A reader wanted to know if the Sattvic diet had a focus on any food groups. Several popular diets promote Low carb diet, a No-fat diet, a Protein-rich diet, and a Keto diet. Where does the Sattvic diet fall?
Thank you for sending this question. Sattvic diet is entirely different from the popular diets described above. To expand the full scope of the Sattvic #diet, you will need to include other no-food programs that you may be familiar with- intermittent fasting, water fast, juice fast, restricted eating times, and various combinations of these. This blog post explains the paradox of feasting and fasting as a part of the sattvic #lifestyle. In case you have a question about why sattvic #food or diet, please read this blog post for clarification.
Sattvic food is not the same as #organic food or vegan food. This blog post provides the difference between organic and sattvic food. Ayurvedic food is similar but not the same as the sattvic diet as explained in this article.
Sattvic diet explains the #paradox of food and fasting. Read more about the upavasa traditions in sattvic diet. At the least, you are aware of your body, your digestive system improves, and by eating light #food that digests faster and easier, you can provide rest to our digestive system. Further, the quantity of food you #eat is not essential for deriving #energy. You usually eat more, because you are sometimes distracted and eat unconsciously.
If you want to follow the sattvic diet, you can start by stocking up the pantry. Here is a blog post that helps you stock the sattvic pantry. Food is not the focus of the sattvic diet. Supporting your conscious expansion is the sole purpose of the sattvic diet. This blog post explains how to eat to support conscious expansion.
Eating in a regular sattvic diet is a ritual. Just like you exercise daily and do your pujas daily, eating sattvic diet is also a ritual. No food group is eliminated in sattvic diet. Making sattvic recipes ensures that you also get to include the sacred foods in your everyday diet. This blog post explains more about the sacred foods to eat daily.
Here is a regular simple sattvic diet menu plan—
- Salad– can be fruit or vegetable
- Rice- brown rice or fresh rice. You can also make lemon rice or tamarind rice.
- Dal– lentils
- Ghee– no more than one teaspoon
- Sambar– a combination of tamarind, vegetables, lentils, and spices
- Rasam– a blend of tamarind and spices
- Vegetable– fiber and healing
- Buttermilk- diluted yogurt to end the meal
- Pickle– a small piece to provide
Cook fresh food daily. Food cooked at sunrise must be consumed by sunset. A sattvic #kitchen has no need for a refrigerator if it is not for storing #vegetables, #yogurt, #pickle, and other ingredients. True sattvic diet does not allow for any solid food after #sunset. As far as possible, get fresh organic vegetables, wash them thoroughly, and use them as quickly as possible. Although not sattvic, if you can get only frozen vegetables, please wash them before using them. Preparation for a daily meal and cooking the entire menu plan is usually completed in under an hour. Cook in #small quantities, just what you can finish without wasting or having to refrigerate it.
Where does fasting come in the Sattvic diet? Undertake to #fast every 15 days, coinciding with either #Ekadashi or #Pradosham. You can also go on a salt-free diet for #Shivaratri that comes every month. You do dry fast for 12 hours, or you can do a water fast. Some people take fresh #lemon juice or #apple juice. Whenever you fast, ensure it is associated with #puja and #prayers. #Festival days require extra #cooking.
A sattvic diet serves a specific and singular purpose of conscious expansion. Following the sattvic diet is almost an epicurean path to enlightenment.
