice, for example, counts as a light food, so it can be combined with anything. On the other hand, it is advisable to accompany potatoes and cereals with only vegetables or salad.

In Ayurvedic nutrition, meals are always prepared with plenty of herbs and spices. The healing power of these ingredients is highly valued in India where spices are considered divine foods and, as such, are used generously. The recipes we have developed for Holistic Ayurveda make use of local herbs whose healing effects correspond to their Indian counterparts.

The key to health is good digestion. We can support the Agni – or digestive fire – by adjusting our behaviours. Biorhythms are key because the digestive fire is strongest at midday, hence the largest meal of the day should be lunch. To fuel the Agni, it is important to eat Dosha type-appropriate foods.

What’s more …

… just as no two people are the same, no two people eat the same. Suitable food, and when to eat it, varies depending on the predominant life energy, i.e. the Dosha constitutional type. Ayurveda teaches us that Dosha type strongly influences which food choice is beneficial.

What type are you?

Dosha Quiz