Your Guide to Ayurvedic Superfoods

To embrace the benefits of Ayurveda, you must watch what you eat. Dietary habits in Ayurveda or Ahar say that the foods eaten should have any one of the six tastes: sweet, salty, sour, bitter, astringent, and pungent. Eating the right foods promote sattva or purity, detoxes, and rejuvenates the body leading to an increase in physical and mental strength, immunity, and digestion. 

If you are striving to accomplish all the above, it is high time you bid goodbye to temporary crash diets and focus on Ayurvedic superfoods. Read more about Ayurvedic superfoods in this article on Your Guide to Ayurvedic Superfoods. 

What Are Superfoods? 
 

Anyone interested in living a healthy life must have come across the word “superfoods”. A superfood is mostly described as a nutritious food with exceptional health benefits. Plant-based food that gives superhuman energy, or greens supplement that promotes robust immune health. 

When we look at superfoods from an Ayurvedic perspective, the concept applies to the foods, spices, and herbs that best serve the individual and specific health needs at any time, rather than applying it to a specific plant species. 

While all the different definitions of superfoods are appropriate, there is officially no legal definition for “superfood”. You will be surprised to learn that the term was coined as a marketing tool!  

The Benefits of Superfoods
 

When we look at most of the foods and herbs classified as superfoods, we find a lot of similar characteristics from an Ayurvedic viewpoint. Aside from their specific characteristics, in this article on Your Guide to Ayurvedic Superfoods we discuss some of their shared benefits as well: 

• Nutrient-dense: Herbal superfoods provide a high quantity of essential vitamins and minerals which makes them nutrient-rich foods. Some foods also have high levels of fiber, antioxidants, and essential amino acids. 
• Rejuvenating: Generally, all superfoods are rejuvenating and nourishing. In Ayurvedic terms, it is called Rasayana or substances that regenerate and renew the tissues. They also help to cultivate healthy Ojas or the body’s reserve of strength and vigor. 
• Multiple benefits: Superfoods offer several benefits and support the body in various ways. Most herbal foods have an affinity for more than one system or organ. 
• Energizing and Vitalizing: Most superfoods have an energizing effect on your body, which contributes to a sense of well-being and vitality. 
• Supports Immune Function: Superfoods share a characteristic of helping to build strong immune function. While some superfoods directly help the immune system, others indirectly aid immunity by cultivating the basis of overall health. 

Different herbal superfoods also have an affinity for different parts of the body, which helps support a wide range of targeted actions and benefits. 

Ayurvedic Superfoods and Superherbs
 

Ayurveda acknowledges that many commonly used foods and herbs are filled with extraordinary beneficial properties. Here are some of the best herbal superfoods for you to try:

• Amalaki:  Amalaki is also known as emblica officinalis or amla. It is a small sour fruit with many benefits for your body. It rejuvenates the tissues, supports the immune system, and also promotes healthy digestion and elimination. It is widely known for its high quantity of vitamin C, as well as other vital nutrients like calcium and iron. 
• Ginger: One of the most widely used spices in the world, Ginger has wonderful medicinal properties that extend throughout your body, supporting strong immune function, healthy digestion, and relief from physical discomfort. 
• Turmeric: Another well-used and loved herb, Turmeric brings relief to joints and also supports the heart, the immune system, the brain, digestion, and many more. 
• Aswagandha: Ayurveda’s most popular super herbal food, Aswagandha has a rejuvenating quality and adapts to your body’s needs. It supports everything from sound sleep to energy to a calm nervous system to reproductive health. 
• Moringa: Moringa powder is gaining immense popularity as a superfood due to its essential vitamins and minerals, and many beneficial properties. Every part of the moringa plant is protein-rich and edible. 

Ayurveda & a Healthy Diet: Some Principles
 

As per Ayurveda, poor digestion is the main cause of poor health. Healthy digestion is like a strong fire that transforms the food you eat into easily-absorbed nutrients and easily-eliminated waste. The word for digestive fire in Ayurveda is Agni. 

Eating incorrect foods, eating too much or too little, or wrong combinations of foods diminishes our Agni. Poor Agni leads to poor digestion. 

Some principles to follow for a healthy diet: 

Always eat fresh foods. Try to cook the right amount of food you need for the day, or at the most for the next day too. Old food has very little life or prana. 

Avoid preserved, canned, microwaved, or frozen foods. Always try to eat the freshest food that is available to you. Be mindful of your body and the strength of your appetite. Eat light foods to satisfy your appetite and do not overeat. 

Conclusion
 

Watch what you eat and avoid poor digestion. Focus on eating Ayurvedic superfoods for the overall health of your body. Rejuvenate your mind and body with a healthy Ayurvedic lifestyle.

School of Ayurveda and Panchakarma, the best Ayurveda College in Kerala, offers the best Ayurvedic treatments and professional practitioners. For Ayurveda aspiring students, we provide Ayurveda certification courses online.