The three body elements—Vata, Pitta and Kapha (air, fire and water)—when in balance (Tridosha) and harmony in the body promote health, if out of balance they are extremely harmful. For this reason one must follow the dietary system accordingly to try to keep the element in balance.
The categories of elements and tastes given on the following pages an essential guide to understanding how they can be enhanced or destroyed in different combination.
Quickly Digestive Foods
Ginger, bitter gourd, sucking mango, mangosteen, carrot, rice, buttermilk, pomegranate, parwal, puffed rice, black pepper, masur, white radish, lemon, small aubergines, black salt (sanchal), rock salt (sindaiva), dry ginger, elephant foot (Indian yam), turmeric, asafoetida, apple, betelnut.
Hard To Digest Foods
Black gram (urad), chick-pea, moth, tamarind, cucumber, Alphonso mango, sliced mango, unripe banana, yellow marrow, dates, wheat, tindoor, black-eye bean, water melon, sesame seed, yoghurt, basundi, black grapes, popcorn, spinach, potatoes, almonds, sweet lemon, large aubergine, butter beans, string beans, sprouted beans (of any kind), dry vegetables, sugar cane juice, apple, betelnut.
Kapha Producing Foods
Black gram (urad), tamarind, mango juice, mango fruit, kokkum, sugar, gur (Indian brown sugar, or ‘Jaggari’) sesame seeds, milk, oranges, string beans, sprouted beans, dry vegetables, sugar cane juice, apples.
Pitta Producing Foods
Black gram (urad), tamarind, ripe cucumber, kokkum, gur, watermelon, sesame seed, unripe pomegranate, salt, large aubergine, butter beans, sprouted beans, dry vegetable, asafoetida.
Vata Producing foods
Alphonso mango, gur (2nd class), rice, sesame seeds, spinach, moth, honey, masoor, ripe white radish, beans of all kinds sprouted beans, dry vegetables.
Kapha Destroying Foods
Ginger, ripe tamarind, amla, bitter gourd, Alphonso mango, unripe banana, dates, carrots, chick-peas, buttermilk, watermelon, pomegranate, Indian marrow, parwal, maize, honey, moth, puffed rice, black pepper, masoor, mustard seed, lemon, salt, butter beans, drumstick, rock salt, elephant, foot, ginger powder, betelnut, haldi, asafoetida.
Pitta Destroying Foods
Amla, cucumber, bitter gourd, Alphonso mango, mango pulp, unripe banana, yellow pumpkin, wheat, chick-pea, milk, coconut, parwal, water, maize, sweet lemon, string beans, apple, drumstick, rock salt, betelnut, haldi.
Vata Destroying Foods
Black gram (urad), fresh ginger, tamarind, amla, mango juice, ripe mango, unripe banana, yellow marrow, dates, sugar, carrot, wheat, tindoor, buttermilk, ripe water melon, yoghurt, pomegranate, milk, black grapes, oranges, coconut, parwal, sliced mango, almonds, fresh butter, salt, lemon, small aubergine, string beans, apple, rock salt, ginger powder, haldi, asafoetida.
Foods Which Are Cold
Amla, bitter gourd (karela), ripe mango, banana, dates, wheat, tindoor, butter oil (ghee), chick-pea, rice, spinach, dals (split beans and peas), black grapes, coconut and coconut water, potatoes, maize, puffed rice, fresh butter, string beans, dry peas, sugar cane juice, apple, rock salt, betelnut.
Foods Which Are Hot
Fresh ginger, black gram (Urad), tamarind, kokkum, carrots, tindoor, ripe melon, sesame seeds and oil, yoghurt, parwal, white radish and its leaves, mustard seeds, salt, aubergine, ginger powder, haldi.
Foods Which Increase The Digestive Power
Ginger, tamarind, small round bitter gourd, cucumber, ripe mango, kokkum, buttermilk, sesame seeds, spinach, oranges, coconut water, parwal, fresh butter, lemon, black salt, ginger powder, betelnut, haldi, asafoetida.
Foods Which Prepare Stomach Contents
For correct Assimilation
Carrots, turia, parwal, puffed rice, white radish and its leaves, lemon, aubergine, drumsticks, haldi, asafoetida.
Foods which Are Easily Digested and Help
To Bind Other Foods In the Intestines
Ginger, cucumber, Alphonso mango, kokkum, carrot, yoghurt, pomegranate, moth, masoor, ginger powder, all fruits.
Foods Which Cause Dryness In The Body
Tamarind, cucumber, Alphonso mango, chick-pea, rice spinach, popcorn, potatoes, maize, honey, masoor, ripe radish, dried peas, elephant foot, betelnut, haldi.
Stimulating Foods
Black gram (urad), ginger, ripe mango, ripe banana, cabbage, yellow pumpkin, dates, basmati rice, jalebi, pomegranate, milk, Indian marrow, black grapes, coconut water, parwal, potatoes, almond, fresh butter, lapsi (cracked wheat), sweet lemon, vada from urad dal, small aubergine, shrikand, sugar cane juice, apple, ginger powder.
Food Which Increase Strength
Black gram (urad), ripe mango, ripe banana, coconut, dates, khichari, wheat, jalebi, sesame seeds, pomegranate, milk, basundi, potatoes, fresh butter, chapati, lapsi, urad dal vada, string beans.
Rejuvenating Foods
Amla, ghee, triphala, milk, harad.
Laxative Foods
Tamarind, gur, wheat, milk, black grapes, black-eye beans, sugar cane juice, harad.
Fattening Foods
Yellow pumpkin, ripe banana, sesame oil, basundi, black grapes, chapati, lapsi, urad dal vada, shrikand, sugar cane juice, apple.
Foods Beneficial to The Heart
Ginger, dates, old gur, milk, coconut water, parwal, black salt, ginger powder.
