DIET FOR KAPHA -
& Winter Food Guide
Anti-Kapha Diet Food List
Kapha (water) types do best with a diet which is warming, drying and light.They should avoid foods which are cold, heavy and oily.Accumulation of mucus in the system is a sign of taking too many Kapha-promoting foods. Tastes that increase Kapha are sweet, salty and sour. Pungent, bitter and instringent degcrease Kapha. As most foods are sweet in taste, Kapha types should eat less food. Their main diet therapy is to consume less foods and use generous amounts of herbs and spices.
FRUIT
Fruit increases water in the system. It may cause formation of mucus, especilly when combined with other foods. But it is also light, and does not strongly increase Kapha which is heavy. Some sour fruits like lemon and grapefruit can help reduce fat and dissolve mucus.
YES! - Kapha Pacifying: Dried fruit (generally), apples, cranberry, prunes, pomegranate, pears.
YES - but limit intake: Papayas, lemon, lime, grapefruit.
NO - but can be antidoted (small amounts): Persimmons, oranges, pineapple, melons, cherries, plums, figs, grapes, mango, strawberries, raspberries.
NO! - Disturbs Kapha: Bananas, dates.
VEGETABLES
Most vegetables are good for Kapha, being light and drying; some like carrots and celery are dieretic. They should be eaten warm, preferrable steamed prepared with little oil. Generally, raw vegetables should only be consumed during the heat of the summer.
YES! - Kapha Pacifying: Chilies, broccoli, cabbage, celery, carrots, green beans, fresh peas, mushrooms, beets, asparagas, cilantro, radish, turnips, mustard greens, watercress, chard, spinach, horseradish.
YES - but limit intake: Potatoes, bell peppers, califlower, parsley, artichoke, eggplant, lettuce, alfafal sprouts, sunflower sprouts, pumpkin, onions.
NO - but can be antidoted (small amounts): Tomatoes (raw or cooked), squash, okra, seaweeds, fresh corn, raw vegetables.
NO! - Disturbs Kapha: Sweet potatoes, cucumber, olives, fried, stir fried, waterchestnuts, pickles.
GRAINS
Many grains tend to be heavy and increase weight, hence are not good for Kapha. Choose grains which are nourishing, with diuretic and expectorant properties such as barley. A whole grain and steamed vegetable diet is the best for Kapha. Breads are too heavy and mucus forming so should be avoided.
YES! - Kapha Pacifying: Barley, quinoa, dry or popped grains, corn, millet, buckwheat, rye, amaranth, bran, oat bran, dry crackers and chips.
YES - but limit intake: Basmati rice, wheat germ, dry oats, granola, wild rice, corn bread.
NO - but can be antidoted (small amounts): Brown rice, cooked oats, cous cous, pita bread.
NO! - Disturbs Kapha: wheat, white rice, pasta, bread, pastries, sour dough bread.
BEANS & LEGUMES
Beans tend to be drying and increase air, so are generally good for Kapha. Tofu slightly increases kapha, but is a superior form of protien than meat, dairy and nuts.
YES! - Kapha Pacifying: Aduki, lima, lentils, mung, navy, pinto, black, black-eyed peas.
YES - but limit intake: Tofu, kidney, peanut, split peas.
NO - but can be antidoted (small amounts): chickpeas, soy, tamari sauce.
NO! - Disturbs Kapha: Tempeh, soy cheese, refried beans with lard.
NUTS & SEEDS
Most seeds and nuts are heavy, oily, mucus forming and increase congestion for Kaphas. They need not be avoided all together, as they are a better protien source than meat and dairy.
YES! - Kapha Pacifying: Quinoa seeds.
YES - but limit intake: Sunflower, pumpkin, sesame, coconut, chia seeds, flax seeds.
NO - but can be antidoted (small amounts): Almond, cashew, walnut, pecan, filbert, pine nut.
NO! - Disturbs Kapha: Brazil nut, chestnuts, macadamia, peanut butter.
DAIRY
Dairy products should generally be avoided by kaphas, with the exeption of buttermilk and goats milk. Dairy is harder to digest for Kaphas than even meat, and causes congestion, mucus, and may cause food allergies. Yogurt is actually fattening, cooling and heavy and should be avoided.
YES! - Kapha Pacifying: Acidophilus, soy milk.
YES - but limit intake: Goats milk, buttermilk, ghee.
NO - but can be antidoted (small amounts): Kefir
NO! - Disturbs Kapha: Milk, yogurt, sour cream, cottage cheese, hard cheese, ice cream, cream, butter.
ANIMAL PRODUCTS
Kapha types are the least likely to suffer from tissue deficiancy, and do not need animal products. Fowl is the least aggravating to Kapha, but any meat will increase Kapha in the long run, although is better than cheese. Fat should not be eaten.
YES! - Kapha Pacifying: none
YES - but limit intake: lean white organic chicken or turkey.
NO - but can be antidoted (small amounts): dark meat of chicken or turkey, fish, eggs.
NO! - Disturbs Kapha: Shellfish, pork, beef, lamb.
OILS
Oils are of the same nature as Kapha - heavy and moist and should be used in small amounts. Animal fats, with exception of ghee, should be strictly avoided. Light oils are best.
YES! - Kapha Pacifying:none
YES - but limit intake: Sunflower, safflower, canola, ghee, corn, almond.
NO - but can be antidoted (small amounts): peanut, mustard, olive.
NO! - Disturbs Kapha: Sesame, apricot, avacado, butter, coconut, margerine.
SWEETENERS
Sweet taste is the most highly aggravating for Kapha. Too much indescretion with the sweet taste is the main cause of Kapha disease. The exception is raw honey, which has expectorant properties and a long term drying effect.
YES! - Kapha Pacifying: none
YES - but limit intake: Raw, unheated honey.
NO - but can be antidoted (small amounts): Jaggery, molasses, fructose.
NO! - Disturbs Kapha: maple sugar, brown sugar, white sugar, saccarin, succanut, barley malt syrup, brown rice syrup.
SPICES
All spices are good for Kapha including the hot ones! Hot and dry, they are opposite in nature from Kapha and increase the metabolism, preventing fat and water from accumulating in the tissues. Salt should be avoided except during the heat of summer or when sweating a lot.
YES! - Kapha Pacifying: Cayenne, black pepper, long pepper (pippali), mustard, garlic, ginger, horseradish, tumeric, cloves, cardamon, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, cilantro, basil, parsley, asafoetida, fenugreek.
YES - but limit intake: Nutmeg, fennel, mint
NO - but can be antidoted (small amounts): Rock salt
NO! - Disturbs Kapha: Sea salt.
BEVERAGES
Kapha types need to take less water and should avoid all cold and iced drinks. Regular teas, herbal teas, spiced teas like ginger and cinnamon are good; astringents like dandelion root, alfalfa and chicary root are healthful. Coffee is alright on occasion. Tea and coffee can be sweetened lightly with honey (add after cooled to drinking temperature to avoid heating the honey), but milk and sugar should be avoided.
SUPPLIMENTS
Kapha types need less vitamins and minerals; more spices and enzymatic agents than other types. B vitamins and vitamin C are good, but avoid oily vitamins like A, D and E in excess. Mineral suppliments can weaken the digestive fire due to of their heavy nature. Rasayanas (Ayurvedic herbal pastes) for Kapha include: Chavran Prash - for physical rejuvination, Pushkaramula Rasayana - to cleanse the lungs and for asthma; Pippili Rasayana - to cleanse the respiratory tract, lymph nodes and sinuses; and Sage Rasayana - for mental clarity, comprehension and memory.
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Ayurvedic Medicine