Balancing Pitta dosha: Diet
Ayurvedic texts recommend the
principle of opposites for reducing the level of a dosha that
has become aggravated. Since the characteristics of Pitta include
sharpness, heat, and acidity, qualities that are opposite to these
in diet and lifestyle help restore balance to Pitta dosha.
Dietary
recommendations
Include
a few dry foods in your daily diet to balance the liquid nature
of Pitta, some "heavy" foods that offer substance and
sustained nourishment, and foods that are cool to balance the
fiery quality of Pitta. So what exactly does this mean in terms
of foods you should choose and foods you should stay away from?
Here are some specific dietary tips:
1.
If you need to balance Pitta, choose ghee, in moderate quantities,
as your cooking medium. Ghee,
according to the ancient ayurvedic texts, is cooling for both
mind and body. Ghee can be heated to high temperatures without
affecting its nourishing, healing qualities, so use ghee to sauté
vegetables, spices or other foods.
2. Cooling foods are wonderful for balancing Pitta dosha. Sweet
juicy fruits, especially pears, can cool a fiery Pitta quickly.
Milk, sweet rice pudding, coconut and coconut juice, and milkshakes
made with ripe mangoes and almonds or dates are examples of soothing
Pitta-pacifying foods.
3. The three ayurvedic tastes that help balance Pitta are sweet,
bitter and astringent, so include more of these tastes in your
daily diet. Milk, fully ripe sweet fruits, and soaked and blanched
almonds make good snack choices. Eat less of the salty, pungent
and sour tastes.
4. Dry cereal, crackers, granola and cereal bars, and rice cakes
balance the liquid nature of Pitta dosha, and can be eaten any
time hunger pangs strike during the day.
5. Carrots, asparagus, bitter leafy greens, fennel, cruciferous
vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels
sprouts, green beans and bitter
gourd (in very small quantities) are good vegetable choices.
They become more digestible when chopped and cooked with Pitta-pacifying
spices. Vegetables can be combined with grains or mung beans for
satisfying one-dish meals. Avoid nightshades.
6. Basmati rice is excellent for balancing Pitta. Wheat is also
good--fresh flatbreads made with whole-wheat flour (called atta
or chapatti flour and available at Indian grocery stores) combine
well with cooked vegetables or Pitta-balancing chutneys. Oats
and amaranth are other Pitta-balancing grains.
7. Choose spices that are not too heating or pungent. Ayurvedic
spices such as small quantities of turmeric, cumin, coriander,
cinnamon, cardamom and fennel offer flavor, aroma and healing
wisdom.
8. Drink sweet lassi with
lunch to help enhance digestion and cool, not ice-cold, water
to quench thirst.
Suggested
Food Choices for Pitta >
Balance
Pitta with lifestyle >
