In Ayurveda, food – like everything else in creation – falls into three categories; Sattvic, Rajastic and Tamasic, and foods in these categories have the ability to increase these qualities within us when we eat them.
Sattvic food are considered to be the most healing and also help to harmonize all three doshas. These are the best-quality foods that enhance health and strength, energy and vitality, and lay the foundations for a Sattvic state of mind. These foods promote mental clarity, enhance love and compassion, and enable the development of a strong intellect and a good memory. They are full of Prana (life force) and are best eaten freshly prepared with love and eaten in moderate amounts. These include;
- Most fresh organic vegetables or their juices.
- Most seasonal fruits and fruit juices.
- Nuts, beans & pulses; coconuts (& milk), almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, mung beans, chickpeas, lentils, sprouted beans, yellow split peas and organic tofu.
- Grains; wheat, rye, buckwheat, rice, oats, quinoa and sprouted grain breads. Yeasted breads only if toasted.
- Seeds; sunflower, pumpkin, sesame and freshly ground flax seeds.
- Raw cane sugar, maple syrup, agave nectar (small amounts) and raw unheated honey
- Rock salt, black pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, cumin, coriander, fennel, fresh ginger and turmeric
- Milk products; butter, ghee, unsweetened kefir, homemade paneer. Freshly made unsweetened whole-milk yoghurt, organic cow’s milk if less than 4 hour’s old.
- Oils; cold pressed extra-virgin olive oil and sesame oil