According to ancient Indian beliefs, the food we consume not only affects our physical health but also our state of mind and the way we interact with the world.
As per Yogic Scriptures, while satvik said to be the best, tamasic and rajasic food is said to be of low quality and animal or demonic food.
Furthermore, Ayurveda recommends dietary adjustments based on each individual's unique make-up.
While one person's body may benefit from a certain food, another's body may react negatively to it.
If you want to know what foods are good for you and what you should avoid, it's better to talk to an Ayurvedic doctor.
According to ancient Indian writings, "We are what we eat!" highlights the importance of paying attention to the foods we consume.
Bhagavad-Gita classifies food into three categories based on its nutritional value.
- Sattvic
- Rajasic
- Tamasic
Let's take a quick look at this.
Sattvic Food
The purifying and calming effects of sattvic meals are well-documented.
Sattvic fare is always prepared just before consumption, and it is always fresh, simple, juicy, easily digestible, nutritious, smooth, sweet, and delicious.
Sattvic is food that has been cooked and consumed within three to four hours.
Sattvic food is defined as that which is eaten in its natural state, without being altered in any way, and which leaves the eater feeling peaceful and healthy.
It's not only vegetarian but also a very basic diet plan that relies on natural ingredients.
Increases mental vitality maintains emotional steadiness and facilitates clearer thought processes.
Sattvic fare is excellent for maintaining mental and physical well-being.
It's possible to eat a Satvik diet by consuming foods like vegetables and fruits like tomatoes, parwal, luffa, bitter gourd, and leafy greens, as well as cow's milk, ghee, and ripe fresh fruits.
Turmeric, ginger, cardamom, coriander, fennel, and cinnamon are all sattvic, and they're all used frequently in cooking.
Naturally sourced oils and spices can also be considered sattvic. Milk, curds, lassis, green vegetables, almonds, honey, butter, cream, paneer, etc. are all considered sattvic.
Rajasic Food
Rajasik cuisine is known to invigorate both the body and the psyche.
Hyperactivity, restlessness, anger, irritability, and inability to sleep have all been linked to eating too much of these foods.
Rajasic qualities include an aversion to anything overly pleasant. The quality of Rajasic food is that it is cooked quickly and is nutritious.
The food which gives energy and excitement to the person comes under the category of Rajasic food.
Rajasic cuisine is characterized by extremes of flavour either sour, hot, sweet, or dry.
Rajasic cuisine is prepared with a lot of fat such as oil or ghee, it is very stimulating, and eating it can make a person sensual and passionate, but it can also lead to stress and several ailments.
Rajasic diet is also fresh but heavy. Meat, fish, eggs, unsprouted grains and pulses, spicy spices like chili-asafoetida, garlic, onions, and spicy vegetables are all examples of non-vegetarian cuisine.
A rajasic diet is helpful for persons who value measured aggression in their daily lives, such as those who serve in the military, run businesses, or compete in politics and sports.
In general, rajasic cuisine is characterized by strong, astringent flavours including bitterness, sourness, saltiness, pungentness, tanginess, and dryness.
Rajasic cuisine consists primarily of fried items such as poori, papad, bijori, as well as strong-tasting spices, sweets, curd, brinjal, carrot-radish, urad, lemon, lentils, tea-coffee, and pan.
Spicy foods, onions, garlic, tea, coffee, and fried foods are a few more examples.
Tamasic Food
A tamasic diet consists of foods that cause mental lethargy, muddled thinking, and a loss of orientation.
This includes foods that have gone bad or been reheated, are too greasy or heavy, or contain artificial preservatives.
According to ancient Indian texts, tamasic food is described as being tasteless, containing traces of untouchable things, and should be cooked no later than three hours before consumption.
Tamasic food is considered insignificant in Hindu rites. These are examples of foods that are detrimental to human health and cognition.
Tamasic food brings man to the brink of death and ultimately leads to his demise.
Tamasic foods include things like meat, fish, garlic, onions, eggs, wine, intoxicants, leftovers, mushrooms, green onions, tobacco, etc.
There is a common belief that meals like meat, fish, wine, garlic, onions, and tobacco are tamasic.
Tamasic foods are those that have lost their vitality, have been overcooked, have been stewed, or have been processed in some way, such as pastries, pizza, burgers, bread, chocolate, soft drinks, tandoori roti, roomali roti, naan, bakery products, tobacco, alcohol, canned and frozen food, excessive tea-coffee, cake, eggs, all fried foods including jams, ketchup, noodles, chips, pickles.
The tamasic diet consists primarily of extremely fried, salty, and spicy foods.
Non-vegetarian diets, stale food, and an overabundance of fats, oils, and sugars are also tamasic.
Therefore, follow the Satvik way of eating and living.