General Considerations
- People with a foremost pitta dosha usually
have a burly appetite that needs to be satisfied regularly.
Displeased appetite leads to intense hunger and to out-bursts of
annoyance, even anger.
- Key qualities for pitta diet are cool, slightly dry (not soggy or oily) and a little heavy. Avoid salt.
- Eat main meals or at least a good size meal at midday.
- Avoid late night eating. Fresh fruit or vegetables are the best evening snack if appetite demands.
- Eating with an attitude of calm and gratitude is particularly helpful.
- Avoid eating when angry, irritated, or in competitive situations. Business lunches might be a bad idea.
- Pitta’s strong digestion can lead to the
development of abusive habits that cause problems eventually, i.e.
over-eating, eating excessively greasy foods, or excessively rich
or hot, spicy food.
- Avoid salty, greasy, overly cooked,
excessively rich, heavily spiced, or sour foods as well as
caffeine, red meat, many eggs, alcohol, and sugar.
- Pitta is increased by summer, at midday
and midnight, intense heat, excessive sunlight. Be most
mindful at these times.
- Qualities of food that balance pitta :
sweet, astringent, bitter, cool, heavy, dry. Take proportionately
more of these.
- Qualities of food that unbalance pitta :
pungent, hot, sour, light, salty, oily. Take less of these and
less frequently.
Daily Eating Routine for Pitta Types
- Eat three meals a day at regular times, leaving at least a 4-hour gap between meals.
- Eat a light breakfast and take an early lunch.
- Take 4-5 servings of whole grains
- serving of high quality protein
- 3-4 servings for fresh vegetables
- 1-1.5 serving’s fresh fruit or more
- Drink liquid moderately (more after exercise)
Shopping List for Pitta
Grains: barley, white basmati rice, wheat, whole wheat tortillas, wheat pastas, rice cakes
LEGUMES: Any beans except red lentil, temper
ANIMAL PRODUCTS: chicken (white meat), turkey (white meat), egg whites, fresh water fish
VEGETABLES: acom squash, artichoke,
asparagus, bell pepper, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, burdock, butternut
squash, black olives, cabbage, cilantro, com, cauliflower, collards,
celery, cucumber, green beans, jicama, kale, lettuce, mushroom, okra,
peas, parsley, parsnips, potato, rutabaga, sweet potato, summer squash,
watercress, zucchini
DAIRY: unsalted butter, cottage cheese, soft cheese, cow and goat milk, ghee, ice cream, yoghurt
FRUTTS: apples, apricots, avocado,
berries (sweet), coconut, dates, figs, grapes, mango, melons, oranges,
pears, pineapple, plum, pomegranate, prune, raisin, watermelon
NUTS and SEEDS: coconut, pumpkin, sunflower
DRINKS: aloe vera juice, fruit or
vegetable juice, coconut milk, milk smoothies, Cafix, Roma, Pero,
vegetable broth, and herbal teas such as barley, chamomile, fennel,
hibiscus, jasmine, lavender, mint, raspberry, raised petal
SWEETENERS: barley malt syrup, brown rice syrup, maple syrup, juice concentrates, fructose, sugar cane juice, sucanat
CONDIMENTS: sea vegetables, lemon, lime, lime pickle, mango chutney, mango pickle, soy mayonnaise, soy sauce, yoghurt
OILS: avocado, coconut, olive, sunflower, soy, walnut, sesame
SPICES: coriander , cumin, dill, fennel, mint, neem, peppermint, rosewater, saffron, turmeric
Preparation Tips for Pitta Diet
GRAINS: Grains are balancing to Pitta dosha as they are filling, satisfying, but not too heavy. Barley and basmati rice are best.
LEGUMES: Pitta people seem, in
practice, to need the greatest amount of protein to fuel their high
drive lifestyle. All beans are good, with the exception of tempeh, red
and black lentils. Prepare as described in Vata preparation tips.
ANIMAL FOOD: Although pitta types
needs a good amount of protein, they are best suited to a totally
vegetarian diet. Most meats are either too fatty or heat producing.
Small amounts of poultry and fresh water fish are alright. Heavier meat
consumption can make the pitta personality too intense and make them
attracted to alcohol and drugs for recreation and relaxation.
DAIRY:If well tolerated, milk
products, with the exception of hard or aged cheeses. Help nourish and
cool pitta people. Sour or very salty dairy products should be avoided.
Yoghurt may be taken as lassi after a meal
VEGETABLES: Quantities of vegetables
are good for pitta types. Their high metabolism uses vitamins and
minerals quickly, especially Vitamin A. A salad including bitter greens
like endive, arugula , and parsley can help curb over eating .
Tomatoes, radishes, and garlic are best completely avoided.
FRUITS: Sweet fruits are good,
particularly fresh figs and grapes (figs are not suggested when
pregnant, though). A little lemon and lime for zest is fine. Fruits
make the best evening snack.
NUTS and SEEDS: Generally they are
too hot and oily, with the exception of coconut milk which is
delightful in cooking Sunflower seeds are fine and occasionally pumpkin
seeds.
SWEETENERS: Pitta types tolerate
sugar sweet taste the best. This is another thing they need to be
cautious about eating in amount over the long term. Honey and molasses
should be shunned. These sweeteners can even be the cause of rashes for
the pitta person in summer.
SPICES: Use those on the shopping
list. As you become familiar with Ayurvedic principles, you will be
able to widen your selection. As an example, black pepper can be
balanced by using it with cilantro.
DRINKS: An occasional beer is better
than wine. Hard liquor should be kept away from (So should salted nuts
and pretzels, often served at bars, as it leads to more drinking.)
A little black tea can be tolerated, but coffee is best avoided completely.
Read More on
- Diet for VATA
- Diet for KAPHA
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