Ayurveda stresses the importance of food as medicine to heal and optimize our health. It can be your guide to balancing yourself, so these issues of stress, insomnia, low energy, obesity, and illness fade away. We want to give you our list of our grocery basics!
In Ayurveda you want to improve and regularize three main things about our digestive system: absorption, assimilation, and elimination. It is important to have a high functioning Agni (digestive fire) and assimilation processes to get rid of Ama (toxins stored in our fat cells) for optimal health.
To do this it is important to have a sattvic (balanced, pure, fresh) diet. This means avoiding any foods that are too rajastic (fiery) or tamasic (spoiled) foods. Sattvic foods are easy to digest and make you feel energized after consumption. They don’t make you feel heavy, lethargic, or over- stimulated. They are foods filled with prana (life force)! Avoid frozen, fried foods, or left-overs older than two days. Sattvic foods naturally help build up your immunity and fight illnesses or inflammation.
Below are some tri-doshic grocery staples, meaning they work for most! These foods and spices are generally good all year round. Other groceries change season to season. We will be entering spring soon so we will add more dark leafy greens for spring detoxification and cut out dairy products to reduce phlegm and congestion from colds!
Ayurvedic Grocery Staples:
Spices:
Turmeric
Fresh ginger
Cumin seeds
Fenugreek seeds
Coriander seeds
Mustard seeds
Black pepper
Asafoetida
Ajwain
Grains:
Basmati rice
Split red-lentils
Split-mung bean
Oatmeal- steel cut or rolled
Quinoa
Barley
Farro
Oils:
Ghee (clarified butter) Buy grass-fed, organic ghee. You can also buy grass-fed organic butter and make ghee yourself.
Coconut oil (especially in summer)
Sesame oil (especially in winter)
Sunflower oil (especially in spring)
Avocado Oil
Seasonal fruits and vegetables for winter into spring:
*check your local farmer’s market to see what’s in season!
Red Chard
Radicchio
Oranges
Beets
Broccoli
Kale
Dandelion Greens
Broccoli Rabe
Carrots
Cabbage
Brussel sprouts
Grapefruit
Cauliflower
Mandarins
Chard
Apples
Lemons
Mushrooms
Sweet potato