6 Superfoods of Ayurveda

The basis of Ayurvedic medicine is that the food we eat has a direct impact on our overall health and quality of our mind. There are certain foods that have very high levels of essential nutrients and minerals- these are called superfoods. They generally have several health benefits, and are thus recommended by many dieticians, nutritionists and doctors. However, we at Dr. Vaidya's have our own definition of a superfood because of our Ayurvedic perspective.

For a food to be "super", it needs to:

  1. Promote sattva in our minds
  2. Directly nourish our ojas

What does Sattva and Ojas actually mean?

Sattva is a mode of existence whose dominant qualities are balance, harmony, a positive attitude, goodness and purity. You would want your mind to be filled with sattva because it makes your buddhi (inner wisdom and intellect) sharp enough to penetrate all the levels of your existence.

According to Ayurvedic medicine, ojas is a pure substance that is accumulated in your body when nourishing food is properly digested. It is the energy needed for the body and the mind in order to sustain overall health- both physical and mental.

So what should you eat?

Referring to the Ayurvedic law of 'like increases like', we can bring clarity and contentment to our minds by eating predominantly sattvic food. In turn, this pure and unrefined food will directly nourish your ojas. Dr. Vaidya has come up with a list of 6 superfoods that you must include in your daily diet:

Ghee: Clear the body of toxins

Ghee, also known as the golden nectar of Ayurveda, is a form of butter. As many toxins have a lipophilic (fat-like) structure, they can easily mix in with ghee and move out of the tissues in the body.

Ginger: Anti-inflammatory

Known as the healing spice in Ayurvedic medicine, ginger is one of the best anti-inflammatory foods available. As inflammation is the root cause of a disease, increasing your intake of ginger can bring it under control.

Pepper: Better absorption

Pepper contains several elements such as manganese, iron, copper and calcium. Due to these, it increases digestion and ensures easy absorption of essential nutrients.

Turmeric: Immunity booster

Turmeric is considered a superfood because it has an anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal properties. It is gaining immense recognition around the world as a natural immunity booster.

Neem: Purifying blood

In Ayurvedic medicine, the Neem plant is considered an excellent blood purifier, detoxifier and cleanser. As neem makes the blood more alkaline, skin diseases due to acidic blood are greatly reduced.

Amla: Antioxidant

Amla, or Indian gooseberry, is a fruit that is an excellent antioxidant. It is rich in Vitamin C, and can hence help increase cellular life in tissues in your body.  

Include these simple yet effective foods in your diet to increase overall health! In addition to these superfoods, you can visit our online Ayurvedic store and see the range of products available to treat your different ailments.

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