What influences our food choices? TASTE!!! Nutrition knowledge Access Affordability Time Spirituality Spirituality
Mar 30, 2015
What influences our food choices?
TASTE!!! Nutrition knowledge Access Affordability Time SpiritualitySpirituality
Examples of spiritual dietary rules
Islam- avoid pork, only eat Halal meat
Mormon- avoid tea, coffee, alcohol Hindu- avoid beef, pork, eggs Judaism- avoid pork, seafood,
meat/poultry, only eat Kosher foods
Examples of spiritual dietary rules
The Spiritual Path of Siddha Yoga recommends a Lacto-Vegetarian Diet within the Ashram. Outside of the Ashram, the adherents are encouraged to follow a vegetarian diet in as much as that is possible considering their environment.
Source: Correctional Services of Canadahttp://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/text/prgrm/chap/diet/diete-03_e.shtml
For information purposes only. Does not represent the recommendations of Public Health Services
The Yogic/Sattvic Diet
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The Yogic/Sattvic Diet Yoga teaches that a vegetarian diet is
best for spiritual life but also for good overall health
“Various grains, fruits, roots; and for beverages: milk and pure water openly exposed to air and sun- are decidedly the best natural food for man.” –Sri Yukteswar (the guru of Paramahansa Yogananda )
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More than a Vegetarian diet The sattvic diet is a spiritual type of
vegetarianism. Body consciousness, calming of the mind, increased prana and spiritual fastings are all a part of this lifestyle.
For this reason, the sattvic diet is much more disciplined than a vegetarian diet.
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Definitions
Sattva The quality of purity and goodness
Prana The life force Food is seen to be the carrier of prana
Guna Type of category of food
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Traditional Sattvic Diet Consists of organic, whole, natural fruits &
vegetables, grains, nuts and seeds Organically grown foods, naturally ripened and
harvested often carry the highest level of prana Preparation
The attitude in which food is prepared is just as important as the quality of the food itself
Foods grown and prepared with care and a positive feeling will ensure only nourishment is being absorbed
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Modern Sattvic Diet
Vegetarian Does not include
White flour, White sugar, Junk food, Excessively spicy or salty foods, Fried food, and Other forms of food that unnaturally stimulate
your mind and/or blood sugar It avoids meat, alcohol, garlic and onions.
Some also exclude fish and eggs.
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Three Gunas of Food
Sattvic Foods which are considered clean and pure Savoury, smooth, firm and pleasant to the
stomach Rajastic
Foods that cause over-stimulation and agitation Pungent, sour, harsh or astringent
Tamasic Foods that leave us tired and sluggish Stale, tasteless, rotten or foul
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Apple Example
On an apple tree, all 3 energies can be seen Ripe fruit (Sattvic) Ripening fruit (rajasic) Overripe (tamasic)
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Sattvic Foods
Light in nature
Easy to digest
Refreshing and not disturbing to the mind
Eaten in modest portions and chewed slowly to enjoy taste and texture of the food itself, not spices or seasonings
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Fresh Organic Fruit
Most fruit are considered sattvic
Examples are apples, grapes, berries, bananas, apricots, melons, oranges, peaches and plums
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Fresh Organic Vegetables
Most mild vegetables are sattvic Leafy greens, beets, carrots, squash,
celery sweet potatoes and cucumber Some vegetables are rajastic and
tamasic Pungent (rajastic): hot peppers, onions
and garlic Gas-forming (tamasic): mushrooms and
potatoes
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Fresh Organic Milk Products
Milk & dairy can be consumed if the product is organic and the cows have been treated fair and raised naturally
It is believed that excess mucous and toxins are released in badly treated cow’s milk
Milk can be diluted and warmed with mild spices and served with raw honey to overcome mucous forming tendencies
*Caution- raw honey may not be safe* Examples
Milk, clarified butter, fresh cheese, whey and fresh yogurt
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Nuts, Seeds & Oils
Small portions of nuts and seeds (not overly roasted or salted)
Flax seeds, sesame seeds, walnuts and pine nuts (peeled and soaked)
Olive, sesame and flax oil (cold pressed)
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Whole grains
Organic rice, barley, spelt whole wheat and oatmeal
Yeasted breads are not recommended unless it is toasted
Lightly roasting grains prior to preparation will help to remove their heavy quality
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Legumes
Lentils, split peas, organic tofu and bean sprouts are all considered sattvic
The general rule is that the smaller the bean the easier it is to digest
If consumed with whole grains it offers a complete protein combination
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Spices & Sweeteners
Mild spices including basil, cardamom, cinnamon, coriander,
cumin, fennel, fresh ginger and turmeric
Spices like black pepper, red pepper and garlic are generally considered rajastic, but are sometimes used in small amounts
Raw honey and raw sugar (Caution: raw honey may not be safe)
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Supplementary Protein
Various approaches Most Yogis do not eat flesh foods. It is
believed that the anger and killing the animal is transferred during consumption
Another approach is to avoid the flesh of mammals. This allows for consumption of fish, poultry and eggs. However, they should not be consumed more than four times per week
A more strict approach relies solely on dairy products for protein, because it is non-harming and given freely
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Is there any scientific evidence to support the yogic diet?
Indian study: “Linkage of concepts of good nutrition in yoga and modern science” 2007, Current Science
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Study Findings
Sattvic food found to be high in micronutrient density (ie. Lots of nutrition per calorie)
Most Sattvic food found to be low in fat (only 18% were high fat)
42% of Rajistic foods high in fat 72% of Tamasic foods high in fat
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Study Findings
Significant association between Tamasic food intake and anxiety Supports mind-body principle of yoga
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"Food is a dynamic force which interacts with the human on the physical body
level, the mind emotional level, and also the energetic and spiritual level. The study of nutrition is the study of the
interaction with and assimilation of the dynamic forces of food by the dynamic
forces of our total being.”-- Gabriel Cousens, M.D., Spiritual Nutrition and The
Rainbow Diet