Ayurvedic concepts of eating foods

Ayurveda the science of life explains about the nutritional benefits of food items, grains etc as similar as the modern diet systems. It also advises proper ways to take foods for protecting health. It lists ten rules and regulations to take food for the same.

a.    a.  Warm Food: The food should be always warm and fresh. It should not be re heated. Even today the nutritionists suggest the same. Reheating kills the anti oxidants and micro nutrients in the food.

b.    b.  Quality Food: Unlike the modern nutrition advises, Ayurveda recommends unctuous foods as part of diet. The mild unctuousness in food improves the digestion & metabolism, strengthens the body tissues and improves the immunity. 

c.     c.  Quantity of food: Unlike the Modern Dietary advises, Ayurveda recommends taking sufficient quantity of foods. It advises to take mixed food as diet like vegetables, rice, wheat, sweets, water etc.

d.    d.  Time of food: Ayurveda advises to take food only after the complete digestion of previous meal. Otherwise it may lead to excessive toxin formation which in turn leads to pathogenesis. 

e.     e. Compatible foods: This is the specialty of Ayurveda. Ayurveda understands and recommend foods based on the functional qualities like heat, cold, dry, unctuous etc. The food with opposite nature may create excessive toxins which in turn may leads to disorders. Example foods like honey and ghee, fish and milk etc should not be taken together.

f.     f.  Dining hall: Ayurveda opines that taking food at proper place do impact on digestion and metabolism, hence the food should be taken only in proper place with complete concentration

g.     g. Method of intake: Concentration contributes to metabolism, hence Ayurveda recommends that the food should be taken with concentration which nourishes the sense organs and appetite properly.

h.   h.   No hurry: Ayurveda recommends to take food not too hurry or too slow. Food should be taken in ample speed to improve the digestion process and enhance the metabolism

i.      i. Mind and body: Ayurveda advises to take food with concentration only. Taking food with excessive talking, laughing etc should be avoided.

j.     j.  Personalization: Ayurveda advises to take food suits better for the person than just any intake.