Free tool · Ayurvedic diet

Foods by dosha

Which foods keep your constitution in balance, and which to ease off. Choose a dosha and browse, or search any food.

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FavourIn moderationReduce

Swaps

Ayurvedic substitutes

Simple, kinder swaps for everyday foods that tend to unsettle the doshas.

Coffee → CCF tea or roasted chicory coffee aggravates Vata and Pitta

Cold milk → Warm spiced milk cold milk is heavy and dulls digestion

Iced drinks → Warm or room-temperature water cold weakens the digestive fire

Cow's milk, for Kapha types → Warm almond or oat milk dairy tends to increase Kapha and mucus

White sugar → Jaggery, or raw honey for Kapha refined sugar increases Kapha and ama

Raw salad, for Vata types → Lightly steamed or sautéed vegetables raw, cold food aggravates Vata

Black tea → Tulsi or ginger tea caffeine unsettles Vata and Pitta

Chilli heat, for Pitta types → Cumin, coriander and fennel hot spices inflame Pitta

Vinegar dressing, for Pitta types → Lime with a little salt sour, fermented foods aggravate Pitta

Wheat bread, for Kapha types → Millet or barley wheat is heavy and increases Kapha

Yoghurt at night → Spiced buttermilk (takra) yoghurt is heavy and increases Kapha and Pitta

Deep-fried snacks → Roasted chickpeas or spiced nuts fried food is heavy and creates ama

Ice cream → Stewed sweet fruit with cardamom cold and sweet sharply increases Kapha

Red meat, for Pitta types → Mung dal or fresh paneer red meat is heating and heavy

Fizzy soft drinks → Fennel or mint water sugary fizzy drinks disturb all three doshas

Refined vegetable oil → Ghee or cold-pressed sesame oil refined oils are harder to digest

Dried fruit, for Vata types → Soaked raisins or dates dry food aggravates Vata; soaking softens it

Raw garlic and onion, for Pitta → Asafoetida (hing) and ginger raw alliums are heating and sharp

Reheated leftovers → Freshly cooked meals stale food loses vitality and breeds ama

Late heavy dinner → Light soup or kitchari heavy late food is hard to digest at night

Bananas, for Kapha types → Stewed apple or pear bananas are heavy and increase Kapha

Very sour citrus, for Pitta → Sweet pomegranate or grapes very sour fruit aggravates Pitta

Aged cheese, for Kapha types → Fresh paneer in small amounts aged cheese is heavy and Kapha-forming

Energy drinks → Soaked-almond and date drink stimulants deplete Ojas and unsettle Vata