22 Aug 2012

How to enjoy your favorite “forbidden” foods using the right antidote

In this BodyTalk 4 Life newsletter I give you the Ayurvedic perspective on how certain foods can affect you, and what you can do to counteract their negative side-effects.

Vyara

Enjoy your favorite “forbidden” foods using the right spices

In Ayurveda, the traditional medicine of India, combining the right foods with the right spices is very important for our health and well being. If you know what spices to add and when, you can get away eating almost anything. Spices help your digestion, metabolism and detoxification process, therefore we can use them as “antidote” to minimize unwanted effects from certain foods. Below are some common foods triggering a variety of problems and their antidotes:

Foods increasing congestion and mucus: Cheese, Ice cream, Yogurt and Sweets

A good antidote to cheese is black pepper.
Clove and/or cardamom can be used as an antidote to ice cream.
Yogurt is less mucous inducing if you also take cumin or ginger.
A good antidote to sweets is dry ginger powder.

Pro-inflammatory food: Fish

If you want to enjoy the positive aspects of eating fish, always add lemon. Otherwise it can increase inflammation.

Foods that slow down the digestive system: Red meat

Add cayenne, cloves or chilli peppers and you will digest red meats better.

Foods that can increase fat: Oats, Rice, Wheat

To get the most out of your oats, add turmeric, mustard seeds or cumin.
Rice is less fattening if taken with clove or peppercorn.
Wheat is less fattening if you use ginger at the same time.

Gas producing foods: Legumes, Green Salad, Onions

Legumes produce a lot of gas. Add garlic, black pepper, cayenne, ginger, rock salt or chilli peppers for less gas.
Green salad also produces gas. Add olive oil with lemon juice.
Onions are yet another food that produces a lot of gas. Cook them or add salt, lemon or mustard seeds.