The Kapha dosha, one of the three dosha types in Ayurveda, stands for stability, strength and grounding. This is due to the dominant elements of earth and water. As a Kapha type, you are very popular with your friends. You are friendly, both compassionate and reliable and always have an open ear for the problems of others.
Sometimes the characteristics of Kapha can also be challenging. The digestive fire "Agni" comes to a standstill and more metabolic residues ("Ama") build up, which can block your circulation channels ("Shrotas"). A feeling of heaviness, an increased need for rest or a tendency to eat filling foods may become noticeable.
This is exactly where the right diet comes in. In Ayurveda, nutrition is one of the most important ways to bring the doshas back into balance. With a diet tailored to Kapha, you can feel lighter and more vital.
Ayurvedic diet for Kaphas
The Ayurvedic diet is not only based on the theory of types. The principle of flavors (sweet, sour, salty, spicy, bitter, tart) is also used to balance Kapha, Pitta or Vata. This is because the flavors can have a balancing or strengthening effect on the respective doshas.
If you have a strong Kapha dosha, you will find it hard to resist particularly fatty and heavy foods, whether it's cheese or rich cream cakes. You should avoid sweet, heavy, oily and cold foods.
Instead, opt for easily digestible, warm foods with spicy, tart and bitter flavors!
Which foods are best suited?
Pungent foods, herbs and spices add spice to your meals and can be perceived as stimulating. These include, for example:
- ginger, turmeric, asafoetida, cloves, mustard, cardamom, pepper and chili,
- onions and garlic and
- spicy vegetables such as radishes, radishes and leeks.
Also bitter vegetables such as
- green leafy vegetables,
- all types of cabbage,
- artichokes,
- melanzani,
- asparagus,
- fennel,
- celery,
- champignons as well as
- chicory and radicchio or
- the powder from dried amla fruits
are particularly good for you. Many of these foods are valued in Ayurvedic cuisine because they are considered balancing.
You can also help yourself to bitter and sour fruits such as grapefruit, passion fruit, rhubarb or cranberries. However, always eat them separately from other foods and preferably warm! This is because cooked foods that are prepared warm support the digestive fire.
When it comes to proteins, it is best to opt for plant-based foods such as peas, chickpeas, lentils or adzuki beans, which you can combine with easily digestible grains. Dairy products, animal proteins, especially red meat and cereals containing gluten should be reduced as much as possible.
Refined and delicious: This is how versatile the Kapha diet can be
To give you a taste of how delicious the Kapha diet in Ayurveda can be, we show you a recipe from our Ayurveda Restaurant at the Ayurveda Resort Mandira for you to try. Our cuisine combines the proven knowledge of Ayurveda with local ingredients to create the ultimate indulgence.
Try out the following recipe and be inspired!
Organic stuffed kohlrabi with turmeric rice and coarse mustard sauce
We recommend this tried-and-tested recipe from our Ayurveda restaurant for your own mix at home. This blend is exclusively designed for balance and taste
.
Ingredients
You will need the following ingredients:
- 4 organic kohlrabi
- 100 grams of basmati rice
- 200 millilitres of water
- approx. 50 grams of finely diced root vegetables (celery, carrots)
- 20 grams of chickpea flour
- 2 teaspoons of turmeric
- 1 teaspoon of long pepper and black cumin
- as well as 2 tablespoons of ghee
Mustard sauce
This is what you need:
- 20 grams of ghee
- 100 grams of diced celeriac
- 200 milliliters of vegetable stock
- 50 milliliters of coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons of black mustard seeds
- some fennel seeds, cumin, turmeric, black pepper and salt
Preparation
Peel the kohlrabi and hollow it out! Then cook it in salted water until it is al dente and rinse it with ice water. For the vegetable rice, heat a pan with the water and add some salt and ghee, turmeric, root vegetables and rice and cook for a good 10 minutes! Then remove the pan from the heat and leave the rice to simmer for another 10 minutes with the lid on! Next, roast the pepper and black cumin in ghee and add both to the rice! Then mix in the chickpea flour and fill the hollowed-out kohlrabi with the vegetable rice! Cover the stuffed kohlrabi and cook in the oven at 170 °C for approx. 10 minutes. During this time, you can prepare the sour, spicy mustard sauce.
Roughly crush the spices in a mortar and briefly roast them with the celery in ghee! Now deglaze everything with vegetable stock and coconut milk! Allow the sauce to simmer gently over a low heat for approx. 20 minutes! Finally, puree the sauce and strain through a fine sieve! Season to taste with salt one last time and pour the warm sauce over the stuffed kohlrabi!
What else should you look out for in your diet?
In addition to choosing foods and preparing them appropriately, there are also some habits that will help you find a healthy balance.
As a Kapha type, habits that ensure lightness and balance can help you. This includes regular exercise.
- Sports and exercise before eating will rev up your metabolism.
- A walk after eating will in turn help you to digest your food better. Another positive side effect: you feel less heavy and tired after eating and have more energy.
- Regular eating also helps you to get a better grip on your hunger. Try to eat at the same time every day and avoid snacks as often as possible! Snacks put additional strain on your digestion. Taking breaks between meals of three to five hours, on the other hand, can make a big difference.
- A glass of hot water in the morning is part of the traditional Ayurvedic routine and is often perceived as beneficial.
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