Ayurvedic Food Plate

Eat adequately:

• Barley, old rice, wheat

• Green gram, pigeon peas

Eat liberally:

• Vegetables: Bitter gourd, pumpkin, snake gourd, drumstick, radish, brinjal, round gourd, ash gourd, ridge gourd, dodi (Leptadenia reticulata), elephant’s foot yam, Indian sorrel, cabbage, cauliflower, potato, onion

• Fruits: Indian gooseberry (Amla), pomegranate, grapes, banana, pineapple, apple, mosambi, orange

Eat moderately:

• Dry beans, nuts

• Milk and yogurt

Eat sparingly:

• Cow’s ghee

• Oils, fats

• Sugar and sweets

Healthy Food Platter – Ayurvedic Guidelines

Eat with a Pleasant Mind

• Psychological state plays a vital role during food intake.

• Avoid eating when you are depressed, anxious, or tense; wait until the mind becomes calm.

• Even wholesome food taken in proper quantity is not digested well if consumed in states of anger, fear, worry, or sadness.

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Do Not Eat Without Hunger

• Food consumed without appetite leads to indigestion, anorexia, vomiting, and colic.

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Enjoy the Taste of Food

• Tasty food promotes mental satisfaction, strength, nourishment, enthusiasm, exhilaration, and happiness.

• Food that lacks taste produces opposite effects on body and mind.

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Eat Fresh and Warm Food

• Food should ideally be consumed within one hour of preparation.

• Fresh, warm food enhances taste, stimulates digestive fire (Agni), promotes quick digestion, proper absorption, and supports healthy peristaltic movement.

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Avoid Reheating Food

• Repeated reheating destroys essential nutrients.

• Such food only fills the stomach without providing nourishment and should be avoided for good health.

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Do Not Eat Continuously or Repeatedly

• Continuous or frequent eating leads to indigestion, excessive thirst, body aches, fever, and diarrhea.

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Avoid Eating Too Slowly

• Eating too leisurely may lead to dissatisfaction and overeating.

• Food becomes cold, resulting in delayed digestion.

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Avoid Eating Too Fast

• Eating hurriedly may cause choking, improper placement of food, or injury.

• It also prevents proper appreciation of the food’s qualities.

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Do Not Talk or Laugh While Eating

• One should eat mindfully, without talking, laughing, or distraction.

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Post-Prandial Practices (After Eating)

• Food particles stuck between the teeth should be gently removed using a toothpick to prevent bad odor.

• After meals, sit comfortably until the fatigue of eating subsides.

• Walk about 100 feet slowly, then lie down on a bed preferably on the left side.

• Classical guidance suggests resting:

• 8 breaths in supine position

• 16 breaths on the right side

• 32 breaths on the left side
  • Listening to soothing music, viewing pleasant scenes, or inhaling pleasing fragrances helps digestion and keeps the food settled in the stomach.

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Contraindications After Eating

• Exposure to unpleasant sounds, sights, smells, tastes, or excessive laughter after meals may induce vomiting.

• Avoid immediately sitting or sleeping after eating.

• Avoid excessive intake of liquids post-meal.

• Avoid exposure to fire or direct sunlight.

• Avoid strenuous activities such as exercise, swimming, riding vehicles, or animals immediately after meals.