By As far as diet is concerned, there are lots of suggestions that you’ll find on the internet or you may hear people giving you advice on what to eat and what to not. A Yogic diet is different from other diets as it is based on certain Yoga principles. Yogic diet or Sattvic diet is referred to as the diet in which the yogi has to consume all unprocessed and natural food that is devoid of any preservatives and additives. However, you can have the food as per your choice- raw, steamed, boiled or lightly cooked.
As per the Yogic beliefs, Sattvic food is desirable for any individual who aspires to be a yogi. It not only gives proper nourishment but also helps in soul purification. The Yogic diet helps in living a peaceful life, aids in smooth energy flow between the body and the mind. Some of the Sattvic foods include- Seeds, nuts, legumes, milk, butter, cheese, ghee, herb teas, honey, fruit juices made out of real fruits, and fresh vegetables.
A Perfect Diet for New Yogis: Foods to eat
Yoga diet plays a crucial role because the food you intake will directly impact your health. You cannot eat junk and reap the benefits of yoga exercises. To maximize the health of the benefits of yoga, it’s important to follow a meal regime. The Yogic diet is not a believer in counting calories that you obtain from foods or other minerals and vitamins. A sattvic diet should be purely vegetarian as per the Yogic philosophy. However, you may not necessarily need to avoid having meat, but if you want to practice holistic yoga, a vegetarian diet is a must.
The explanation behind this concept is that a Sattvic diet helps in enhancing Sattwa, which is one of the three ‘Gunas’ as mentioned by the Samkhya School of Hindu Philosophy. Sattwa is one of the three Gunas that merges the calming force with the eternal spirit. Sattvic foods help in enhancing our physical and mental wellbeing and help us in experiencing peace and tranquillity.
Some of the best foods for yoga beginners are:
- All types of fresh fruits can be taken, including juices made out of these fruits.
- Having 10 to 12 glasses of water every day. 2 or 3 glasses of water to be taken after waking up and one glass of water to be taken half an hour before every meal.
- All types of raw and green leafy vegetables- cauliflower, cabbage, beetroot, tomato, cucumber, and others.
- Sugar, honey, maple, molasses
- Oats, rice, bread and other whole grains
- Sweet spices can be taken like ginger, cumin, cinnamon, basil, mint, cardamom.
- Plant-based oils to be taken- Olive oil, sesame oil, sunflower oil
Foods that you must avoid:
The yoga diet excludes the following foods mentioned below. If you want to be a true yogi, the following foods should be avoided: junk food, processed food, microwave food, white sugar, white flour, onion, garlic, spicy foods, tobacco, alcohol, stimulants, tea, coffee, and lastly, you should never drink water while eating.
Conclusion
That is it for today! As soon as you start doing yoga, indulge in the diet specified above to get the utmost benefits of it.
