Essential

10

The Vata balancing diet

• Favour warm, hearty, nourishing foods with added butter/oil – favour salty, sour and sweet tastes.


• Try and reduce light, dry, cold foods and pungent, bitter and astringent tastes


• Hot, milky, creamy cereals (wheat, oatmeal or rice), soups and stews are all very good for pacifying Vata.


• All dairy products are good (ideally organic and unpasturised) – milk should always be boiled first.


• Oils are good but favour ghee, coconut oil, olive oil, Udo’s oil, flax/pumpkin oil and sesame oil.


• Reduce your intake of light, dry, cold foods such as crackers, nuts, seeds and salads.


• Take nuts and seeds in small quantities only – they are best freshly ground with oil added.


• Reduce the intake of all bean products except tofu, mung beans, mung dhal and red lentils.


• The best grains are rice and wheat but you can take barley, corn, millet, buckwheat, rye and oats in moderation.


• Favour stewed and well ripened, sweet or sour fruits but reduce the intake of dry or light fruits such as apples, pears,
  pomegranates, cranberries, and dried fruits (if uncooked). Dried fruits are good if they are cooked after soaking
  overnight.


• Sweeteners are good (in moderation), especially jaggary, honey, maple syrup and algarve.


• Vegetables should be cooked and not raw. Peas, green leafy vegetables, broccoli, cauliflower, celery,
  zucchini and potatoes are acceptable in moderate quantities if they are cooked, especially with Ghee or oil
  and Vata reducing spices but it is best to avoid sprouts and cabbage.


• Hot, nourishing desserts such as apple pie help pacify Vata.


• Eat a substantial breakfast to help improve energy levels throughout the day.


• Herbal teas (camomile, fennel, basil) with a few digestive biscuits are good for Vata energy slumps.


• Avoid stimulants such as coffee a n d a l c o h o l.


• Sip hot water throughout the day to flush out impurities and balance Vata.


• Warm milk flavoured with ghee, cardamom, cinnamon and nutmeg is excellent before bed.

Vegetables Fruits Herbs/Spices

FAVOUR R E D U C E FAVOUR R E D U C E FAVOUR R E D U C E

Asparagus
Leeks
Artichoke
Okra
B e e t r o o t
Parsnip
Olives
C o r n
Butternut
squash
Green beans
Peppers
Radishes
C a r r o t s
Courgettes
Cucumber
Green beans
Leeks
Pumpkin
Sweet potatoes
T u r n i p

B r o c c o l i

Brussels sprouts

Cabbage

Cauliflower

Celer y

Mushrooms

Peas

Peppers

T o m a t o e s

Apricots

Avocados

Bananas

Ber r ies

Cherries

R a i s i n s

Pineapple

Rhubarb

Plums

Peach es

Oranges

L e m o n s

Grapes

K i w i

Dates

Figs

Mangoes

Me l o n s

Papayas

Peach es

Plums

D r i e d f r u i t

U n-ripened fruit

Apples

Pear s

Pomegranates

P r u n e s

Watermelon

B a s i l

Black pepper

C a r d a m o m

Cinnamon

Clove

Cumin

Fennel

Ginger

Liquorice

Marjoram

Mustard seeds

Nutmeg

Oregano

Sage

T h y m e

Coriander seed

Fenugreek

P a r s l ey

S a ff r on

Turmeric