Ayurvedic Diet Plan

Do you want to prevent all diseases in your life? Or are you suffering from any disease and want to get rid of that naturally and without any medicine? If yes, then this ayurvedic diet plan can help you to prevent and get rid of all diseases.

Definition: The diet prescribed in ayurveda that can help you to live a happier, healthier, and longer life is called the ayurvedic diet. The diet plan according to ayurvedic principles is known as the ayurvedic diet plan.

This diet plan is suitable for everyone. Anyone can follow this ayurvedic diet plan to achieve his/her health goals or stay happier and healthier forever and live a longer life.

Ayurvedic Diet Plan Concept

According to ayurveda, wrong eating habits are responsible for almost all health problems. Read More: Ayurvedic Diet Principles: Healthy Eating Habits.

When you eat wrong or unhealthy foods, overeat, or have poor digestion, you develop toxins in your body. These toxins are called Ama Dosha in Ayurveda. According to ayurveda, poorly digested foods are the main cause of all diseases. Ama dosha is sticky and heavy. It accumulates in the body and sticks to various channels in the body and blocks them. It results in a variety of health conditions, especially the ailments of the digestive system.

Then this Ama dosha mixes with Vata, Pitta, and Kapha dosha and waste materials, which give rise to the formation of Amavisha. It spreads throughout the body. Everyone has some weak organs or tissues. Where Amavisha finds a weakness, it causes the disease of that organ. For example, if it finds a weakness in the gall bladder, it causes gallbladder stones. If it finds a weakness in the lungs, it causes lung disease. If it finds a weakness in the kidneys, it results in kidney disease or kidney stones.

When Ama dosha and Amavisha mix with environmental toxins, it results in Garvisha. Garvisha includes all types of poisons that result in various diseases. These diseases including diseases from pollution, microbes, and chemicals.

Therefore, you first need to remove the already formed Ama Dosha from your body. Then you need to stop its further formation in your body. Following these steps, you can ultimately prevent and cure all diseases.

Prerequisite:

• For Ama Dosha’s removal, you should read this: Fasting: One Medicine for Every Disease.
• To prevent the formation of Ama Dosha, you need to follow the Basic Principle of Ayurvedic Diet and Ayurvedic Diet Plan as discussed in this article.

Food Ratio

अन्नेन कुक्षेठ्ठवंशौ पानेनैकं प्रपूरयेत्।।४६॥ आश्रयं पवनादीनां चतुर्थमवशेषयेत्।। (AH.S.Ch.8, Verse 46-47)

1. Solid Foods: Whole grains, lentils, fruits, vegetables, seeds, and nuts are solid foods.
2. Liquid foods: Fruit juice, vegetable juice, lemon water, coconut water, coconut milk, water, etc. are liquid foods.
3. Keep Stomach Empty: You should always eat less than your appetite. It means you must keep 1/4^th part of your stomach empty.

Note: You should not take liquid foods with fruits and raw vegetables because they are already water-rich foods fulfilling the criteria for both solid and liquid foods. During the main meals, you should adjust liquid intake accordingly.

Ayurvedic Meal Timings

Ayurveda recommends two types of timings for eating the main meal.

This is the time perfect because your body releases a maximum amount of gastric juice during this time.

Note: Ayurvedic texts also suggest eating when you feel appetite. So, you can also eat fresh fruits and raw vegetables any time whenever you feel hungry in addition to scheduled timings.

Learn More: Mealtimes in Ayurveda

Ayurveda Meal Plans

You should choose your eating according to your ayurveda meal plans. Ayurveda offers two meal plans:

One Main Meal Diet Plan

Two Main Meals Diet Plan

Morning Fruits

8:00 am to 9:00 am

Morning fruits should be such that keep you energetic and active throughout the day. Depending on the predominance of dosha in your body type, you should choose the fruits:

1. Fruits for Vata Predominance: Apricots, Avocado, Berries, Cherries, Coconut, Dates (fresh or soaked), Figs (fresh,  soaked), Grapefruit, Grapes, Kiwi, Lemon, Lime, Oranges, Papaya, Peaches, Pineapple, Plums, Prunes (soaked), Raisins (soaked) are best fruits for people with Vata predominance.
2. Fruits for Pitta Predominance: Apples, Apricots, Avocado, Berries, Cherries, Coconut, Dates, Figs, Grapes (red, purple, black), Limes, Oranges (sweet), Papaya, Pears, Pineapple (sweet), Plums (sweet), Pomegranates, Prunes, Raisins, Strawberries are best fruits for people with Pitta predominance.
3. Fruits for Kapha Predominance: Apples, Apricots, Berries, Cherries, Cranberries, Figs (dry), Grapes (red, purple, black), Lemons, Limes, Peaches, Pears, Persimmons, Pomegranates, Prunes, Raisins, Raspberries, Strawberries are the best fruits for people with Kapha predominance.

Ideal Morning Fruit Menu

You should eat fruits from different fruit categories in the sequence of fruit category as described in the below table:

Restricted foods in the Morning

According to Yoga Ratnakar, you should not eat the following foods in the morning:

• Chironji.
• Jamun.
• Ber (jujube).
• Gular (Cluster Fig Fruit) – Ficus Racemosa.
• Imli (Tamarind).
• Taal phal (Targola) is also called Ice Apple or Sugar Palm fruit.
• Dried ginger powder.
• Coconut Soup and Coconut Meat.
• Sesame and foods contain sesame in any form including sesame seeds and oil.
• Mango.
• Ankol.
• Banana.
• Fresh amla fruits (especially unripe).

Note: These fruits can be taken after 12 PM till 40 minutes before sunset.

Other than these fruits, you can eat any fruit in the morning meal. I have provided the most suitable fruit lists according to the dosha predominance above.

Main Meal 1 (Morning)

9:00 am to 10:00 am (main meal).

If you decided to eat two main meals a day, then you should also take grains in the morning 1 hour after eating morning fruits. In this mealtime, you should eat grains with raw or steamed vegetables. According to the predominance of dosha, you should select the grains and vegetables as follows:

Vata Predominance

1. Grains: Amaranth, Durum wheat, Oats, Quinoa, Rice (all types), Wheat, etc.
2. Vegetables: Asparagus, Beets, Carrots, Cilantro, Cucumber, Garlic, Green Beans, Leeks, Mustard Greens, Okra, Onion, Parsnip, Peas, Pumpkin, Rutabega, etc.

Pitta Predominance

1. Grains: Amaranth, Barley, Basmati Rice, Durum wheat, Oat Bran, Oats, Quinoa, Spelt (hulled wheat), Wheat, Wheat Bran, Wild Rice, etc.
2. Vegetables: Artichoke, Asparagus, Beets, Bell Peppers, Bitter Melon, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Cilantro, Collard Greens, Cucumber, Dandelion Greens, Green Beans, Jerusalem Artichoke, Kale, Leeks, Lettuce, Mushrooms, Okra, Olives (black), Onions, Parsley, Parsnips, Peas, Potatoes, Pumpkin, Radishes, Rutabaga, Spaghetti Squash, Spinach, Summer Squash, Sweet Potatoes, Watercress, Winter Squash, Zucchini, etc.

Kapha Predominance

1. Grains: Amaranth, Barley, Basmati Rice, Buckwheat, Corn, Durum wheat, Millets (all types), Oat Bran, Oats, Quinoa, Spelt, Wheat Bran, Wild Rice.
2. Vegetables: Artichoke, Asparagus, Beet Greens, Beets, Bell Peppers, Bitter Melon, Broccoli, Burdock Root, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Cilantro, Collard Greens, Daikon Radish, Dandelion Greens, Eggplant, Garlic, Green Beans, Horseradish, Jerusalem Artichokes, Kale, Kohlrabi, Leeks, Lettuce, Mustard Greens, Okra, Onions, Peas, Radishes, Rutabaga, Spaghetti Squash, Spinach, Tomatoes, Turnips, Watercress. Wheat Grass, White Potatoes, Winter Squash.

Ideal Main Meal 1 Menu

Notes:

• For chapatis and bread, 1 serving size is 40 grams, which is almost equal to 1 chapati or 1 bread. Bread is just a reference; we do not recommend eating bread. You should prefer whole grain chapatis prepared from coarse grain flour.
• For all other grains (boiled and cooked) including rice, millets, oats, quinoa, semolina, etc., 1 serving is equal to 120 grams.
• For raw vegetables, 1 serving size is equal to 150 grams.
• For steamed vegetables, 1 serving size is equal to 75 grams.

Main Meal 2 (Afternoon or Evening)

Vata Predominance

1. Vegetable Salad: Any non-starchy vegetables.
2. Grains: Amaranth, Durum wheat, Oats, Quinoa, Rice (all types), Wheat, etc.
3. Lentils & Beans: Red Lentils, Mung Beans, Mung Split, Toor Dal, and Urad Dal.
4. Nuts: Almonds, Brazil Nuts, Cashews, Coconut, Hazelnuts, Macadamia Nuts, Peanuts, Pecans, Pine Nuts, Pistachios, Walnuts.
5. Seeds: Pumpkin Seeds, Sesame Seeds, Sunflower Seeds, Char Magaz (Watermelon seeds, Pumpkin seeds, Cucumber seeds, Cantaloupe seeds).

Pitta Predominance

1. Vegetable Salad: Any non-starchy vegetables.
2. Grains: Amaranth, Barley, Basmati Rice, Durum wheat, Oat Bran, Oats, Quinoa, Spelt (hulled wheat), Wheat, Wheat Bran, Wild Rice, etc.
3. Lentils & Beans: Adzuki Bean, Black Bean, Black-Eyed Pea, Chickpea, Kidney Bean, Lima Bean, Mung Bean, Mung Split, Navy Bean, Pinto Bean, Pea, Soybean, White bean.
4. Nuts: Almonds (soaked and peeled), Charole Nuts, Coconut.
5. Seeds: Flax Seeds, Pumpkin Seeds, Sunflower Seeds, Char Magaz (Watermelon seeds, Pumpkin seeds, Cucumber seeds, Cantaloupe seeds).

Kapha Predominance

1. Vegetable Salad: Any non-starchy vegetables.
2. Grains: Amaranth, Barley, Basmati Rice, Buckwheat, Corn, Durum wheat, Millets (all types), Oat Bran, Oats, Quinoa, Spelt, Wheat Bran, Wild Rice.
3. Lentils & Beans: Adzuki Bean, Black Bean, Black-Eyed Pea, Chickpea, Lima Bean, Mung Bean, Mung Split, Navy Bean, Pinto Bean, Pea split, Toor, White Bean.
4. Nuts: Almonds (soaked and peeled), Charole Nuts.
5. Seeds: Chia Seeds, Flax Seeds, Pumpkin Seeds, Sunflower Seeds, Char Magaz (Watermelon seeds, Pumpkin seeds, Cucumber seeds, Cantaloupe seeds).

Ideal Main Meal 2 Menu

Notes:

1. The one serving size for nuts is 30 grams.
2. The one serving size for seeds is 9 grams.
3. The one serving size for lentils (cooked) is 150 grams.
4. Other serving sizes are given under the Morning Main Meal section.

References

1. Ashtang Hridaya, Sutra Sthana, Chapter 2, Dinacharya.
2. Ashtang Sangrah, Sutra Sthana, Chapter 3, Dinacharya.
3. Ashtanga Sangraha, Sutra Sthana, Chapter 11, Matrashitiya.
4. Bhava Prakash.
5. Sushruta Samhita, Sutra Sthana, Chapter 46, Annpaanvidhhi
6. Yoga Ratnakar, Nitya Prabriti Prakar Maah.