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SATTVIC DIET
A Sattvik diet is a pure vegetarian diet which includes seasonal fresh fruit,
ample of fresh vegetables, whole grain, pulses, sprouts, dried nuts, seeds,
honey, fresh herbs, milk and dairy products which are free from animal
rennet. These foods raise sattva or our consciousness levels. Sattvik foods
are cooked and eaten with love, gratitude and awareness. A sattvik person
is calm, peaceful, serene, amicable, full of energy, enthusiasm, health,
hope, aspirations, creativity and balanced personality. An added advantage
of sattvic diet -helps to keep the weight in check and very effective method
of weight loss. A sattvik food will become tamasic when over processed,
kept for a longer period or deep-fried.
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Bhagvad Gita guidelines on Diet & Gunas
The food individuals eat influences their thought processes and nature and
vice versa. The Chhāndogya Upaniṣhad also emphasises on satvik foods
since eating such foods purifies the mind and becomes part of our pure
consciousness. “āhāra śhuddhau sattva śhuddhiḥ” (7.26.2) People with
pure mind prefer pure sattvik food.
Diet & Gunas
What is a Guna? The three Gunas are groupings of different
qualities of energy in parkriti (physical matter.) Any living being has
Gunas, and it is one of three “propensities” of the mind, body and
soul or consciousness. The three gunas are Sattva, Rajas and
Tamas gunas. These categories define and reflect our health,
behaviour, thinking and diet.
• Sattvic means purity, health, harmony and well-being.
• Rajasic means stress, anger, activity and restlessness.
• Tamasic means dullness, laziness and lethargy.
Every one of us has all these three gunas, but their proportion
varies. For example- Tamas guna is required for adequate rest and
sleep, Rajas guna necessary for work and Sattva for fulfilling
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aspirations in life. A yogic way of life aims to increase the Sattva
guna to nurture consciousness via healthy body and mind.
Foods we eat will impact us on the physical, emotional, mental and
spiritual level. Diet plays a pivotal role to progress towards the
realisation of a spiritual path.
Benefits of Sattvic Diet
Yogic diet, or sattvic diet benefits the body, mind and soul in
innumerable ways. Few of them are as follows
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• In the yogic diet, it is a rule to start the day with a glass
of warm water with lemon juice in it. This cleanses the body
and helps it to get rid of harmful toxins. By the process of
regular detoxification, organs in the body can function well, as
a result of which the body is devoid of ailments and diseases.
• The satvik diet not only keeps one physically fit, but also
mentally agile. It is a diet which balances the body, mind and
soul, thereby resulting in longevity of life in an individual.
• The yoga diet believes in eating in moderation, therefore the
yoga diet for weight loss is one of the best ways to lose fat,
and it also strengthens your body’s immunity power at the
same time. Following the diet along with a few minutes of
yoga, pranayama or some physical activity will keep you away
from all types of lifestyle diseases like blood
pressure, diabetes, etc.
• Sattvic diet includes green leafy vegetables, fruits and sprouts
and is devoid of heat inducing foods like meat, fish, onion,
garlic, etc. Therefore, it does not take much of hard work for
the digestive system to digest the food; the end result of
which is proper bowel movement, clear skin, etc.
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• Sattvic foods include ghee, coconut oil, sprouted seeds, etc.
These make the food tasty. Moreover, the good fats in the diet
help in keeping your brain healthy and your memory sharp.
Foods to Avoid When Following Sattvic Diet Plan
• All types of non-vegetarian food like animal protein, fish and
eggs.
• Processed food like white sugar, maida etc.
• Junk, oily and fried food
• Onion, garlic, or food which is spicy
• Artificial sweeteners
• Soda or fizzy drinks
• Alcohol
• Caffeinated beverages like tea, coffee, etc.
• Foods made or heated in a microwave
• Stale food
• Refrigerated items
• Tobacco
The sattvic diet is the best type of diet to follow if you wish to
have a healthy body along with a peaceful mind. Combine this
type of diet with yoga and meditation to enhance the powers of a
yogic diet. For people wanting to lose fat, a good yoga diet chart
for weight loss will make a difference. Practice
a sattvic lifestyle, and you will never look back!
