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According to the ayurveda, medicines and foods
are sattvic, rajasic or tamasic or a combination of
these gunas.The gunas are three fundamental attributes
that represent the natural evolutionary process through
which the subtle becomes gross. In turn, gross objects,
by action and interaction among themselves, may again
become subtle. Thus the three gunas are defined as :
Sattva : Essence (subtle)
Rajas : Activity
Tamas : Inertia (gross)
People equally can be more or less dominated
by one of the three gunas and an important way to regulate
these gunas in body and mind is through ayurvedic cooking
:
Sattvic foods :
- Are fresh, juicy, light, unctuous,
nourishing, sweet and tasty.
- Give the necessary energy to the body
without taxing it.
- The foundation of higher states of
consciousness.
- Examples : juicy fruits, fresh vegetables
that are easily digestible, fresh milk and butter, whole
soaked or also sprouted beans, grains and nuts, many herbs
and spices in the right combinations with other foods,…
Rajasic foods :
- Are bitter, sour, salty, pungent, hot
and dry.
- Increase the speed and excitement of
the human organism.
- The foundation of motion, activity
and pain.
- Examples : sattvic foods that have
been fried in oil or cooked too much or eaten in excess,
specific foods and spices that are strongly exciting, …
Tamasic Foods :
- Are dry, old, decaying, distasteful
and/or unpalatable.
- Consume a large amount of energy while
being digested.
- The foundation of ignorance, doubt,
pessimism, …
- Examples : foods that have been strongly
processed, canned or frozen and/or are old, stale or incompatible
with each other - meat, fish, eggs and liquor are especially
tamasic.
Saints and seers can survive easily on sattvic
foods alone. Householders that live in the world and have
to keep pace with its' changes also need rajasic energy. They
ought to keep a balance between the sattvic and rajasic foods
and try to avoid tamasic foods as much as possible.
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