Kapha Dosha Diet
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Kapha Dosha
Elements: water & earth
Taste: pungent, bitter & astringent
Qualities: oily, heavy, slow/dull, cold, liquid, slimy/smooth, dense, soft, static
Locations: lungs, stomach, pancreas, white matter of brain, cerebrospinal fluid, nose, tongue, chest, fat tissue
Functions: groundedness; lubrication; nourishment; growth; electrolyte balance; fat regulation; memory retention; strength & stamina; contentment; forgiveness; resilience; support & stability; sleep; repair & regeneration; compassion; taste and olfactory (smell) perception; immunity
Causes for Provocation: sleeping during the day; eating sweet, salty & sour foods, cold, oily, sticky foods; meats & fish; dairy; overeating; winter & early spring
Kapha Dosha Diet
Because Ayurveda treats the whole person and no two people are alike, there isn’t a set prescribed diet for all Kapha dosha people to follow. There are however, some generalized recommendations for Kapha predominate people.
Emphasize the tastes of pungent, bitter and astringent
Eat foods that are warm, light and dry
Drink tulsi, herbal chai or ginger teas
Drink room temperature or warm water, no cold water
Avoid heavy foods like meat, chocolate, dairy, and cheese
Avoid oily foods like deep-fried and fried foods as well as salted nuts
Avoid sweeteners and sweet foods, a small amount of raw honey is okay
Avoid cold foods like frozen foods, ice cream, iced drinks and foods, especially cold dairy products
Avoid salty foods especially salted nuts
Favor pungent spices like ginger, black pepper, cinnamon, and clove
Favor bitter vegetables like brussel sprouts, cabbage, broccoli, bitter leafy greens like dandelion, kale, arugula, swiss chard and collards
Steam vegetables and add warming, pungent spices
Favor light foods like sprouts and salads at room temperature (if tolerated)
Favor dry grains like barley, rye, corn, millet and buckwheat
Favor lean proteins like beans, lentils, egg whites and white meat chicken, turkey and fish
Don’t be too ridged and averse to change; challenge and change are good for Kapha
Eat in a calm environment where you feel safe and comfortable
Eat a light breakfast or skip it if you can so you don’t eat before 10am (6am-10am is Kapha time of day) and eat dinner by 6-6:30pm
Eat only until you feel full, refrain from snacking and late-night eating
Avoid dairy since it is heavy, moist and oily which are all aggravating to Kapha; dairy also is mucus forming according to Ayurveda and can cause more congestion for Kapha
If you are interested in delving deeper into the Kapha Dosha Diet, schedule an Ayurvedic Consultation with us.
Also check out these Ayurvedic recipes for Kapha Dosha
