Ayurveda Dietetics: A Solution for the Impediments in Dietician Theory

Abstract

Background: What makes food important, is it calories or nutrition? Or something else, like flavour, fads or appetite of a consumer. Diet prescribed on the basis of calories and nutrition, goes absolutely futile if appetite of a user, flavours of food and trending eating pattern are uncared for. Appetite being a physical entity enables to take food at on time and facilitate the process of digestion and assimilation of food. Flavour, essence, appearance or aroma and fads are the psychological entity which intern ignites the digestive fire (physical entity). Starters at the beginning and the desserts at the end of main meal are one of the fads which impart the ultimate contentment. So, it is must to consider these entities while stipulating the diet regimen.

Materials and Methods: Principles of āyurveda dietetics utterly consider these while advocating the food. agni (digestive fire), mitāhara (quantitative), hita (wholesome food), pathya (conducive), sātmya (habituation), āhāra saṁskāra (food preparation and processing), āhāra vidhi vidhāna (dietetic rules) precisely explained in bhṛhtraī and in lahgutraīpermit to recommend the food according to the consumer and anticipate the desired effect over the body.

Results and Discussion: Calories and the nutrients being principle part of food becomes less important when the physical entities like appetite & craving of the individual, colour, flavour, aroma, taste and trending patterns of food are taken into account. So, caloric and nutrients of the food are best served and utilized when the other physical and psychological entities are considered.

Conclusion: Caloric food and nutrients served appropriately may go vain when served without assessing the user's digestive fire, eating pattern, craving and passion. So, every time these food factors are examined to appreciate the desired effect.

Keywords: Appetite, agni, flavour, fad, matra and Saṃskara

Cite this Article

Kashinath Samagandi, Jagriti Sharma. Ayurveda Dietetics: A Solution for the Impediments in Dietician Theory. Research & Reviews: Journal of Food Science and Technology. 2016; 5(3): 12–17p.