The organic relationship between the six tastes (rasa) and the three dosha is at the root of Ayurvedic dietetics. Each of the six tastes is capable of affecting the individual dosha (VPK) in a sedative or additive way. For example, foods containing madhura-rasa where both rasa (taste) and vipāka (post-digestive effect) are sweet share the same composition from earthy and watery elements as the Kapha dosha. Thus madhura-varga food, which is capable of providing energy by breaking down into sugar, adds to the Kapha constituency but at the same time sedates the Vāta dosha. This is because the composition of the Vāta constituency is ruled by air and ether elements and is dissimilar to such an extent from Kapha that the same food can be deemed to produce the opposite effect on Vāta dosha. Ayurvedic food preparation is based on the axiom that similar components add while dissimilar detract. Therefore, similarity of components is additive while dissimilarity is sedative.

Cooking is an art. Ayurvedic cooking is the art of balancing ingredients while inducing prāna. Most importantly, all six tastes are balanced during the cooking. Ayurveda recommends light cooking under controlled heat using heavy nonreactive pots and pans. In order to preserve prāna, overheating and losing the original colour and nascent taste of the vegetable is not recommended. The cooked food needs to exude light and be full of energy (prāna) with the vegetables retaining some of their original freshness. For example, the okra needs to be radiant green and not dripping with oil or the broccoli needs to be bright green and still somewhat crunchy!

The modern science of dietetics is somewhat lopsided because of its focus on the class of nutrients based on the quantities of calories, fats, proteins, carbohydrates, etc. There is little or no reference to the seasonal rhythms, geographical location of where the food is grown, digestive capacity of the individual, biorhythms of the eater and other holistic factors. The reductionistic approach is not practical for the consumer, to say the least. Moreover, modern dietary advice is diverse and sometimes contradictory. With confusing notions, it is hard to know what to eat and what not to eat. Food has also become like fashion with changing food fads based on commercially hyped trends. In addition, we can become disconnected from fresh (high prānic) food and resort to eating processed or packaged convenience foods. Ingredients in cooking that come from heirloom varieties, maintaining the organic continuity of their lifeforce, are not worth compromising. The time-honoured wisdom of Ayurveda provides a secure traditional platform in the field of nutrition and health to guide towards a spiritual, mindful lifestyle.

Ayurveda shows how mental clarity, emotional states (moods) and the welfare of the body are linked to diet. Nevertheless, the diet needs to be adapted to the unique mind-body constitution or dosha of an individual (whether pacifying or provoking).

The food we eat is one of the prime influences on our state of health and we have good influence over our food choices. Ayurvedic tenets proclaim that “disease is a result of assault against one’s own intelligence.” Though certain ailments fructify without being self-inflicted in this lifetime, many are the result of making poor or misinformed food choices. We have to face the consequences of those choices sooner or later.

Ayurvedic dietetics explains the thesis of āhār-mimānsā centred upon the agni-bala or the strength of the digestive fire that determines the digestive capacity of the eater. There are of course principle tendencies based on the triple dosha constitution. Associated with Vāta is the vishamāgni which indicates irregular metabolism. Associated with Pitta is the tixnāgni which indicates hyper-metabolism. Associated with Kapha is the mandāgni which indicates hypo-metabolism. Whereas the balanced kind is called the samāgni favouring balanced metabolism. The quantity of edibles (mātrā) that are being properly digested and assimilated into the bodily tissues, and what is excreted are given special importance. You are what you digest! These variables differ with individual constitutions, digestive power, moods and feelings, diurnal and seasonal rhythms among other lesser influences (such as cleanliness, ambience during eating, etc.). Ayurvedic culinary art is unique due to its emphasis on balancing ingredients and spices in a way to achieve optimal digestibility with a diet adapted to dik (direction or locale) and kāla (time of month and day, etc.). The satiating potency and prānic food value are based upon the singular axiom that the whole is much greater than the sum of its parts, just like the wholeness of the body itself. Therefore, cooked food must be much more than the sum of its ingredients.

Vāgbhata, a great Ayurvedācharya (Ayurvedic adept), has enumerated ten pairs of attributes exhibiting opposing qualities that apply equally to a food item or a specific dosha.

As a vegetarian, one of the prime sources of proteins and other nutrients is legumes. In countries like India where there are large numbers of vegetarians, legumes have always been an important part of the Ayurvedic diet. The everyday main meal is usually based around a soup with legumes as the main ingredient. The soup dishes are named after the bean or lentil and are served as the main course.

There is a prevailing deep relationship with bean or lentil soup because these legumes are deemed as an ancient crop linked with antiquity. Savouring a hearty soup has been hailed as a tasty way to imbibe the high protein content of these legumes. Vegetarians are often taught that the proteins from beans and lentils are the best for muscles. Besides milk and the various dairy products made from the milk of indigenous cows, legume protein is considered the best alternative to all other forms of animal protein. Practitioners of various schools of martial arts, hatha-yoga, yoga-vinyāsa traditions as well as ardent meditators rely heavily on legumes to maintain their flexible musculature.

The delectable flavour and art of cooking these legumes into sumptuous soups have earned a broad-based culinary appreciation in various parts of the world, especially in the Mediterranean and Persian diet. It is believed in India that the tradition of growing grains and legumes has thrived since agriculture came to be rooted in India some 15,000 years ago in the present cycle of inhabitation dating back to Vedic antiquity (archeo-genetic research data supports this notion!). Alongside animal husbandry, lentils have had a worldwide history of hand-husbandry, meaning that hearty soups for meals have a complete chain of caring hands at every stage from tilling, sowing, harvesting, threshing, cooking and relishing in the after-effects of a satiating meal. Like another major dry-land crop – millets, lentils are dry-farmed and mostly rain-fed, not needing irrigation. In parts of India, lentils are planted typically after the rice harvest and are known to survive wintry conditions prevalent when the crop is usually grown.

Legumes include a wide variety of beans, lentils and peas. The words legume, bean, lentil and pea can be used to refer to either the plant itself or the fruit it produces in the form of seeds. Edible legumes are also known as pulses. However ‘pulses’ can have a narrower definition meaning crops harvested for their dry seeds and this would exclude green beans and green peas, for example.

In biological terms, legumes can be defined as belonging to the Leguminosae or Fabaceae family consisting of over 10,000 species; some sources claim up to 18,000 species. Only about 200 are known to be cultivated and a much smaller number of pulses are readily available on the market for consumption. Lentils form a subcategory within the legume family known as Lens culinaris. Herein Lens is a Latin word which describes the shape of the seed of a cultivated legume. This name from the late 18th century is attributed to Medikus, a German botanist and physician.

A defining feature of the Leguminosae or Fabaceae family is that the seed is often inside a pod that has two halves with a seam down the middle. The pod is usually soft but in the case of the peanut, which is also classified as a legume, it grows hard and has to be broken open. Each legume is slightly different in the way the pod grows and what it contains. Sometimes the pod is edible as in the case of sugar snap peas which can be eaten whole, pod and all. There is a distinction between legumes like these that are picked when they are still green and those that are picked later when they are mature. Normally as the pod of a bean, pea or lentil reaches maturity, it turns yellow or brown and dries up. Meanwhile the beans, peas and lentils inside also dry up and turn from green to their final colouring.

Because the seeds are dry, soaking overnight is usually necessary before cooking except in the case of certain pulses where soaking in boiling water for 10 –20 minutes is sufficient. Bigger beans including the popular kidney beans and lima beans can be soaked overnight. Oftentimes, dried green or black whole chickpeas (chana) may be soaked overnight. If and when proper pressure cooking appliances are available, pre-soaking is unnecessary. Not only does soaking soften up the seeds but it can also relieve somewhat the cause of flatulence. The gaseous content stored for future germination is released upon soaking with hot water. However, two complex sugars, namely, raffinose and stachyose are very difficult to digest! The same sugars are found in grains such as wheat and rye, some members of the brassica family and certain root vegetables.

These indigestible sugars are fed upon and fermented by the gut bacteria. The fermentation releases gases. Along with mostly non-odourous hydrogen and carbon dioxide, a small pungent percentage that includes hydrogen sulphide is enough to embarrass and deter many from embracing a vegetarian diet, which relies largely on commonly cooked pulses! Of course the amounts of these sugars vary among plants within the same species. Similarly, the susceptibility to flatulence from cooked beans and lentils also varies among individuals.

The sea vegetable kombu has an extraordinary ability to render pulses more digestible and less gas-producing because it contains enzymes that help break down the raffinose sugars. Once these sugars are broken down, more of the nutrients are absorbable and less gas is produced thereby making the eating of legumes a more enjoyable experience. Typically a few inch-long strips of dried kombu can be used in cooking these soups. One strip per soup is enough.

The experience of flatulence is largely reduced and overcome by the use of complementary spice blends, especially those from the Apiaceae family of plants as well as other well-known Ayurvedic carminative seeds such as kalonji (nigella) and ajwain (carom). In Ayurveda, bean and lentil soups are often made according to the soli-lunar diet that synergizes the absorption of pulses in harmony with the energies of planets and luminaries they imbibe (see table at the end of this article). Secondly, the beans or lentils are taken in accordance with one’s basic dosha constitution (or body type) for increased digestion. The third primary guidance consists of balancing spices and special ingredients, which are mixed while cooking the soups so that all six tastes, namely, sweet, sour, salty, bitter, astringent and pungent, are all balanced.

The art of soup excellence then depends upon bean and lentil selection for the particular day and then balancing it for dosha constitution, and thereafter overcoming any shortcomings via spice blends and other special ingredients. Adding up to a cup of real buttermilk at the end rounds off the soup, gives it body and makes it colon friendly! Garnishing with copious amounts of fresh green herbs, especially cilantro, balances the agni and makes the food suitable for those who have dominant Pitta dosha. Moreover, cilantro has excellent blood cleansing properties. Similarly, curry leaves are added as blood thinners. Date jaggery is used as an iron supplement and to balance the sweet taste. Furthermore, fenugreek seeds or neem flowers are used to balance the bitter taste. Mustard seeds or mustard oil add to the pungent taste. Verily, turmeric adds to the astringent taste. Minerals are boosted by the use of high quality natural salts.

The art of balancing the six tastes while making the soup tri-doshic (acceptable to all three principal Ayurvedic dosha constitutions), digestible without flatulence using spices and special ingredients, and matched to the planetary energies is at the height of culinary accomplishment. When the flame is turned off at the end of cooking, and the heavier portion (including any other added vegetables) settles to the bottom leaving watery layers on top, then Ayurvedic soup-making is yet to be mastered! The whole soup needs to be uniform and balanced, delectable to the taste and surely satiating to hunger. One balanced soup meal that is low in sweet, sour and salty tastes and yet delicious is deemed enough to satisfy the palette for the day. Such is the benefit of an Ayurvedic balanced soup.

In order to make sure that the soup does not settle after cooking leaving watery layers on top, the correct relationship between cooking time and the tempering phase needs to be learnt from repeated practice. Water content varies based on pre-soaking versus pressure cooking the pulses. Such adjustments can be learnt from experimenting. Usually the rounded shapes of the pulses are not maintained and soups tend to become uniform. This is good for digestibility! If low flame or low heat is used throughout cooking, the soup will be nutritious. The aim is to preserve as much of the nascent taste of the pulses as possible. For this reason, a measured amount of water is used at the beginning and it is not advisable to keep on adding water during cooking. If water has to be added later, it should be added the minimal number of times possible. There is no fast and high heat cooking of legumes (unless pressure cooking is used); otherwise the protein quality might be compromised. Once the process is understood, it is difficult to mess up!

Another defining feature of legumes is that almost all of the members of the Leguminosae family are capable of fixing atmospheric nitrogen through the action of bacteria in their root system. Nitrogen acts as a fertilizer and is a constituent of protein. This explains why legumes are one of the best providers of protein in the plant kingdom. Legumes are also grown as forage for animals or ploughed back into the soil to increase the nitrogen as part of crop rotation with non-leguminous plants. These are known as ‘forage legumes’. Legumes fall into various categories including ‘grain legumes’ which are cultivated for their seeds and used for human consumption. They may also be used for the production of oils as is the case for soybeans, for example.

It should be noted that grain legumes are not the same as cereal grains. In fact, the protein composition of legumes and cereal grains complement each other very well in terms of providing a complete range of proteins or amino acids for a healthy diet. Indeed, this combination has formed the basis for popular vegetarian dishes around the world. For example, the Central Americans eat beans with corn tortillas or tacos, the Middle Eastern nations serve hummus (garbanzo spread) with pita bread while the lovers of Ayurveda serve bean or lentil soup with rice and various types of flat breads (such as those made with millet flour). Barley and lentils together make a very satisfying combination. However, bean or lentil soup is best combined with heirloom rice or heirloom millet especially if adhering to a gluten-free regimen.

Legumes provide a good source of protein, fibre and folate — all necessary for a healthy diet. Folate is especially important to pregnant women. According to the United States Department of Health from investigations of the requirements of adult women, three cups of legumes a week contain:

• 24% of the recommended weekly requirement of folate
• 15% of the recommended weekly requirement of protein
• 20% of the recommended weekly requirement of fibre

In addition to the above, legumes are a good source of phosphorus and magnesium among other minerals. However, these are general figures and though most legumes have significant amounts of protein, fibre and iron, the amounts vary from one type to another.

• High protein content. A non-animal source of digestible protein
• Good source of dietary fibre
• Low in fat
• About half a cupful provides about a quarter of folate requirements for women
• A good source of phosphorus, potassium, iron, zinc, calcium and selenium
• Vitamins include thiamin (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), B5 and B6
• Rich in antioxidants

Below is a short summary of nutritional qualities listing some of the more commonly consumed beans.

• Black-eyed peas – these beans contain more calcium than any other bean; good source of folate and magnesium. Split black-eyed peas are commonly known as the chora lentil often used in making creamy soups.
• Kidney beans – high fibre source and a rich antioxidant bean that is cooked as a popular Ayurvedic dish called rajma.
• Red beans – an excellent source of iron and a top antioxidant bean containing more antioxidants than blueberries when compared by weight.
• Black beans – in addition to ranking among the best source of antioxidants among beans, black beans are a high source of magnesium and iron.
• Pinto beans – a high source of selenium among beans, they are also known for higher antioxidant power than the blueberry.
• Green gram – small olive-green beans (mung) available whole or split. Good source of iron, thiamin, riboflavin and folate with some potassium and calcium.
• Red gram – small round brownish cream beans popularly known as pigeon peas (toor or tuvar) available whole or split. Rich in iron and potassium with some calcium.
• Black Bengal gram – these beans look similar in shape and size to whole green gram but are black (urad). They are available as whole and split. When the outer layers are husked, they are creamy-white in colour. They have markedly higher fibre content in comparison to chickpeas.
• Chickpeas – the most well-known chickpea (chana) is the whitish garbanzo bean which is round, rough on the outside and pointed at one end. They are available both as whole and split. Good source of protein, iron, folate, phosphorus and dietary fibre.

The risk of gluten sensitivity and other complications from engineered grains pose a serious issue with the use of grains. Much is being said about the relationship between grains and neurological disorders. The results of studies on gluten sensitivities are compelling. A gluten-free diet has become a necessity. Engineered wheat is falling out of favour. Compared to heirloom varieties of einkorn wheat and emmer wheat, the additional glue and chromosomal aberrations have made the commercially available hybrid wheat provoke a massive health crisis. Interest has surged in the whole paradigm of co-evolution based on heirloom selection in harmony with microclimates. It is obvious that our genetic evolution is not able to keep up with the reengineering speed of these foods laced with gluten like the commercially available wheat. Ayurvedic nutritionists are valuing the heirloom strains and looking closer into the ancient wisdom of using millets to balance a meal which has the legume soup as the centrepiece. This is also because, once gluten sensitivity has been triggered, even low-gluten grains are being found to trigger this intolerance.

The intestines are unable to cope with gluten, causing an immune response and inflammation, which travels through the blood to other parts of the body. The brain is especially vulnerable. From the perspectives of Ayurveda and Yoga philosophy, a leaky gut implies also that the blood-brain barrier has been compromised. The small intestine and the brain are correlated in yoga practices as being similar and related evolutes. The small intestine are able to spread and float easily while the brain is restrained! The agni is seated in the small intestine and by various yoga and breathing techniques, this energy is transferred to the brain for more power and higher functional associative memory (smriti). This forms the core of the practices that raise the samāna-prāna from the solar plexus region to the brain via the sushumnā-nādi of the spinal cord using breath-hold techniques such as vāyu-bhaxana. The purpose of the well-known breath-hold practice of agnisāra-dhauti is to fine-tune the function of the jatharāgni or the digestive fire related to the small intestine.

Once gluten sensitivity and the attendant inflammation (excess of positive ions) have crossed a threshold, which varies from person to person, cognitive degradation and the onset of dementia can be triggered. Neurological case studies are now verifying the Ayurvedic wisdom warning about such excesses. Even though a direct causal relationship between memory loss and gluten is yet to be fully established, the correlation between memory recovery and abstinence from grains is enough to make us re-examine our dietary patterns. The crucial question is whether the gluten-free grains of today also provoke dementia, and this remains a question for further investigation.

However, Ayurveda is clear in its approach. Ayurveda deems the small intestine as the seat of agni and attaches great importance to the digestive fire jatharāgni. Ayurveda supports an alkaline diet and looks carefully into the post-digestive effect (vipāka) of edibles because it seeks to contain inflammation. Ayurveda has had a long history of delineating how the immune response (which brings about inflammation) can affect the brain. It recognizes inflammation (excess positive ions or agni tattwa) as the start of degenerative processes, and hence strongly recommends balancing the diet with soma-rich alkaline foods. If the small intestine as the seat of agni (fire principle) are properly maintained, the fogging of the brain can be avoided; such is the clarity of Ayurveda!

Check the carbs! We keep hearing about carbohydrates that readily break down into sugar and affect insulin sensitivity. We need to better understand the Ayurvedic emphasis on plant-based starch when addressing the concerns about sugar derived from carbohydrates. All starches are carbohydrates whereas not all carbohydrates are starches. Carbohydrates are usually classified into sugar, starch and cellulose, based on how many sugar molecules (saccharides) are bonded together. Starch is a polysaccharide typically comprised of a few hundred to a thousand glucose molecules. In contrast, simple sugars are monosaccharides or disaccharides. For example, honey belongs to the sugar group but is not a starch. As per this classification, milk also belongs to the sugar group (due to its lactose content). Most fruits belong to this sugar category of carbohydrates. The third category, cellulose, contains a chain of well over 1,000 glucose units and is the main source of indigestible carbohydrates in our diet. Ayurveda recommends plant-based cellulose as the primary source of high quality fibre for our regular diet. The soluble fibre is meant to assist the fermentation of our food. The insoluble part is meant to increase the bulk of the stool, maintain consistency and thus assist in continence. Yes, fibre plays an important role in balancing our gut feelings! Fibre helps reduce inflammation.

Ayurvedic plant-based meal planning has another dimension which is connected with the blood sugar levels and insulin sensitivity. Let us consider the fact that wheat, maize, millet, rice and legumes (pulses) are full of starch. Both grains and legumes form an essential component of an Ayurvedic meal plan. In general, vegetables are low in starch. They are eaten fresh or lightly cooked to retain their vitamins and minerals in a high prānic state. The starch is broken down into glucose units by enzymes at a slower rate maintaining the bacteria in a balanced state during the digestive and post-digestive process. Ayurvedic meal planning prefers the starchy grains and legumes but also takes into account their fats and proteins. Starchy food has a low fat content but fats are typically supplemented by small amounts of ghee and coconut oil. The protein content of starchy food is also supplemented by the use of legumes. The fat and protein become somewhat balanced when grains and legumes are combined.

The glycemic index (GI) is a scale that ranks carbohydrates by how much they raise blood sugar levels. This index is based on the characteristics of the carbohydrates and how fast they can be broken down. GI is widely used as an indicator for comparing different types of food but it can be somewhat misleading because it is not based on the actual size of a serving. That’s why glycemic load (GL) is a more useful indicator. Thus, a watermelon has a high GI but a low GL. The GI is based on consuming five cups of watermelon whereas the GL is based on a typical serving of one cup. Watermelon consists of large quantities of water, as the name suggests, and therefore consuming a cupful of watermelon will not dramatically boost blood sugar levels. Basing a diet largely on counting the GI or GL is a rather restrictive way to make food choices, but if one does so, the difference between GI and GL needs to be taken into account along with prānic value.

Wheat scores high on the GI scale. Whether whole-wheat bread or white bread made from refined wheat flour, these types of bread are well known to produce a surge in blood glucose. The composition of the starch consumed is a vital factor in the impact that food has on blood sugar levels. Some components of starch such as amylose are slow to be digested into sugars and this is advantageous because it reduces the risk of spikes in blood sugar levels. Most starchy foods also contain cellulose. This increased fibre allows for a lower glycemic load and thus the blood sugar level is raised relatively slowly. Millets have a low glycemic load compared to most other grains but even the popular gluten-free replacement grains such as quinoa and amaranth have some glycemic load.

If blood sugar levels are raised quickly, the pancreas compensates with higher levels of insulin to reduce blood sugar. It also ushers in higher levels of triglycerides. Rapidly increasing or frequently high levels of insulin make the cells less receptive to insulin leading to the classical symptoms of insulin resistance. Obviously, this can lead to the onset of diabetes or obesity. Nevertheless, grains remain an essential part of our diets as they have been in the past.

Ayurveda considers estrogen to be the hormone of abundance and insulin to be the hormone of longevity. Ayurveda does not stop with high quality raw ingredients; it lays down the foundation for mixing and balancing these ingredients from nature into a healthy regular diet. While insulin resistance might be linked with memory loss and dementia, Ayurveda focuses on a diet that is designed for sharper memory and tries to balance the body constitution based on a deeper understanding of what is the immune response and the resultant inflammation. It is possible to control the blood sugar by way of Ayurvedic dietary choices. Whether most grains should be omitted due to modification, especially by stripping off the fibre, remains to be seen. Engineered starchy food, such as grains devoid of fibre, is rapidly converted into glucose when consumed, promptly raising the blood sugar level. Another post-digestive complication is that extra gluten in modern wheat can lead to severe gluten intolerance. Once the body has become sensitized to gluten, it might be difficult to reverse the effects of gluten sensitivity. Despite containing natural gluten, unmodified heirloom strains of wheat (such as einkorn) may not induce gluten intolerance and can be embraced due to other beneficial qualities of wheat.

Ayurveda recommends eating plant-based starch rich in fibre (and cellulose) in meals that also contain proteins and fats. Grains and legumes supplemented by seasonal vegetables with high prāna, cooked on a low heat to retain colour, provide the micronutrients and supply the necessary calorific energy. Ayurveda shows how grains combined with legumes meet the majority of our energy needs. Ayurvedic combinations of steamed fermented foods are designed to honour the communication between intestinal flora and the brain, and hence the gut microbes are nurtured to maintain friendly gut bacteria.

The Ayurvedic dosha composition of sapta-dhātu (the seven root vital tissues) constituting the physical body is as follows:

1. chyle (rasa) – lymphatic fluid that boosts immunity and cleanses blood
2. blood (rakta) – nourishes muscle and flesh, maintains the complexion, distributes nutrition
3. muscle (mānsa) – braces the skeletal structure, nourishes fatty tissues, facilitates movement
4. fat (meda) – adipose tissue that greases the limbs and eyes, stabilizes by nourishing bones
5. bone (asthi) – maintains sturdiness of bodily structure and stature, nourishes the marrow
6. marrow (majjā) – strengthens the bones, nourishes the seminal fluid
7. seminal fluid (shukra/artava) – assimilates prānic energy and gives the capacity to procreate

Herein five out of the seven constituents are Kapha dominant. Blood is Pitta dominant whereas bone is Vāta dominant; the rest of the vital tissues are known to be Kapha dominant. Based on this analysis, over 70% of all vital tissues are deemed kaphaja or dominated by Kapha dosha. Furthermore, the total water content of the body is about the same percentage. These figures show why madhura-varga food (capable of providing energy by breaking down into sugar) made up of grains and carbohydrates that help sustain the Kapha constituency have been part of the vegetarian diet and are here to stay. Obviously, high fibre complex carbs are preferable.