The Ayurveda behind Hot and Cold Foods!
Imagine that you're on the burning street, all greasy, sweat-drenched, and you see an Ice Cream vendor on this hot and sweaty summer day. It's such a relief, isn't it? But what if I say, ‘NO!’? Here comes our savior, Ayurveda, the age-old science of life.
When you eat ice cream made of milk fat and sugar, your mouth senses a sense of coolness and relief. However, gradually, as the components of ice cream break down, sugar and milk have the highest energy potentials and release heat. That's when the game changes! An ice cream's initial cooling sensation actually increases the body's temperature later. Drinking hot milk, however, will still have a cooling effect on your body over time.
As per Ayurvedic principles, each food item is classified as Cold or Hot according to its internal nature. As a result of these two properties, namely 'Ushna' (hot) and 'Sheeta' (cold), they each affect the human body differently. As a layman might put it, Ayurveda believes that the function of food is to heat or cool the body and to affect metabolism and digestion.
The appropriate Ayurvedic diet for every body type is determined by its body type, which can be categorized into three types: Vata, Kapha, and Pitta. As a consequence, each body type is affected differently based on food consumption. When you look around your own family and friends, you may notice some get a burning sensation after eating hot foods such as tomatoes, and pineapples, while for others it’s just normal. Therefore, Ayurveda recommends that you find out what your body type is before planning your diet in order to avoid Sharira Dosha (health problems) in the future.
Those foods with high hot potency promote digestion and metabolism, as well as being energetic and light in the body, and they boost blood circulation. Dates, Sugarcane, Icecream, ginger, garlic, tomatoes, honey and dry spices are usually included in hot foods. They are all energy-giving foods. Excessive intake of hot food can cause dosha (disorders) such as ulcers, purging, vomiting, heat burns, rashes, and gastric troubles. It has been proven that eating hot foods excessively increases our appetite and makes us eat more. Consuming hot foods for an extended period of time can also destroy the semen in the worst-case scenario.
Conversely, cold foods such as Kiwis, Watermelon, Pumpkin, Coconut, Lettuce, etc. nourish our bodies. They help build fluids in our body and provide us with strength. Cold foods, however, make us feel heavier and are more difficult to digest when consumed in excess. Additionally, they negatively impact the immune system, resulting in frequent colds and flus.
In and of itself, food has preventive and curative effects on our bodies. It is extremely beneficial to eat according to your body type in many ways. Additionally, it promotes and maintains a healthy body composition. That's why monitoring your food intake is paramount.
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