According to the practice of Ayurveda, a traditional medicine used in India, a dosha that has become aggravated should be balanced by adhering to a lifestyle and diet that opposes it. Vata characteristics include dryness, coolness, lightness, roughness and constant movement. The way to balance it with diet is to include foods that are moist, oily, soft, heavy, smooth and warm.
Include Fat
Fat-free diets are not for someone who needs to balance Vata. Vata-balancing foods should contain a little ghee (clarified butter) or be prepared with olive oil. Avoid heating olive oil to high temperatures, as it may not be as effective in healing an imbalanced Vata dosha. Olive oil is best used when drizzled over warm vegetables, cooked grains or soft flatbreads. Ghee, on the other hand, can be heated and still retain its effectiveness. Do not hesitate to use Ghee to saute foods.
Cooked Foods
Warm or hot cooked foods are good for balancing Vata. Hot cereal, rice pudding, pureed or hearty soups, cooked fruit, and warm or hot beverages such as warm milk are comforting and healing components of a Vata-balancing diet.
Helpful Spices
Spicy foods are also generally fine to include in the diet as they are warming and enhance digestion. Using small portions of turmeric, coriander, dried ginger, black pepper, cumin and saffron is a healing and tasty option. Notice what you are cooking, however, and add the spices you think will best complement your meal.
Three Tastes
Sweet, sour and salty tastes should be included in a Vata-balancing diet. Do your best to incorporate them with your daily meals. Salted, toasted sunflower or pumpkin seeds are a good snack. Milk, citrus fruits, and dried fruits are also helpful to add to the diet.
Vegetables
The best vegetable choices are carrots, beets, sweet potatoes, green beans, softer leafy greens, asparagus, radishes, onions, cucumbers, and zucchini squashes. Vata-balancing spices help make these vegetables more digestible, especially when the vegetables of choice have been chopped and cooked well.
Nuts and Grains
Nuts such as walnuts, hazelnuts and cashews are good snack choices for someone with an imbalanced Vata dosha. Grains such as oats, wheat, and rice are helpful meal components. Basmati rice, in particular, is an ideal Vata-balancing food. It can be flavored with some salt and ghee. Wheat, especially in fresh whole wheat flatbreads, can be made more flavorful when drizzled with melted ghee. Combine whole wheat flatbreads with cooked vegetables for an excellent Vata-balancing meal.
What to Avoid
The following might aggravate the Vata dosha: Dry foods such as crackers and dry, cold cereal; raw foods such as salads and sprouts; bitter, astringent, pungent tastes; nightshades and larger beans; refined white flour and sugar;
vegetables such as celery, cabbage, tomatoes, cauliflower, mushrooms and potatoes; fruits such as apples, pomegranates, and pears; smoking, alcohol and junk food.
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