Elements of Ayurveda in your meal

Ayurveda has been the basis for the evolution of Indian cuisine and a variety of home remedies and medicines. It practices the understanding of Kapha, Pitta, and Vata, the elements of life force that balances the human body. Ayurvedic Thali or Ayurvedic cuisine is, therefore, the delirious combination of such food and ingredients that empowers, optimises and creates a balance between these elements. The ways of ayurvedic cooking like pan-frying, steaming and blanching with fresh and nutritional ingredients are such that they bring nutritional goodness and create balance in the body for a healthy living.

The essence of Ayurvedic Thali

Ayurvedic Thali is known to be made by following the Ayurvedic science of cooking, understanding of the composition of food and their effect on the body. It takes into notice how cooking time and ways can affect the goodness of some ingredients. While carrots are chosen to be eaten raw to keep the betacarotene of the carrots intact, onion is tempered with hing to balance its diuretic properties. Leaf wrapping of vegetables for steaming, slow pot cooking of kheer, fermentation of milk to yoghurt and churning of ghee were all introductions of Ayurveda. In an Ayurvedic Thali, you can expect a lot of thoughtful cooking with natural ingredients that are balanced to ensure healing. The taste of cuisines are not swayed off with spices, instead, they are kept as close to natural as possible.

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Good for the heart

In Ayurveda, the human heart has two elements – physical and emotional. The physical heart pumps blood to the body, while the emotional heart experiences joy and sorrow. Therefore any life situation affects the heart on two levels – physically and emotionally. Ayurvedic herbs and cooking methods work towards healing the heart on many levels to save from the silent wars of stress, unhealthy diet, undigested material, free radicals, etc. Herbs like ashwagandha, goggul, gotu kola, shankhapushpi, etc. are useful in restoring the physical and emotional heart, slowing the toxic hormones, inducing sleep, de-stress, and reduction of plasma cortisol. Using natural ingredients and methods of cooking, the Ayurvedic Thali includes herbs, stems, roots and ayurvedic balances in food to cut out the toxicity and aid healing.

What composes an Ayurvedic Thali?

Ayurvedic food is served either on a banana leaf or on plates made of steel or bronze aluminium. These are characterised by single servings of more than 15 eye-popping dishes including the Indian bread and rice, balancing the taste of sweet, sour, pungent, salty, astringent and bitter, etc. The popular dishes composing the Ayurvedic Thali include freshly prepared soup of pumpkin or carrot, ayurvedic concoctions made of turmeric, berries, flowers etc., steamed vegetables, curries, dal, curd, freshly prepared raw salad with ginger slivers and lemon juice, and of course the fibrous Indian breads and ghee laden rice. A lot of flavours from spices like clove, mint leaves, coriander, cardamom, lemon, honey, coconut, peanuts form part of the Thali.

Taking good care of your emotional and physical wellbeing, an Ayurvedic Thali is the best gift you can give your body for a healthy heart. Removing the toxic elements, an Ayurvedic Thali ensures goodness of nature in every serving.

(Disclaimer: The author, Dr Manoj Kutteri, Naturopath and Director at Atmantan Wellness Centre, is a guest contributor and a part of our medical expert panel. Views expressed are personal.)