Yoga Food Types

Yoga is nondenominational; people all over the globe are practicing yoga. The practice of yoga gives tranquility to the spiritual confines of the mind and the body. Why you choose to perform yoga is at once personal, but what you generally aspire through the practice is the universal form. By approaching the mat with your own body type and performing the asanas, you are ultimately benefiting your physical being. Having once achieved the true joy of yoga, you start to discover improvement in entire well-being, including your body shape.  While the asanas are important to help the performance of yoga be effective, it should be noted that food and diet are equally vital for people doing yoga.

Food and diet are important aspects of yoga. Unhealthy eating manners manifests itself in a dull appearance, misbehavior, and hence action. Hence, it is necessary that yoga should be accompanied with proper and healthy food. In yoga, foods have been classified into three types: Rajasik foods, Tamasik foods, Sattvik foods.

Rajasik Foods: They are foods that cause energy disposition and agitation, further leading to discomfort.  Rajasik foods result in restlessness and distraction of mind. Stimulants that imparts quality to such foods are onion, garlic, sugary foods, chocolate, and fried and spicy foods. Rajasik foods are disadvantageous since they result in extra weigh and fat to the body, further resulting in a feeling of uneasiness. A yoga diet strictly restricts the intake of Rajasik foods since it largely hampers the benefits of yoga to take place.

Tamasik Foods: Tamasik foods results in a feeling of lethargy and inactivity immediately after being eaten. They reduce motivation and have been associated with depression. Such foods include meat, fish, eggs, drugs, and alcohol. They are generally prepared with too much spices, salts, and hot seasonings, Any food that has been fermented, burnt, or fried fall under this category. People who are too much exposed to such diet are characterized by an intolerant behavior. Yoga strictly prohibits the intake of too much of tamasik foods.

Sattvik Foods: These foods are quite beneficial during yoga, and hence are recommended. They are the ones that promote health, strength, and considerable amount of energy to the body. They sooth the mind and body and helps in the maintenance of mental stability throughout the day. Some the most common Sattvik foods are include raw fruits, raw or slightly cooked vegetables, beans, nuts, cereal, grains, wholegrain bread, and milk derivatives.

Indulging in too much of rajasik or tamasik foods hinders the practice of yoga. Healthy diet comprising of Sattvik foods is recommended since they support and benefits the practice of yoga. A healthy diet helps one to maintain the spiritual and energized feeling that yoga gives. Right yoga diet provides us with energy and nutritional support to help our consciousness reach the stage where we feel compassionate towards all living beings, including animals.