Diet Planning

Choice of Food

In planning the diet it is necessary to know which food to have or avoid based on ones personal doshic constitution or imbalance. For easy reference therefore some of the acceptable and avoidable items for each doshic type have been listed below:

Fruits
Vata		Pitta		Kapha
NO	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes
Apples Dates Figs (dry) Pomegranate Pears raisins	Avocadoes Grapes Lemons Bananas Sweet orange Plum Figs(fresh) mango	Apples Berries Banana Lemon Peaches strawberries	Apples (sweet) Coconuts Dates Figs Avocadoes Sweet melons Plums Berries (sweet) Pomegranates	Bananas Grapes Sweeteners Water -melons Melons Mango Dates	Berries Apples Pomegranates Dried fruits

Dairy
Vata		Pitta		Kapha
NO	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes
Cheese Cow’s milk Powdered yoghurt	Dairy Fresh,whole un-homogenized milk Ghee Butter White meat (chicken, turkey or fish – boiled or baked) Chicken broth	Yoghurt Sour cream	Fresh ghee Fresh whole un – homogenized milk	Milk Cheese Clarified butter	Goat milk and ghee Just a little dairy

Grains
Vata		Pitta		Kapha
NO	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes
Barley Corn Cereals Millets Granola	Wheat Oats Brown / White rice	Polenta Corn Millets Oat(dry)	Oat Wheat Bran White brown or basmati rice Wheat bran	Bread ( with yeast) Wheat Rice (white) Oat (cooked)	Oats Oat bran Small amount of wheat Barley Buckwheat

Meat
Vata		Pitta		Kapha
NO	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes
Pork Rabbit Turkey lamb	Chicken broth White meat ( chicken, turkey, fish – baked or boiled)	Meat Ducks Eggs Porks Chicken Salmon	Baked or boiled chicken, turkey or white fish in moderate amounts	Buffalo Duck Beef Chicken	Fresh water fish, shrimp, rabbit, small amount of white meat

Vegetables
Vata		Pitta		Kapha
NO	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes
Tomatoes (raw) Spinach Radish Peas Potatoes Cauliflower (raw) Cabbage (raw) Mushroom	Green chilies Okra Carrot Leeks Cauliflower Pumpkin Radish Fennel and a little bit of garlic	Turnips Beet Greens Onion Pepper Prickly pear Spinach Green chilies Radishes Carrot Garlic	Asparagus Broccoli Cucumber Cooked onions Sweet potatoes Sprouts Squash and a small amount of okra and cauliflower Cabbage	Potato Olives Cucumber Pumpkin Squash Tomato (raw)	Melons Beets Asparagus Beet greens Cabbage Garlic Fennel Carrot Leafy greens Leeks Lettuce Okra Spinach Sprouts Squash Cooked onions Small amount of artichoke, burdock root and Brussels sprouts.

Spices
Vata		Pitta		Kapha
NO	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes
Carawas	Basil Aruise Ajwan Almond extract Bay leaf Black pepper All spices are good. Cumin, coriander and fennel seeds, turmeric and asafoetida(hing). White meat ( chicken, turkey, fish – baked or boiled)	Basil Bay leaf Garlic Ginger Ajwin Aruise Pippal Mustard Seeds Mace	Black pepper Cardamom Coriander seeds Cinnamon Fennel seeds Fresh basil Turmeric and a small amount of cumin and fresh ginger	Salt	Ginger, cinnamon, chillies, clove, fenugreek and bay leaves Ajawin Asafoetida Bay leaf Cinnamon Bay leaf.

Nuts
Vata		Pitta		Kapha
NO	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes
None	Small amount of almonds pecans and sesame seeds	Cashew Almonds Peanuts	Sunflower Seeds and almonds in moderate amount	Black walnuts Almonds Brazil nuts Pine nuts Walnuts.	Small amount of almonds.

It is as important to realize that every food’s unique combination of attributes will influence its taste and the action is causes in the body. With every taste having a different action – as detailed below. Ashtanga Hirdayam very clearly describes the characteristics of each of each of the six tastes and problems that might be experienced from its habitual over-consumption. Most foods being combination of two or more of these tastes e.g. coffee is bitter and pungent.

Sour: Comprised of the elements earth & fire, it increases pitta and kapha and is good for heart and digestion. Stimulates agni, moves inactive Vata energy down the pelvic cavity, sets the teeth on edge and increases salivation. Excess use may cause looseness and flabbiness, loss of strength, giddiness, itching, irritation, a whitish yellow pallor, herpetiform lesions, swelling thirsts and fever, and diseases arising from excess pitta and kapha.

Sweet:Related to earth & water, it mitigates pitta and vata, producing greater strength in the tissues and of the value to the aged, wounded, emaciated and children. Universally liked, it often adheres to the inside of the mouth, giving a feeling of pleasure, contentment and comfort. Good for the complexion, hair, senses and ojas, it also increases breast milk and helps unite broke parts like bones. By its virtue it prolongs life and helps life activates. In excess however it may cause diseases arising from fat and excess kapha e.g. obesity, dyspepsia, unconsciousness, diabetes, enlargement of neck glands or malignant tumors.

Salt:The water & fire in salty taste increases pitta and kapha. It clears obstruction of channels and pores and increases the digestive activity and salivation. Also responsible for lubrication and sweating, it penetrates the tissues. An excess of it may cause baldness and graying of the hair, wrinkles, thirst, skin diseases, blood disorders and loss of body strength.

Pungent:Fire & air in pungent increase vata & pitta and mitigates kapha. Increases hunger, is digestive causes irritation, brings secretion from eyes, nose & mouth, and gives a burning sensation to the mouth. Dilating the channels and breaking up the hard masses. But an excess use of it may cause thirst, depletion of reproductive tissue and strength, fainting, contracture, tremors, pain in the waist and back, and other disorders related to excess of pitta and kapha.

Bitter:Air & space being its elements, it mitigates pitta and kapha. Drying up moisture from fat, muscles, faeces and urine it cleans the mouth and destroys the perception of taste. It is said to cure anorexia, worms, bacteria, parasites, thirst, skin diseases, loss of consciousness, fever, nausea, burning sensation. But in excess, it increases vata, causing diseases of vata origin and depletion of tissues.

Astringent:: Air & earth increases vata and mitigates increased pita and kapha. It cleans the blood and causes healing of ulcers. Like bitter, it too dries up moisture from fat. It absorbs water, causing constipation and hindering digestion of undigested food. Its excess use causes stasis of food without digestion, flatulence, pain in the cardiac region, emaciation, loss of virility, obstruction of channels and constipation.

Food Chart:

Food	Rasa	Viraya	Vipaka	Action on doshas	Action on vata(V), pitta(P) & kapha(K)
Animals
Beef	Sweet	Heating	Sweet	Heavy, Thick	V↓ P↑ K↑
Buffalo	Sweet	Cooling	Sweet	Heavy, Dull	V↑ P↑ K↓
Chicken, Light	Astringent, Sweet	Heating	Sweet	Light Unctuous	V↓ P↑ K↑
Chicken, Dark	Sweet	Heating	Sweet	Heavy, Heating	V↓ P↑ K↑
Duck	Sweet, Pungent	Heating	Sweet	Heating, Heavy	V↓ P↑ K↑
Eggs	Sweet	Heating	Sweet	Unctuous, Heavy	V↓ P↑ K↑↓
Eggs, Yolk	Sweet	Heating	Sweet	Cholesterol	V↓ P↑ K↑

Food	Rasa	Viraya	Vipaka	Action on doshas	Action on vata(V), pitta(P) & kapha(K)
Dairy
Butter	Sour	Cooling	Pungent	Light, Binds the stool	V↓ P↓ K↑
Buttermilk	Sweet, Sour	Cooling	Sweet	Heavy, Unctuous	V↓ P↑ K↑
Cheese, Hard	Sour	Heating	Sour	Heavy, Oily, Congestive	V↓ P↑ K↑
Cheese, Soft	Sour	Heating	Sour	Heavy Unctuous	V↓ P↓ K↑
Cottage Cheese	Sour, Salty	Heating	Pungent	Lighter, Less Heating	V↓ P↓ K↓
Cow’s Milk	Sweet	Cooling	Sweet	Laxative, Heavy, Mucus	V↓ P↓ K↑
Ghee	Sweet	Cooling	Sweet	Kindles Agni, Digestive	V↓ P↓ K↑
Goat’s Milk	Sweet	Cooling	Pungent	Light, Strengthens	V↓ P↓ K↑
Sour Cream	Sour	Heating	Pungent	Heavy, Unctuous	V↓ P↑ K↑
Yoghurt	Sweet, Sour	Cooling	Sweet	Hydrophilous, Mucus	V↓ P↑ K↑

Food	Rasa	Viraya	Vipaka	Action on doshas	Action on vata(V), pitta(P) & kapha(K)
Fruits
Apple	Astringent	Cooling	Sweet	Rough, Light	V↑ P↓ K↓
Avocado	Astringent	Cooling	Sweet	Oily, Heavy, Soft	V↓ P↓ K↑
Apricots	Sweet	Heating	Sweet	Liquid, Heavy, Sour	V↓ P↑ K↓
Cheese, Soft	Sour	Heating	Sour	Heavy Unctuous	V↓ P↓ K↑
Banana	Astringent	Heating	Pungent	Soft, Light	V↓ P↑ K↑
Banana, ripe	Sweet	Heating	Sour	Smooth, Heavy	V↓ P↑ K↑
Cherries	Astringent	Heating	Pungent	Soft, Light	V↓ P↑ K↓
Coconut	Sweet	Cooling	Cooling	Oily, Hard	V↓ P↓ K↑
Dates	Sweet	Cooling	Sweet	Heavy, Energizer	V↓ P↓ K↑
Figs	Sweet	Cooling	Sweet	Heavy, Energizer	V↓ P↓ K↑
Grapes,green	Sour	Heating	Pungent	Liquid, Strengthening	V↓ P↑ K↑
Grapes, red	Sweet	Cooling	Sweet	Smooth, Energizer	V↓ P↓ K↑
Grapefruit	Sweet, Astringent	Heating	Sour	Acidic, Hydrophilous	V↓ P↑ K↑
Kiwi	Sweet, Astringent	Heating	Pungent	Heavy, Hydrophilous	V↓ P↑ K↑
Lemon	Sour	Heating	Sour	Juicy, Digestive	V↓ P↑ K↑
Lime	Sour	Cooling	Sweet	Refreshing, Digestive	V↓ P↑↓ K↑
Mango, green	Astringent, Sour	Cooling	Pungent	Heavy, Hard	V↓ P↑ K↑
Mango, ripe	Sweet	Heating	Sweet	Energizer	V↓ P↓ K↑
Melons	Sweet	Cooling	Sweet	Heavy, Hydrophilous	V↓ P↑ K↑
Oranges	Sweet,Sour	Heating	Pungent	Heavy	V↓ P↑ K↑
Papy	Sweet, Sourr	Heating	Sweet	Heavy, Unctuous	V↓ P↑ K↑
Peaches	Sweet, Astringent	Heating	Sweet	Heavy, Liquid	V↓ P↑ K↓
Plums	Sweet, Sour, Astringent	Heating	Sweet	Heavy, Watery	V↓ P↑ K↑
Pears	Sweet, Astringent	Cooling	Pungent	Dry, Rough, Heavy	V↓ P↑ K↓
Pineapple	Sour, Sweet	Heating	Sweet	Heavy, Sharp	V↓ P↑ K↑
Pomegranate	Sweet, Sour, Astringent	Cooling	Sweet	Smooth, Oily	V↑ P↓ K↓
Prunes (Soaked)	Sweet	Cooling	Sweet	Soothing, Laxatives	V↓ P↓ K↓
Risins (Soaked)	Sweet, Sour	Cooling	Sweet	Soothing, Laxatives	V↓ P↓ K↓
Tamarind	Sour	Heating	Sour	Heating	V↓ P↑ K↑
Watermelon	Sweet	Cooling	Sweet	Heavy	V↓ P↓ K↑

Food	Rasa	Viraya	Vipaka	Action on doshas	Action on vata(V), pitta(P) & kapha(K)
Grains
Amaranth	Sweet, Astringent	Cooling	Pungent	Light	V↓ P↓ K↓
Barley	Sweet	Cooling	Sweet	Light, Diuretic	V↑ P↓ K↓
Corn	Sweet	Heating	Sweet	Dry, Light	V↑ P↑ K↓
Millet	Sweet	Heating	Sweet	Dry, Light	V↑ P↑ K↓
Oat Bran	Astringent, Sweet	Cooling	Sweet	Rough, Dry, Light	V↑ P↓ K↓
Oats, dry	Sweet	Heating	Sweet	Heavy	V↑ P↑ K↓
Oats, Cooked	Sweet	Cooling	Sweet	Heavy	V↑ P↓ K↑
Pasta	Astringent	Cooling	Sweet	Heavy, Soft	V↑ P↓ K↑
Rice, Basmati	Sweet	Cooling	Sweet	Light, Soft, Wholesome	V↓ P↓ K↓
Rice, Brown	Sweet	Heating	Sweet	Heavy	V↓ P↑ K↑
Rice, Cakes	Astringent, Sweet	Cooling	Sweet	Drying, Light	V↑ P↓ K↓
Rice, White	Sweet	Cooling	Sweet	Holds water, Soft	V↓ P↓ K↑
Rye	Astringent	Heating	Pungent	Dry, Light	V↑ P↑ K↓
Sago	Astringent, Sweet	Cooling	Sweet	Drying, Light	V↑ P↓ K↓
Tapioca	Astringent, Sweet	Cooling	Sweet	Drying, Light	V↑ P↓ K↓
Wheat	Sweet	Cooling	Sweet	Heavy, Unctuous, Laxative	V↓ P↓ K↑

Food	Rasa	Viraya	Vipaka	Action on doshas	Action on vata(V), pitta(P) & kapha(K)
Legumes
Aduki	Astringent	Cooling	Pungent	Hard, Heavy	V↑ P↓ K↓
Garbanzo (chick peas)	Sweet	Cooling	Pungent	Dry, Rough, Heavy	V↑ P↓ K↓
Kidney Beans	Astringent	Heating	Pungent	Hard, Rough, Heavy	V↓ P↓ K↑
Lentil, Brown	Astringent	Heating	Pungent	Rough, Heavy	V↑ P↓ K↓
Lentil, Red	Astringent, Sweet	Cooling	Sweet	Light, Soft	V↑ P↓ K↑
Miso	Astringent, Sour	Heating	Pungent	Fermented	V↓ P↑ K↓
Mung Beans	Sweet, Astringent	Cooling	Sweet	Dry, Light	V↓ P↓ K↑↓
Navy Beans	Sweet, Astringent	Heating	Pungent	Dry, Rough	V↑ P↓ K↓
Soy Beans	Astringent, Sweet	Cooling	Pungent	Unctuous, Heavy	V↑ P↓ K↓
Soy Cheese	Astringent	Heating	Pungent	Heavy	V↓ P↓ K↑
Soy Sauce	Astringent	Heating	Pungent	Fermented	V↓ P↑ K↑
Soy Sausages	Astringent, Sour	Heating	Pungent		V↓ P↑ K↑
Soy Flour	Astringent, Sour	Cooling	Pungent		V↑ P↓ K↑
Soy Powder	Astringent, Sour	Cooling	Pungent		V↑ P↓ K↑
Tofu	Astringent, Sweet	Cooling	Pungent		V↑↓ P↓ K↓↑
Tur Dal	Astringent	Heating	Pungent	Hard, Heavy	V↓ P↑ K↓
Urad Dal	Sweet	Heating	Sweet	Heavy, Soft	V↓ P↑ K↓
White	Astringent	Cooling	Pungent	Hard to Digest	V↑ P↓ K↓

Food	Rasa	Viraya	Vipaka	Action on doshas	Action on vata(V), pitta(P) & kapha(K)
Nuts
Almond	Sweet	Heating	Sweet	Oily, Heavy, Energizer	V↓ P↑ K↑
Almond (soaked peeled)	Sweet	Cooling	Sweet	Oily, Heavy, Energizer	V↓ P↓ K↑
Brazil	Astringent, Sweet	Heating	Sweet	Unctuous	V↓ P↑ K↑
Cashew	Sweet	Heating	Sweet	Oily, Heavy, Energizer	V↓ P↑ K↑
Coconut	Astringent, Sweet	Cooling	Sweet	Helps mucous sereation	V↓ P↓ K↑
Hazelnut	Astringent, Sweet	Heating	Sweet	Energizes	V↓ P↑ K↑
Peanut	Sweet	Heating	Sweet	Oily, Heavy, Strengthens	V↓ P↑ K↑
Pistachio	Sweet	Heating	Sweet	Oily, Energizing	V↓ P↑ K↑
Walnut	Sweet	Heating	Sweet	Oily, Heavy, Energizing	V↓ P↑ K↑

Food	Rasa	Viraya	Vipaka	Action on doshas	Action on vata(V), pitta(P) & kapha(K)
Oils
Almond	Sweet	Heating	Sweet	Heavy	V↓ P↑ K↑
Avocado	Sweet	Cooling	Sweet	Unctuous, Sweet	V↓ P↓ K↑
Castor oil	Sweet, Bitter	Heating	Sweet	Heavy, Cools External, Heats Internal	V↓ P↓ K↑
Coconut	Sweet	Cooling	Sweet	Unctuous, Heavy	V↓ P↓ K↑
Corn	Sweet, Astringent	Heating	Pungent	Dry, Rough, Heating	V↑ P↑ K↓
Canola	Astringent	Cooling	Pungent	Dry, Rough, Light	V↑ P↓ K↓
Ghee	Sweet	Cooling	Sweet	Heavy, Kindles Agni	V↓ P↓ K↑↓
Mustard	Pungent	Heating	Pungent	Sharp, Strong smelling	V↓ P↑ K↓
Olive	Sweet	Cooling	Sweet	Heavy, causes cellulite	V↓ P↓ K↑
Peanut	Sweet	Heating	Sweet	Strengthening	V↓ P↑ K↑
Sufflower	Sweet, Astringent	Heating	Pungent	Light, Sharp , Oily	V↓ P↑ K↑
Sesame	Sweet, Bitter	Heating	Sweet	Strengthens, Lubricates	V↓ P↑ K↑
Soy	Astringent	Cooling	Pungent	Dry, Rough, Heavy	V↑ P↑ K↓
Sunflower	Sweet, Astringent	Cooling	Sweet	Soothing, Lubricant	V↓ P↓ K↓

Food	Rasa	Viraya	Vipaka	Action on doshas	Action on vata(V), pitta(P) & kapha(K)
Seeds
Popcorn	Astringent, Sweet	Cooling	Pungent	Dry, Light, Rough	V↑ P↓ K↓
Psyllium	Astringent	Cooling	Pungent	Dry, Light, Rough	V↓ P↓ K↓
Pumpkin	Sweet	Heating	Pungent	Oily, Heavy, Hard	V↓ P↑↓ K↑
Safflower	Sweet, Astringent	Cooling	Sweet	Oily, Light, Soft	V↓ P↑ K↑
Sesame	Sweet, Bitter, Astringent	Heating	Pungent	Oily, Heavy, Smooth	V↓ P↑ K↑
Sunflower	Sweet, Astringent	Cooling	Sweet	Oily, Light, Soft	V↓ P↓ K↑↓

Food	Rasa	Viraya	Vipaka	Action on doshas	Action on vata(V), pitta(P) & kapha(K)
Spices
Ajwan	Pungent	Heating	Pungent	Sharp, Light, Digestive	V↓ P↑ K↓
Anise	Pungent	Heating	Pungent	Light, Detoxifying	V↓ P↑ K↓
Basil	Astringent	Bitter, Sweet	Heating	Pungent	V↓ P↑ K↓
Bay Leaf	Pungent	Bitter	Heating	Pungent	V↓ P↑ K↓
Cardamom	Sweet	Cooling	Pungent	Oily, Light	V↓ P↓ K↓
Chocolate	Sweet, Sour	Heating	Sweet	Hyperactive, Acidic	V↑ P↑ K↑
Cinnamon	Sweet	Heating	Pungent	Dry, Light, Oily	V↓ P↓↑ K↓
Clove	Pungent	Heating	Pungent	Light, Oily	V↑ P↓ K↓
Coriander	Astringent	Cooling	Sweet	Light, Oily, Smooth	V↓ P↓ K↓
Cumin	Pungent	Heating	Pungent	Digestive	V↓ P↓ K↓
Dill	Astringent, Sweet	Heating	Sweet	Light	V↓ P↓ K↓
Fennel	Sweet	Cooling	Sweet	Delicate	V↓ P↓ K↓
Fenugreek	Pungent, Bitter	Heating	Pungent	Kindles agni	V↑ P↑ K↓
Garlic	Pungent	Heating	Sweet	Oily, Heavy	V↓ P↑ K↓
Ginger (fresh)	Pungent	Heating	Sweet	Light, Juicy, Digestive	V↓ P↓↑ K↓
Horseradish	Pungent, Astringent	Heating	Pungent	Kindles agni	V↓ P↑ K↓
Radish	Pungent	Heating	Pungent	Hard, Liquid, Rough	V↑ P↑ K↓
Spinach	Astringent	Cooling	Pungent	Dry, Light, Rough	V↑ P↓↑ K↓
Sprouts	Astringent	Cooling	Pungent	Light, Juicy	V↑ P↓ K↑
Squash Winter	Astringent, Sweet	Heating	Pungent	Dry, Sharp, Heavy	V↑ P↓ K↑
Squash	Sweet, Astringent	Cooling	Pungent		V↓ P↓ K↓
Tomato	Sour, Astringent	Heating	Pungent		V↑ P↑ K↑
Turnips	Pungent, Astringent	Heating	Pungent	Rough, Dry	V↑ P↑ K↓
Zucchini	Astringent	Cooling	Pungent	Heavy, Liquid	V↓ P↓ K↑
Hing	Pungent	Heating	Pungent	Dry, Sharp, Digestive	V↓ P↑ K↓
Mint	Sweet	Cooling	Pungent	Calms pitta	V↓ P↓ K↓
Mustard	Pungent	Heating	Pungent	Sharp, Oily, Light	V↑ P↓↑ K↓
Spinach	Astringent	Cooling	Pungent	Dry, Light, Rough	V↓ P↑ K↓
Neem (leaves)	Bitter	Cooling	Pungent	Stimulates vata slightly	V↑↓ P↓ K↓
Nutmeg	Sweet, Astringent	Heating	Pungent	Stimulates digestion	V↓ P↑ K↓
Paprika	Pungent	Heating	Pungent	Stimulates agni	V↓ P↑ K↓
Poppy seed	Sweet, Astringent	Heating	Pungent	Binds stool, aids sleep	V↓ P↑ K↓
Saffron	Astringent, Bitter	Heating	Pungent	Dry, Light	V↓ P↓ K↓
Turmeric	Bitter	Heating	Pungent	Dry, Light, Digestive	V↓ P↓ K↓
Barley Malt	Sweet	Cooling	Sweet	Unctuous, Liquid	V↓ P↓ K↑
Date Sugar	Sweet	Cooling	Sweet	Heavy, Energizer Oily	V↓ P↓ K↑
Fructose	Sweet	Cooling	Sweet	Unctuous, Liquid	V↓ P↓ K↑
Honey	Sweet	Heating	Sweet	Heating, Scrapes Fat	V↓ P↑ K↓
Jaggary	Sweet	Heating	Sweet	Strengthening heavy	V↓ P↑ K↑
Maple syrup	Sweet	Cooling	Sweet	Light, strengthener	V↓ P↓ K↑
Molasses	Sweet	Heating	Sweet	Heavy, promotes bleeding	V↓ P↑ K↑
Rice Syrup	Sweet	Cooling	Sweet	Unctuous, Liquid	V↓ P↓ K↑
Sugar, White	Sweet	Cooling	Sweet	Heavy, Oily, Energizer	V↑ P↓ K↑
Fish, Freshwater	Sweet, Astringent	Heating	Sweet	Light, Unctuous Soft	V↓ P↑↓ K↑↓
Fish, Salmon	Sweet	Heating	Sweet	Unctuous, Heating	V↓ P↑ K↑
Fish, Tuna	Sweet, Salty, Astringent	Heating	Pungent	Heating	V↓ P↑ K↑
Mutton	Sweet	Heating	Sweet	Strengthening, Heavy	V↑ P↑ K↑
Pork	Sweet	Heating	Sweet	Heavy, Unctuous	V↑ P↑ K↑
Rabbit Sweet	Sweet	Cooling	Pungent	Dry, Rough, Astringent	V↑ P↓ K↓
Shrimp	Sweet	Heating	Pungent	Light, Unctuous	V↓ P↓ K↓