Raw Salads: Friend or Foe? The Ayurvedic Perspective
Eating raw salads is healthy, right? Well, according to Ayurveda, it depends!
Depends on what, you ask? Your individual body constitution (Prakruti), your digestive power (Agni), and any imbalances you may be suffering from (Dosha).
What is Ayurveda’s view on raw foods? Ayurveda generally does not recommend heavy consumption of raw foods. Why? Because raw foods are harder to digest compared to cooked foods.
From an Ayurvedic perspective, our health is determined not just by the food we eat, but by our ability to digest and metabolize that food. This digestive fire is also known as Agni. Per Ayurveda, raw foods tend to be cold, dry, light, rough and hard to digest and can cause gas, bloating and constipation.
Raw foods can cause an imbalance in both a Vata constitution person (Vata Prakruti) as well as for someone who has Vata Dosha (Vata imbalance). And trust me when I say- keep your Vata happy and balanced! Raw foods can strain our digestive power, especially in those who already have weak digestion to begin with, resulting in ama (toxin buildup) in the body leading to illness or disease.
So, does that mean we should avoid salads all together?
Absolutely not! Salads can still be enjoyed (I love a good salad!). However, instead of having a big bowl of salad or just having a salad as your entire meal, try having it as your side! Enjoy salads in small portions (read: side salad) as a part of your main cooked meal.
Pro tip: Make sure your salad has healthy oils, fats, vinegar, lemon and black pepper that will help to reduce the dry, cold qualities of the salad and help in better digestion and nutrient absorption.
Always remember, Sarva Karveshu Madhamam (sanskrit) is the golden rule of Ayurveda, which translates to everything in moderation!
