There are all kinds of people. Some binge on junk food and try to shed the extra kilos by sweating it out at the gym. Some adopt bizarre diets to stay in shape. And then, there are those who live on food supplements. The one thing that is common among these groups of people is that each one strives to be healthy. But the one thing most of them don’t know is that understanding food is the first step on our way to improved health and wellbeing.
It is important to be aware that the food we eat not only affects the body, but also the mind. Taking a cue from this fact, Ayurveda classifies food into three categories–sattvic (pure), rajasic (passion) and tamasic (darkness). Of the three categories, sattvic food is considered the best. The word ‘sattvic’ is derived from the Sanskrit word sattva, meaning purity and goodness. Sattvic food items are those that are pure and wholesome. This includes fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains and legumes.
Rajasic food is known to stimulate the body and make the mind restless. These foods are generally salty, bitter, sour or hot. They are neither harmful nor beneficial to human body. Tamasic food, on the other hand, is considered harmful to both body and mind. It includes alcohol, onion, garlic, fermented food items and anything that is overripe, rotten or stale. Tamasic food is said to induce inertia and drain the body of its energy.
“Clean and pure food nourishes the body and mind. It helps the natural processes of detox, cleaning and healing.”
The three categories of food according to Ayurveda are sattvic (pure), rajasic (passion), and tamasic (darkness).
Sattvic food consists of pure and wholesome items such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, and legumes.
Rajasic food stimulates the body and makes the mind restless. It is generally salty, bitter, sour, or hot in nature.
For a healthy body and mind, we must balance between sattvic, rajasic, and tamasic food.
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