We'll first give you a brief overview of the basics of Ayurveda, and then show you four ingredients that play an essential role in Ayurvedic nutrition, but also partly in our own diet. Mood Up Add-on play.
The three main energies
At its core, Ayurveda, the "science of long life," posits that the body has three main energies (also called doshas). These three doshas (Vata, Pitta, Kapha) are said to determine how our body behaves and reacts to everything from stress and emotions to specific foods.
Vata (air and space)
Vata is represented by air and space and is said to control breathing, heartbeat, and muscle and joint movements. It is also believed to control anxiety, fear, pain, and other functions of the nervous system.
Pitta (fire and water)
Represented by fire and water, Pitta is said to control bodily functions such as metabolism and digestion, while also regulating emotions such as anger, hatred, and jealousy.
Kapha (Earth and Water)
Kapha, like Pitta, is represented by water, but also by earth. It is believed to control the physical structure of the body, the immune system, and emotional responses such as forgiveness, tranquility, love, and greed.
When one of the three doshas is out of balance, illness can occur. Symptoms such as bloating, rashes, pimples, itchy skin, sore gums, anxiety, fatigue, excessive flatulence, and even a bad mood can appear. Digestive problems, in particular, are considered an early stage of illness in Ayurveda. To prevent this, it's important to recognize the symptoms and counteract them with specific foods and drinks. There are some basic dos and don'ts, which we'll briefly outline here:
You should avoid the following if possible:
- Irregular meals, it's better to establish a routine.
- Eat only when you are truly hungry and not out of boredom.
- Do not mix hot and cold foods together
- Make sure your food isn't too dry.
Instead, support your digestion by...
- lots of hot food and...
- eats high-quality, fresh food.
- Enjoy your food and chew slowly.
- Use plenty of herbs and spices (see below)
Spices in Ayurvedic nutrition
Spices are of special importance in Ayurveda.It is recommended that every meal should include all six known tastes, the "rasas": bitter, astringent, salty, pungent, sour, and sweet. This is said to strengthen one's doshas, as spices are considered medicinal substances used in daily life. Therefore, Ayurvedic spice cuisine is correspondingly diverse and intense. We will now introduce you to four of its key ingredients:
a) Ashwagandha
The Ashwagandha root (Withania somnifera) It has been used in Ayurvedic natural medicine for over 2000 years.. Its diverse effects make it one of the most important medicinal plants in this region. Its applications include, for example, promoting vitality and fertility. The root is also known as "sleep berry," "winter cherry," or "Indian ginseng." The high withanolid content may be responsible for its positive health effects. Withanolides belong to the steroidal lactones, which are chemically very similar to steroid hormones. Ashwagandha is also a true mood booster, as the root helps increase stress resistance, can improve mood, and enhance brain function. It grows primarily in India and belongs to the nightshade family. Ashwagandha is so valuable as a food because it contains adaptogenic plant compounds—the active substances that make plants and fungi particularly adaptable. These properties also benefit us humans. We also use ashwagandha in our Mood Up add-on.
b) Saffron
Even outside of Ayurvedic cuisine, the "Gold of the Orient" is very well-known, also under the name Sunshine Spice. This spice has a long and myth-laden history; even in Roman times, it was considered a luxury item, primarily due to its difficult harvesting, and it remains arguably the most expensive spice in the world. What we know as saffron are actually the stigmas of the saffron crocus flower. Today we know that it is not only difficult to obtain but also packed with nutrients. Saffron contains minerals such as calcium, potassium, magnesium, and iron. Furthermore, it contains vitamins C and A. Saffron is not only considered to relieve cramps during menstruation and aid digestion, but recent studies have also shown that the compound safranal can increase serotonin levels in the body, and the compound crocin can raise dopamine and norepinephrine levels. Therefore, saffron is also considered a mood enhancer and thus secures its place in our AddOn Mood Up.
c) Ginger
The root may look unassuming, but it packs a powerful punch when it comes to healing properties. In fact, the rhizome has been used in Ayurveda for millennia. There, it's often used in powdered form as a true all-rounder, as it's considered to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It's primarily the gingerols contained in ginger that make the plant so special. They soothe your entire digestive tract and can relieve bloating and cramps. Sounds like a really helpful remedy, right? But ginger can do even more: studies have shown that gingerol can actually inhibit tumor growth in various types of cancer. However, these findings require much more clinical research.
d) turmeric
Also known as turmeric, it shows many similarities to the ginger plant.Many people know turmeric from the popular curry dish. Turmeric gets its intense yellow color from the pigment curcumin – and it is precisely this pigment that is attributed with numerous positive effects on health. Many scientific studies have proven that curcumin has particularly positive effects on the gastrointestinal tract. Constipation or bloating can be alleviated, and because it has anti-inflammatory properties, it can even partially relieve certain conditions. Irritable bowel syndrome Constipation can be positively influenced by regular intake. It's important to know that the valuable ingredient in turmeric is difficult for the body to absorb. At the same time, you shouldn't consume large amounts of turmeric without careful consideration; the WHO, for example, recommends a daily dose of up to three grams of turmeric powder.
So, that was our brief overview of Ayurvedic nutrition for you! We hope you learned something new and we always appreciate your feedback!
If you'd like to experience the effects of saffron and ashwagandha for yourself, then try our Dailybacs Combine it with the Mood Up add-on and see for yourself the power of Ayurvedic medicinal plants!
Sources
- de Lima RMT, Dos Reis AC, de Menezes APM, Santos JVO, Filho JWGO, Ferreira JRO, de Alencar MVOB, da Mata AMOF, Khan IN, Islam A, Uddin SJ, Ali ES, Islam MT, Tripathi S, Mishra SK, Mubarak MS, Melo-Cavalcante AAC. Protective and therapeutic potential of ginger (Zingiber officinale) extract and [6]-gingerol in cancer: A comprehensive review. Phytother Res. 2018 Oct;32(10):1885-1907. doi: 10.1002/ptr.6134. Epub 2018 Jul 16. PMID: 30009484.
- Tapsell LC, Hemphill I, Cobiac L, Patch CS, Sullivan DR, Fenech M, Roodenrys S, Keogh JB, Clifton PM, Williams PG, Fazio VA, Inge KE. Health benefits of herbs and spices: the past, the present, the future. Med J Aust. 2006 Aug 21;185(S4):S1-S24. doi: 10.5694/j.1326-5377.2006.tb00548.x. PMID: 17022438.
- Dr. Kulreet Chaudhary; Reborn through Modern Ayurveda, Riva Verlag (7th edition) 2019
- https://beyond-nutrition.com/blogs/beyond-magazin/ashwagandha-die-wichtigsten-fakten-zur-ayurveda-heilwurzel)
- https://www.aok.de/pk/magazin/ernaehrung/lebensmittel/kurkuma-wie-hilft-es-unserer-gesundheit/
