Dr. Kulreet Chaudhary, MD, is a neurologist, neuroscientist and an internationally recognized expert in the ancient practice of Ayurvedic medicine. She earned her medical degree at Loma Linda University School of Medicine; completed her internship at University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and neurology residency at University of California San Diego (UCSD).
September 01, 2024
My favorite part of Ayurveda is that there is no “one-size-fits-all” approach. Even when it comes to foods to avoid for a healthy gut, there’s not a set list for everyone. To learn about the foods you might want to remove from your grocery list, you’ll need to start by first understanding your dosha, or mind-body type.
To know your dosha is to know yourself. (Learn how to find your dosha here if you are unsure.) In my opinion, knowing your dosha is as important, or more important, as knowing your name. Knowing your dosha allows you to make deliberate, informed decisions about your diet and tells you exactly which foods to avoid for a healthy gut.
The foods each dosha should avoid
The doshas—vata, pitta, and kapha—are the foundation of Ayurveda. They’re the energies that govern our mind and body. Ayurveda sees the basis of all life as derived from the five elements of nature: earth, water, fire, air, and space. Each dosha is predominantly composed of two elements, and they determine the dosha’s characteristics.
While we embody all three doshas, most people tend to have an abundance of one or two. Your unique combination is determined at conception and is your own personal blueprint, a map to yourself.
Vata: Space & Air
Vata is a combination of space and air, and it represents movement. People with a predominant vata dosha are small-framed, thin, and light.
Their skin tends to be dry and rough, and they are physically very active. Vata-dominant people are less tolerant of cooler weather and frequently experience cold hands and feet. Audrey Hepburn and Emma Stone are good examples of a vata-dominant dosha.
Out of balance, vatas can experience insomnia, anxiety, and constipation. An imbalance can also lead to improper communication and cause abnormal movements in the body, such as tics, tremors, and muscle spasms.
Foods to avoid
Since vata is made of the elements of space and air it’s best to avoid foods like popcorn and chips that have these qualities since “like increases like” and vata doesn’t need more space and air energy. Vatas should also avoid cold, raw foods, including salads and raw vegetables, and anything dry and crispy. Cold drinks also increase vata energy, so they should be avoided, as well as caffeine, which can be too stimulating for vatas.
Pitta: Fire & Water
Pitta is a combination of fire and water and represents digestion and metabolism. People who have dominant pitta doshas tend to run hot, both literally and metaphorically.
Physically, people with this dosha are of average build with a medium, muscular frame and are naturally athletic. They are high achieving, ambitious, driven, and passionate and tend to have extremely strong mental concentration. Pitta doshas typically experience strong digestion, steady energy, and good circulation. Madonna and Steve Jobs are both pittas.
Too much pitta energy can cause anger, jealousy, impatience, and irritability. Pitta-dominant people can become controlling in all areas of their life, especially at work and with personal relationships.
Common medical conditions for excess pitta in the body can include ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease, diarrhea, arthritis, heart disease, stroke, rashes, and headaches. Pittas are predisposed to infections in general due to excess inflammation, and the infections can show up anywhere in the body.
Foods to avoid
Because pitta is naturally hot and made up of the elements of fire and water, we want to make sure that we’re keeping pittas cool. Pittas should avoid spicy foods like garlic, chilies, onion, black pepper, and even cinnamon, which isn’t usually considered spicy but does have a heating effect. Acidic foods like lemons and tomatoes, and fermented foods and beverages (such as kombucha, coffee, and alcohol) should also be avoided. Pittas should reduce fried foods, especially during the summer (pitta season).
Kapha: Water & Earth
Kapha is a combination of water and earth and represents structure and lubrication. People with kapha-dominant doshas are typically big-boned and sturdy and tend to have the most difficulty keeping weight off.
Kapha doshas have smooth, luminous skin, glossy dark hair, lovely singing voices, good long-term memory, and very strong immunity. Kapha is the relaxed, mellow, chill dosha and has a let-it-be approach to life. When in balance they are very affectionate, generous, and loyal. Oprah Winfrey and Melissa McCarthy are wonderful examples of kapha doshas.
Out of balance, kapha individuals can lack motivation and feel lazy. They have a terrible time making decisions. Kaphas truly enjoy food; sugar and dairy are weaknesses that only make their imbalance worse. Their digestion becomes slow when they are out of balance, and that’s why weight gain can come on quickly for most kaphas. Common medical conditions associated with excess kapha include sinus congestion, nasal allergies, diabetes, tumors, and obesity.
Summary
Like vatas, kapha doshas should avoid cold, raw foods and cold drinks. However, kaphas do tolerate crispy foods—as long as they are not cold. Kaphas definitely want to avoid dairy and sugar, especially during late winter and early spring (kapha season), and meat is difficult to digest for most due to kapha’s tendency toward weak digestion. Oily foods should also be avoided because they increase kapha qualities. When it comes to spices, kapha can use most spices, but they need to watch their salt intake.
The takeaway
When you’re looking at which foods to drop from your grocery list for a healthier gut, first understand your dosha. Some of the seemingly healthy foods you’re eating may actually be hurting your digestion if they’re on the “do not eat” list for your Ayurvedic dosha type.
