How To Follow A Sattvic Diet

When people hear the word Sattvic diet, they immediately associate it with foods that sages eat or yogis eat. Despite this being partially true, there is a deeper meaning and scientific backing of how different foods react with your body.

Eating fruits and eating meat can cause contrasting effects to your behavior and your mood despite both being just sources of food and energy. The food you eat determines your nature, and hence, proper care should be taken when you are designing the perfect diet for yourself.

A popular misconception about Sattvic foods is that since it is meant for yogis, the food tends to be bland, which is quite untrue. Sattvic diets have a wide range of tasty dishes which can be made using a plethora of ingredient options.

Sattvic believes in balance, so the ingredients in the foods are all present in adequate amounts. The foods have spices and sweeteners but only in the required quantities. Before we start exclusively naming out which foods are considered Sattvic and which are not, it is essential to understand why we should follow this diet and how does it affect us.

A Sattvic Diet Explained

According to the books on Ayurveda, the kind of food you consume changes the way you behave determines your mindset, and influences your mood. Almost all the foods we eat, depending on the ingredients, can be classified into the following three categories of diet: Sattvic, Rajasic, Tamasic.

Sattvic means Essence of Purity, Rajasic refers to activity and Tamasic relates to inertia. Sattvic keeps you active and clear-headed, Rajasic makes you hyperactive, and Tamasic makes you dull and lethargic. The classification made about the diets is less of a spiritual one and more of a thoroughly made observation.

Among the three different types of food, Sattvic foods are the simplest, well balanced, and most nutritious of the three. It keeps you calm, active, and happy at all times. All these attributes are generally associated with hermits.

On the other hand, Tamasic foods make you tired, slow and weak, which are constantly keeping you lazy despite having enough energy sources which can be utilized by the body. As we stated earlier, there is a difference between how much energy and nutrients are present in certain foods and how much of it or how effectively can our body breakdown these foods and fuel our internal systems.

The opposite end of the spectrum to Tamasic is Rajasic foods. It leaves you restless and hyper at all times with you not knowing how to utilize the additional energy and hence resorting to a more aggressive approach in life. You are easily irritated by even the simplest of things.

This diet helps in increasing your overall, improves your mental health, keeps you active, and helps in increasing your life span. It is void of any animal meat, foods that have excessive sugar or spices, or deep-fried in oil, alcohol, or any vegetable from the allium family like garlic and onion.

When following the Sattvic diet, it is easier to follow if you exactly know which all ingredients are allowed and which are not. Hence, we provide you a list of all Sattvic food items and also a list of all prohibited food items which make you Tamasic or Rajasic.

What Can Be Consumed On A Sattvic Diet

Land and sea vegetables: Most vegetables are considered safe and healthy. All green leafy vegetables and most vegetables which grow from underground like spinach, carrots, celery, potatoes, broccoli, kelp, lettuce, peas, cauliflower, etc. are classified as Sattvic foods. Certain vegetables however, such as onion, garlic, mushrooms, and potato are considered tamasic.
Fruits and fruit juices: Almost all fruits are healthy and refreshing. Consuming any type of fresh fruit or their pulpy juices is considered. A few popular fruits in the diet are apples, bananas, papaya, mangos, cherries, melons, peaches, etc. Generally, try to avoid sour fruits like those belonging to the citrus family.
Sprouted grains: Grains sprouting from the soil like rice, wheat, barley, millets, etc., are Sattvic and constitute the primary carbohydrate source for your body.
Nuts and seeds: Nuts and seeds are the healthiest sources of protein and fiber for your body. They include walnuts, almonds, pecans, cashews, Brazil nuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, unsweetened coconut, flax seeds, etc.
Fats and oils: Any diet needs a certain amount of fats and oils to keep your hair and nails healthy and to keep your skin glowing. Thus we can add these to your diet in moderate quantities- olive oil, sesame oil, red palm oil, flax oil, ghee, etc.
Dairy and non-dairy products: Although consumption of meat is prohibited, there are several other Sattvic animal products like milk, yogurt, and cheese. For those who are following a vegan or a plant-based diet, you can use almond milk, coconut milk, cashew milk, nut, and seed-based cheeses instead.
Legumes and bean products: Eating lentils, mung beans, chickpeas, bean sprouts, tofu, etc. reduces blood pressure, blood sugar levels and reduces the chances of diabetes due to their rich antioxidant levels.
Beverages: water, fresh fruit juices, and simple teas can be included in your diet. Aerated or caffeinated drinks are considered unhealthy and are hence strictly prohibited.
Spices and herbs: A wide range of spices and herbs like coriander, basil, nutmeg, cumin, fenugreek, turmeric, ginger, etc. are allowed.
Sweeteners: Sugar is always considered unhealthy in most diets. Hence while preparing any sweet dish, it is advisable to use honey or jaggery instead.

The above foods should constitute the majority of your intake when following the Sattvic diet. Keep in mind that there are stricter and looser variations of the diet depending on your preferences or your food restrictions. Interested in learning about more Sattvic recipes? I got you covered! Check them out here.

Now that we have established which all food items are allowed let’s talk about the ones to avoid. All foods that are considered rajasic or tamasic, and are not recommended.

What Cannot Be Consumed On A Sattvic Diet

Added sugar and sweets: Any types of sugar or artificial sweeteners like white sugar, high fructose corn syrup, etc. are off-limits. Hence sugar-rich foods like candies or sodas are discouraged.
Fried foods: All foods with a high oil content like French fries, fried vegetables, fried pastries, etc. are unhealthy as they can cause cardiovascular health issues.
Processed foods: It is always better to eat foods that lack any preservatives or artificial taste additives. Hence pre-processed or packaged foods like chips, sugary breakfast cereals, fast food, frozen dinners, microwave meals, etc. are non-sattvic.
Meat, fish, eggs, and poultry: Eating any sort of animal or bird is strictly prohibited. Chicken, beef, turkey, duck, lamb, fish, shellfish, whole eggs, egg white, etc. are all out of question.
Certain vegetables and fruits: Although most fruits and vegetables are healthy, there are a few exceptions like onion, durian, scallions, pickles, and garlic, etc. Especially garlic and onions are avoided because their negative health effects strictly outweigh the health benefits.
Certain beverages: Any drink which makes you high or inebriated such as alcohol, sugary drinks, and caffeinated beverages like coffee should be avoided. They tamper your senses and reflexes and reduce functionality.

Summary

When following the Sattvic diet, foods with an excess of anything are bad, be it too much sweet, too much spice, or overly sour. Thus, any sugars, processed foods, meat, eggs, poultry, deep-fried foods, coffees, sodas, and alcohol are just some of the items that are prohibited.

Stale foods are considered to be harmful and should be avoided. Thus only freshly prepared foods are recommended. Foods kept overnight and later consumed are Tamasic in nature.

Although Sattvic diets include some traditional animal by-products like milk and ghee, you can also use their vegan substitute instead like almond milk, tofu, etc.

Sattvic dishes help greatly in naturally bringing your mind into a state of satisfaction and bliss. You can thus use your time and energy effectively to spend your days with a creative, active, and sustainable spirit.

Recipes for sattva balance all aspects of a diet. It has identical warming and cooling qualities, rich in micronutrients, boosts your immunity, and is tasty enough to keep your taste buds tingling.

A Sattvic Diet Explained