WHAT IS A SATTVIC DIET?

Sun, February 17, 2013

"Food is a dynamic force which interacts with the human on the physical body level, the mind emotional level, and also the energetic and spiritual level. The study of nutrition is the study of the interaction with and assimilation of the dynamic forces of food by the dynamic forces of our total being." ~ Gabriel Cousens, M.D., Spiritual Nutrition and The Rainbow Diet

WHAT IS A SATTVIC DIET?

In Ayurveda the emphasize is on a Sattvic diet for healthy living, particularly for keeping our minds clear, happy and at peace. The original Sattvic diet was devised for the development of higher consciousness.

Sattvic foods are foods that are abundant in Prana- the universal life-force that gives life to all sentient beings in both plant and animal kingdoms. a Sattvic diet means not only vegetarian food, but food rich in Prana 'life-force like organic fresh fruits and vegetables. it requires avoiding canned and processed food, and foods prepared with chemical fertilizers or sprays. It also means properly prepared fresh foods. Foods prepared with lots of love will add to their Sattvic quality.

The ancient Ayurvedic criteria for foods to be considered Sattvic were quite simple: foods were grown organically on good rich fertile soil; foods were to be of attractive appearance, and be harvested at the correct time of year. Foods should be whole foods full of life-force and enzymes and be as close as possible as they are in their natural fresh state.

Today, we need to add to these criteria for Sattva several other modern concerns. Sattvi foods should be grown without pesticides, herbicides, chemical fertilizers, hormones, irradiation or anything unnatural. Modern use of refinement processes and chemical additives, besides actually adding substances to our foods, depletes foods of their Prana 'life-force' and hence renders them heavy, impotent and lifeless.

Sattic foods are nutritive vegetarian foods like organic nuts, seeds, whole grains and oily fruits and vegetables that help build the brain tissue and develop Ojas.

Next blog post we will discuss the The Three Gunas of the Sattvic Diet.

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