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Ayurveda has been practicing seasonal eating for centuries. Ayurveda is an ancient Indian medicine that recognizes the connection between food and nature. It encourages eating foods in season. Seasonal eating has many benefits for our health, including improving digestion, boosting immunity, and maintaining a balanced weight. This blog will explore the importance of seasonal eating in Ayurveda and how it can benefit our health and well-being.
Ayurveda recognizes the connection between food and nature. Ayurveda believes that the natural cycles of seasons affect our bodies and minds. Eating foods that are in season is thought to align our bodies with the earth’s biological processes and promote balance and harmony. It is also believed that seasonal fruits and vegetables are more nutritious and contain higher levels of vitamins and minerals.
Benefits of Eating Seasonally
We have easy access to fruits and vegetables all year round but are often told to choose seasonal foods. Is this true? You may be familiar with Ayurveda and have heard of a concept known as Ritucharya. It is believed that our food and lifestyle should be adapted to the season due to the changes it brings to nature and the human body.
Fresher and Higher Nutritional Value
Fruits and vegetables in season will also appear brighter and more vibrant than limp and dried up. In-season fruits and vegetables are more colorful, more energetic and less dull.
Cheaper
Seasonal foods are not only good for you, but they also save money. When food is produced in a particular area during the season, the price automatically drops because the farmer does not have to spend money on transport and storage. Foods shipped from distant places have higher prices because storage and transportation costs are passed on to the customer.
Environment-friendly
Eating seasonal foods reduces greenhouse gas (GHGE) emissions because they don’t require as much energy to be produced. Eating seasonal foods supports local markets and farmers while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Support Your Bodies’ Natural Nourishment Needs
In the past, our ancestors ate only what was available in their climate and season. This included fruits, vegetables and leafy greens. The cycle of plants and crops is designed to meet our nutritional and health needs in the current season. In the spring, leafy greens help to alkalize and detoxify our bodies. Watermelon, cucumber and berries are all hydrating foods that keep us hydrated during the summer heat. Winter squashes, root vegetables and other winter veggies make great ingredients in soups and stews to keep you warm during the long winter.
What to Eat and What to Avoid in Different Seasons
Spring (Vasanta)
Fresh seasonal produce is a great way to eat a balanced diet and feel satisfied after each meal. Each region has a unique spring food. Spring vegetables and fruits are available at your local market. They are environmentally friendly, help local businesses and provide various foods. What you should avoid and what to eat in the spring season include:
Foods that you can eat
- Mangoes
- Watermelon
- Blackberry
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
Avoid These Foods
- Tomatoes
- Melons
- Spicy Food
- Alcohol
- Nuts
Summer (Grishma)
The Summer season has also brought about a shift in our eating habits. Our stomachs no longer crave warm kadhas or hot chocolates. Instead, they prefer refreshing sherbets and lemonades. Keeping your stomach calm and light in this scorching heat is essential. Our bodies take their sweet time adjusting to the sudden temperature rise. Our digestive system also has a hard time digesting hot, heavy food.
Foods that you can eat
- Curd and Butter Milk
- Sweet Corn
- Tender Coconut Water
- Gooseberry (Amla)
- Fresh Summer Fruits
Avoid These Foods
- Fresh Summer Vegetables
- Sprouts
- Nimbu Paani
- Dark Leafy Greens
- Iced Tea
Monsoon
The body is what it eats. Feeding the body with immunity-promoting food and nourishing is vital to maintain a healthy immune system. Incorporating healthy food into your Monsoon Diet Plan for the rainy season is essential.
Monsoons relieve the extreme heat of summer. The heat inside the body slows down digestion, which affects immunity. This is a list of healthy foods and foods to avoid during the rainy season.
Foods that you can eat
- Fluids
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Spices
- Garlic
Avoid These Foods
- Heavy foods
- Raw Foods
- Fried Food
- Limited Seafood
- Leafy greens
Autumn
As the season changes, so too should our diet. Maintain your diet, as our bodies will change during the cold months. It is essential to warm and nourish the body internally to balance the temperature drop. In the colder months, it’s all about nurturing and grounding foods to help balance hormones, boost energy, and strengthen your immune system.
Foods that you can eat
- Root vegetables
- Whole grains
- Legumes
- Green vegetables
- Fruit
Avoid These Foods
- Avoid spicy foods
- Avoid curd
- Sugary beverages
- Chili
Winter
The cold weather affects your energy bills and how you dress and eat. Winter can drastically change your food preferences, metabolism and energy levels. It’s easy to feel like skipping the gym instead of eating warm food or drinking hot drinks. You are not the only one who feels this way.
Foods that you can eat
- Soup
- Milk
- Root vegetables
- Fresh eggs, cheese and dairy
- Fruits
Avoid These Foods
- Dairy Products
- Baked Products
- Cold drinks
- Pepper
- Turmeric
Adapting Indian Traditional Recipes to Seasonal Ingredients
Ayurveda teaches us that the body is not an exception to nature. Instead, they are a part, integrated into it, and dependent on it for their health and well-being. We live so far away from the heart in the modern world that we have forgotten how to nourish ourselves naturally and intuitively. Industrialization has made seasonal food readily available all year round, and we spend more time indoors. It’s easy to lose touch with what it means to live in harmony and balance with the rhythms and cycles of the seasons.
