An wellhealthorganic.com:ayurveda-dinner can help bring harmony between body, mind, and spirit. These comforting and satisfying dishes provide warmth while satisfying nutritional needs.
Turmeric is a beloved Ayurvedic spice known to stimulate digestion and release excess mucus from your digestive system. Check out this delicious turmeric lemon rice dish as an exciting new way to take advantage of it.
Vata
According to Ayurvedic principles, food should help balance our doshas (constitutions or energetic blueprints). Determining your dosha through this quiz can help determine which foods and recipes are good for your doshas and which are not, according to chef and Ayurvedic practitioner Divya Alter, author of What to Eat for How You Feel: An Easy Guide to Plant-Based Eating.
People with an overwhelming vata dosha tend to be spacey and anxious with active minds that move quickly, often having dry skin with cracking joints and dry, rough joints. When this dosha becomes imbalanced it can cause fear, anxiety and irregular digestion – characteristics often associated with dissociative identities disorder (DID).
To maintain equilibrium for vata, try eating foods that are sweet, sour and salty in flavor – these tastes promote warmth, moisture and heaviness/groundedness to support healthy digestion. Avoid pungent and astringent flavors as these can overwhelm the delicate digestive system of vata.
Kapha
According to Ayurveda, kapha is an element governed by water and earth that makes up heavy, moist, slow moving cold temperatures as well as an unctuous texture. When in moderation it energizes and sustains our body; when excess occurs it can lead to mucus buildup, weightiness and poor digestion.
Dinner recipes that help maintain balance among kapha doshas include warm and nourishing dishes such as soups, stews, roasted vegetables and quinoa salads. Any foods which are cold or frozen could exacerbate kapha production and increase symptoms.
Avoid skipping meals to promote optimal metabolism and digestive health, as this may slow your metabolism down and diminish digestion. Aim for two meals each day – lunch should be your largest and dinner your smallest; for optimal digestion a small amount of butter or ghee is often suggested as an aid at the beginning of meals to stimulate and lubricate the digestive tract. For healthy dinner ideas try this vegan shepherd’s pie featuring sweet potatoes and lentils from Highest Self podcast host Sahara Rose’s new cookbook!
Pitta
Pitta dosha governs metabolism, digestive fire, energy homeostasis and pigmentation – qualities which individuals with this constitution may find themselves struggling with premature greying, hair loss, acidity and managing their anger effectively. Pitta leaning individuals benefit most by eating dinner after the Kapha cycle has begun but prior to Pitta cycle starting so their body can use that second surge of Pitta energy during digestion to offset any Kapha upsurges that might arise while digesting.
Pittas can benefit from eating foods that are cool, moist and heavy (like stews) as sour, salty or pungent flavors can increase heat production in their bodies – something which pittas already experience too much of. Furthermore, pittas should avoid meats which contain oily or salty proteins while increasing consumption of vegetables, fruits, legumes and grains over nuts, seeds and oils.
For recipes tailored specifically towards Pitta doshas, try this creamy carrot and ginger soup or this turmeric lemon rice. Vegetables that balance Pitta include mung beans, squash, eggplant, tomatoes, and arugula; fruits that help balance Pitta include apples, pears and mangos.
Surya
Ayurveda is an ancient holistic healing tradition that emphasizes balance in body and mind. By adopting Ayurveda dinners that feature warming, cooling, tonic and nutritive foods into daily meal planning routines can significantly help with digestion, weight loss, inflammation reduction and strengthening the immune system.
According to Ayurved, it’s recommended to eat your final meal of the day prior to 8 p.m. This allows your body to fully digest it before falling asleep. Your dinner should also be light and easily digestible; with smaller portions than lunch. When eating an Ayurvedic dinner, half your plate should consist of cooked vegetables while quarter should consist of whole grains and legumes; include sweet, salty, sour, pungent, astringent and bitter flavors while satisfying all six tastes in your meal; lastly before bedtime you should drink warm milk with turmeric or saffron to help sleep peacefully.