Understanding Doshas

This page isn't going to teach you everything you need to know about Doshas, but hopefully we can get you started, and wanting to learn more. But if you are looking to get a good quickstart understanding, here is our bullet-pointed, 200 words on your first step into the world of Ayurveda.

Ayurvedists recognize that the world is comprised of five elements: 

  • Space
  • Air
  • Fire
  • Water
  • Earth. 

Five Elements of Ayurveda Fire Water Earth Wind Ether

Those five elements then combine into three natural and common combinations -- effectively human constitutions:

  • Pitta (Fire and Water)
  • Vata (Wind and Space)
  • Kapha (Water and Earth) 

You will naturally be defined primarily by one of these, and to smaller and varying degrees by the other two. Your Dosha then has implications across the board -- from your body composition and frame, to your eating habits, thought processes, tones and rhythms of speech.

Know your Dosha to know your strengths and needs. Learn what foods are right for you, what supplements you should take, what kind of exercise, recreation, and relaxation you should partake in.  

But that's only the beginning. Your Dosha will only get you so far. You will want to get in touch with your trusted Ayurvedic practitioner to assemble a more tailored and more precise plan, and we can help you with that here. But knowing and strategizing around your Dosha needs gets you started.

For example, you can check out the tables just below here to understand the foods that work best for you. These are just for Fruits, Veggies, and Daily, but please send us an email to info@ayurmegha.com if you'd like to see the full set of tables in a more visually pleasing manner.

But just in case you can't readily get your hands on tamarind, taro root, and turmeric, or don't care to spend the time properly preparing them, we can help you find the appropriate dietary supplements to keep your nutritional strategies optimal for your Dosha. Simply check out Kottakkal's website to peruse their offering.  Or better yet, set up a quick session with one of our Vaidya to hone in on a more refined nutritional strategy, and enjoy a 10% on their products: 

 FRUITS
Vata Pitta Kapha
Avoid Favor Avoid Favor Avoid Favor
Generally most dried fruit Generally most sweet fruit Generally most sour fruit Generally most sweet fruit Generally most sweet & sour fruit Apples
Apples (raw) Apples (cooked) Apples (sour) Apples (sweet) Avocado Applesauce
Cranberries Applesauce Apricots (sour) Applesauce Bananas Apricots
Dates (dry) Apricots Bananas Apricots (sweet) Coconut Berries
Figs (dry) Avocado Berries (sour) Avocado Dates Cherries
Pears Bananas Cherries (sour) Berries (sweet) Figs (fresh) Cranberries
Persimmons Berries Cranberries Cherries (sweet) Grapefruit Figs (dry)*
Pomegranates Cherries Grapefruit Coconut Kiwi Grapes*
Raisins (dry) Coconut Grapes (green) Dates Mangos** Lemons*
Prunes (dry) Dates (fresh) Kiwi** Figs Melons Limes*
Watermelon Figs (fresh) Lemons Grapes (red & purple) Oranges Peaches*
Grapefruit Mangoes (green) Limes* Papaya Pears
Grapes Oranges (sour) Mangoes (ripe) Pineapple Persimmons
Kiwi Peaches Melons Plums Pomegranates
Lemons Persimmons Oranges (sweet)* Rhubarb Prunes
Limes Pineapple (sour) Papaya* Tamarind Raisins
Mangoes Plums (sour) Pears Watermelon Strawberries*
Melons Rhubarb Pineapple (sweet)*
Oranges Tamarind Plums (sweet)
Papaya Pomegranates
Peaches Prunes
Pineapple Raisins
Plums Strawberries*
Prunes (soaked) Watermelon
Raisins (soaked)
Rhubarb
Strawberries
Tamarind

 

 VEGETABLES
Vata Pitta Kapha
Avoid Favor Avoid Favor Avoid Favor
Generally frozen, raw or dried vegetables In general, vegetables should be cooked In general, pungent vegetables In general, sweet & bitter vegetables In general, sweet & juicy vegetables In general, most pungent & bitter vegetables
Artichoke Asparagus Beet greens Artichoke Cucumber Artichoke
Beet greens** Beets Beets (raw) Asparagus Olives, black or green Asparagus
Bitter melon Cabbage* (cooked) Burdock root Beets (cooked) Parsnips** Beet greens
Broccoli Carrots Corn (fresh)** Bitter melon Potatoes, sweet Beets
Brussels sprouts Cauliflower* Daikon radish Broccoli Pumpkin Bitter melon
Burdock root Cilantro Eggplant** Brussels sprouts Squash, summer Broccoli
Cabbage (raw) Cucumber Garlic Cabbage Taro root Brussels sprouts
Cauliflower (raw) Daikon radish* Green chilies Carrots (cooked) Tomatoes (raw) Burdock root
Celery Fennel (Anise) Horseradish Carrots (raw)* Zucchini Cabbage
Corn (fresh)** Garlic Kohlrabi ** Cauliflower Carrots
Dandelion greens Green beans Leeks (raw) Celery Cauliflower
Eggplant Green chilies Mustard greens Cilantro Celery
Horseradish** Jerusalem Olives, green Cucumber Cilantro
Kale Artichoke* Onions (raw) Dandelion greens Corn
Kohlrabi Leafy greens* Peppers (hot) Fennel (Anise) Daikon radish
Mushrooms Leeks Prickly pear (fruit) Green beans Dandelion greens
Olives, green Lettuce* Radishes (raw) Jerusalem artichoke Eggplant
Onions (raw) Mustard greens* Spinach (cooked)** Kale Fennel (Anise)
Peas (raw) Okra Spinach (raw) Leafy greens Garlic
Peppers, sweet & hot Olives, black Tomatoes Leeks (cooked) Green beans
Potatoes, white Onions (cooked)* Parsley* Turnip greens Lettuce Green chilies
Prickly pear (fruit & leaves) Parsnip Turnips Mushrooms Horseradish
Radish (raw) Peas (cooked) Okra Jerusalem artichoke
Squash, winter Potatoes, sweet Olives, black Onions (cooked) Kale
Tomatoes (cooked)** Pumpkin Parsley Kohlrabi
Tomatoes (raw) Turnips Radishes (cooked)* Parsnips Leafy greens
Wheat grass, sprouts Rutabaga Peas Leeks
Spaghetti squash* Peppers, sweet Lettuce Mushrooms
Spinach (cooked)* Potatoes, sweet & white Mustard greens
Spinach (raw)* Prickly pear (leaves) Okra
Sprouts* Pumpkin Onions
Squash, summer Radishes (cooked) Parsley
Taro root Rutabaga Peas
Turnip greens* Spaghetti squash Peppers, sweet & hot
Watercress Sprouts (not spicy) Potatoes, white
Zucchini Squash, winter and summer Prickly pear (fruit & leaves)
Taro root Radishes
Watercress* Rutabaga
Wheat grass, sprouts Spaghetti squash*
Zucchini Spinach
Sprouts
Squash, winter
Tomatoes (cooked)
Turnip greens
Turnips
Watercress
Wheat grass, sprouts

 

 DAIRY
Vata Pitta Kapha
Avoid Favor Avoid Favor Avoid Favor
Cow's milk (powdered) Most dairy is good! Butter (salted) Butter (unsalted) Butter (salted) Buttermilk*
Goat's milk (powdered) Butter Buttermilk Cheese (soft, not aged, unsalted) Butter (unsalted)** Cottage cheese (from skimmed goat's milk)
Yogurt (plain, frozen or w/ fruit) Buttermilk Cheese (hard) Cottage cheese Cheese (soft & hard) Ghee*
Favor Butter Sour cream Cow's milk Cow's milk Goat's cheese (unsalted & not aged)*
Cheese (hard)* Yogurt (plain, frozen or w/fruit) Ghee Ice cream Goat's milk, skim
Cheese (soft) Favor Goat's milk Sour cream Yogurt (diluted)
Cottage cheese Goat's cheese (soft, unsalted) Yogurt (plain, frozen or w/fruit)
Cow's milk Ice cream
Ghee Yogurt (freshly made & diluted)*
Goat's cheese
Goat's milk
Ice cream*
Sour cream*
Yogurt (diluted & spiced)*

 

For more information on your best food and supplement choices, please email us at info@ayurmegha.com, and check out our nutritional supplements here.