Ayurveda and Fruit Based Diets

Have you ever paid attention to how some foods make our thoughts clear, while others make them foggy? I am sure you notice this drinking alcohol. Maybe a glass of wine helps us relax, but if we swallow the whole bottle, we’ll show signs of intoxication. Slurred speech, incoordination, mood changes, impaired thinking, and poor decision making are clear signs that alcohol affects our brain. This is true for every single substance we ingest.

In Ayurveda, the ancient medical science of India, the primary force of life is composed of three qualities called Gunas. The three Gunas are Sattva (Tranquil and subtle energy), Rajas (Active energy), and Tamas (Inertia and dullness). Everything we eat has one of these qualities and affects us in the same way. When we eat Sattvic food we feel at peace, when we eat rajasic food we feel energized, when we eat tamastic foods we feel lethargic. This system refers to the popular saying “you are what you eat”.

Fruits are the major part of the sattvic diet, and all fruits are sattvic in their fresh state. Raw vegetables are the second largest part of the diet, followed by small amounts of nuts, seeds, oils, and some cooked vegetables (depending on their preparation). Sattvic diets also may include small amounts of honey and milk (depending on the animal’s care). This group promotes purity of mind, peace, intelligence, and clear decision making.(1)

Rajastic foods include coffee, alcohol, chocolate, spicy foods, salt, onions, garlic, peppers, chicken and eggs. They promote motivation, selfish behavior, and create desires. Rajastic food tends to be over stimulating and can lead to a restless mind.

Tamastic foods include red meats, excessive amounts of alcohol, stale food, and everything that has been processed, canned, or fried. These foods lower our resistance to disease, cloud the mind, and promote negative emotions. They are dull, heavy, block energy flow in the body, and produce harmful toxins.

Multiple cultures and traditions around the world have a similar system to explain how food affects our body, mind, heart, and spirit. As an example, when we look at the Traditional Chinese Medicine approach to diet and nutrition, we find many overlaps and correlations with the Ayurveda. Modern science is starting to harmonize with the same findings. All of these healers, teachers and scientist are pointing in the same direction: Give Fruit a Chance.

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