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Sweet Products
Ayurveda believes that sweet taste being one of the 6 tastes in ayurveda is beneficial rather than harmful to a person when ingested in the proper way.
Sakkar (Sugar)
Sakkar reduces pitta and rakta. It is good in vomiting and in fainting.
Jaggery or gud has sheeta and guru properties. It strengthens the body and pacifies vata while increasing pitta and kapha.
White sugar on the other hand is mahura, usna and aggravates all the 3 doshas.
Honey
It is the best medicine for kapha. It is astringent in taste. It also has a ruksha (drying) quality.
It is useful in coughs, vomiting and in bleeding disorders. Honey should not be heated as it becomes toxic.
Oil Products
Thila taila (Sesame Oil)
It is considered the king of oils. It is the best oil for any vata disorder. It is usna in nature and able to spread and penetrate throughout the body. It strengthens and stabilizes the body. When mixed with Herbs it is very potent and can cure several diseases.
Eranda Taila (Castor Oil)
It is usna, guru and a laxative. It is very helpful in vata and kapha diseases. It is also a very good dewormer and mothers used to give it to children as a deworming medicine.
Annadravyas
In this group come the all-important dhanyas or grains.
Rice
It is madhura, laghu, seetha and nourishing. It also constipates. Among all the rices, red rice is considered the best.
Shastika rice (rice that has been harvested in 60 days) has medicinal properties and is usually used in potlis to massage especially in neurological conditions. It plays a big role in replenishing the dhatus (tissues).
Yava or Barley
Yava has ruksha and seetha properties and is also a laxative because it has a high fibre content. It is very helpful in pitta and kapha diseases like prameha (diabetes), asthma and pinasa.
Godhuma (Wheat)
It is saatvic by nature. It is madhura, guru and snigdha by nature. It reduces vata and oitta and is also an aphrodiasac.
Mudga (Green Gram or Mung Dhal)
In Sanskrit mudga means that which brings happiness. It is considered a saatvic dhanya. It is laghu, seetha and rukshya by nature. It reduces pitta, kapha and medas. It is very good on the skin and often it is used instead of soap for bathing after panchakarma therapies. It is rich in Iron and potassium. The best way to consume it is as a soup.
Kulatha (Horse Gram)
It has a usna quality and is penetrating. It reduces vata and kapha and increases pitta and rakta. Because of its usna quality it is usually eaten in winter months.
Masha (Urad Dhal)
Its qualities are usna, madura, snigda and guru. It increases kapha, pitta, semen and bala (strength). Masha paste is used to make rings in which oil is poured in treatments like kati basti and janu basti.
Sesame Seeds
Sesame seeds are usna and guru. They increase pitta, kapha and agni.It is the best medicine for the female reproductive system.
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Mrs. Mira Swami, Department of Ayurveda