Shopping List for the Vatta Dosha

SPICES

Vata: almond extract, anise, asafoetida, basil, bay leaf, black cumin, black pepper, caraway, cardamom, chilli pepper, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, cumin, curry powder, dill leaves or seed, fennel, garam masala, ginger (dried or fresh), kudzu, mango powder, mustard seeds, nutmeg, oregano, paprika, peppermint, pippali, rosemary, saffron, sage savory, spearmint, tamarind, tarragon, thyme, turmeric, vanilla.

Vata/Pitta: basil (fresh), black cumin, black pepper, caraway, cardamom, coriander, cumin, dill, fennel, garam masala, kudzu, mint, orange peel, peppermint, saffron, sandalwood chips, spearmint, tamarind, turmeric, vanilla, wintergreen.

Vata/Kapha: allspice, anise, asafoetida, basil, bay leaf, black cumin, black pepper, caraway, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, cumin, curry powder, dill leaves, eucalyptus, fennel, garam masala, garlic (cooked), ginger (dried), mace, marjoram, mint, mustard seeds, nutmeg, onion (dried), orange peel oregano, paprika, parsley, peppermint, poppy seeds, rosemary, saffron, sage, savory, spearmint, star anise, tamarind, tarragon, thyme, turmeric, vanilla.

Tridosha (VPK=): black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, coconut, coriander, cilantro, cumin, dill (leaves or seeds), fennel, garlic (cooked), ghee, ginger (cooked), ginger (fresh), lemon, mint leaves, mustard, nutmeg, orange peel, parsley, rose water, saffron, sea salt, tamarind, tarragon, turmeric, vanilla, wintergreen. 

Foods for Reducing Vata—Air Element

When calming Vata, EMPHASIZE sweet, sour and salty tastes, AVOID bitter, astringent and pungent

	Balancing Foods	Avoid/Reduce
Fruits Note: Fruits and fruit juices are best consumed by themselves for all doshas. Soak all dried fruits except in cases where Kapha is very high. Adding spices to fruits or stewing them in a little water helps their digestibility during the colder seasons or times of illness.	Sweet fruits, fresh Apricots Apples, cooked/baked* Avocado Bananas All Berries Cherries Coconut Dates Figs, fresh Grapefruit Grapes Kiwi* Lemon Lime Mango, ripe Melons, sweet Oranges Papaya Pears, cooked* Peaches Pineapple Plums Raisins, soaked Rhubarb Strawberries*	Canned fruits Dried fruits, unsoaked Apples, raw Cranberries Frozen fruits or fruits with added sugar Pears, raw Persimmon Pomegranate Prunes Quince, raw Watermelon
Vegetables Note: For proper digestion and nutrient absorption, combine low starch vegetables (leafy greens, broccoli, asparagus, etc.) with either grains or high protein (tofu, dairy, nuts, or flesh foods). Combine high starch vegetables (potatoes, squash, etc.) with grains, but not with high protein.	Cooked, fresh vegetables Acorn squash Artichoke Asparagus Bean Sprouts Beets  Carrot Cress* Cucumber Daikon radish* Fennel Fenugreek greens* Garlic, well-cooked* Green beans, well cooked Horse radish** Leeks, cooked Mung sprouts, cooked Mustard greens Okra, cooked Olives, black and green Onions, cooked** Parsnip Pumpkin* Radish Rutabaga Shitake ** Summer squash Sweet potato Watercress Zucchini Winter squash	Frozen, dried, canned or microwaved vegetables Raw vegetables in excess Arugula* Beet greens* Bell pepper Broccoli** Brussel sprouts Burdock root Cabbage Cauliflower Celery Celtuce Chicory Chinese Cabbage** Collards Corn, fresh** Dandelion greens Eggplant Endive Escarole Guy Lon** Jerusalem artichoke* Jicama* Kale* Kohlrabi Leafy greens* Lettuce* Mizuna Mushrooms Onions, raw Pac choy (bok choy) Parsley* Peas** Peppers Potatoes, white Purslane Radicchio Snow peas* Spaghetti squash** Spinach* Sprouts* Swiss chard* Tomatoes Turnips Turnip greens
Grains Note: Grains combine well with high and low starch vegetables, as most legumes, such as split mung beans. They do not combine with high protein (tofu, dairy, nuts, and flesh foods).	Cook grains with warming spices (i.e. cumin and mustard seeds): All rice Amaranth* Kamut* Oats, cooked Teff* Spelt White basmati rice Wild Rice	Cold, dry, puffed cereals Refined, frozen or microwaved products Barley** Buckwheat Corn Granola Millet Oat bran** (with ghee) Oats, dry Popcorn Quinoa* Rice cakes** Rye Wheat Wheat bran
Animal Foods Note: If you still eat animal foods, be sure to combine them with low starch vegetables only. Avoid combining animal foods with dairy, oils, or high starch vegetables or grains (i.e. potatoes, rice, breads, pastas)	A portion no larger than the size and width of the palm of your hand: Chicken, white meat Turkey, white meat Eggs, coddled is best Freshwater fish, wild caught	Beef Duck Lamb Pork Rabbit Seafood (esp. shellfish) Venison
Legumes Note: Legumes combine with low and high starch vegetables. When combined with grains (in the same meal or in the same day), they form a complete protein. Soy beans and tofu are high protein, and so they combine with low starch vegetables only. Tofu is best steamed, baked or scrambled/stir-fried.	Well-soaked and well-cooked: Aduki beans Black lentils Mung beans, whole Red lentils* Split mung beans (available at the Herb and Spice on Bank St.) Tepary beans Tofu, cooked* Tur Dal Urud dal (split black lentils)	Black beans Black-eyed peas Chana dal Garbanzos (chick peas) Khala chana Kidney beans Common lentils Lima beans Navy beans Pinto beans Soy beans Soy flour Soy margarine Soy Powder Soy milk, cheese, yogurt Split peas Tempeh White bean
Nuts Note: Avoid combining nuts with other protein foods. Eat only a small portion at a time. Buy small quantities from the health foods store and keep in the refrigerator to prevent oils from turning rancid.	In moderation: Almonds, soaked overnight and skins removed Black walnuts Brazil nuts Cashews Coconut English Walnuts Hazelnuts Homemade almond milk Macademia nuts Pecans Pine nuts	All other nuts, especially peanuts and pistachios Salted nuts
Seeds Note: Avoid combining seeds with other protein foods.	Chia Flax Pumpkin* Sesame Sunflower Sunflower seed butter Tahini	Psyllium**
Sweeteners Note: Avoid if candida is high, and avoid/reduce if healing from illness.	Barley malt Brown rice syrup Fructose Fruit juice concentrates, esp. apricot juice and peach nectar Maple syrup Molasses Raw honey Sucanat* Sugar can juice* Stevia	White sugar All other sweeteners
Condiments	Black pepper* Black sesame seeds Coconut Coriander leaves* Daikon radish Dulse Garlic, cooked** Ghee Ginger, fresh Gomasio Hijiki Horseradish* Kelp Kombu Lemon Lettuce* Lime Mango Chutney Mayonnaise, from health food store Mint leaves* Mustard, from health store Onion, cooked** Papaya chutney Pickled vegetables, from health store Radish Sea salt, sparingly Seaweeds Sesame seeds Soy sauce,* wheat-free Sprouts* Tamari,* wheat-free Yogurt, fresh	Chili pepper Garlic, raw Ginger, dry Grated cheese* Ketchup Mayonnaise Onion, raw Table salt
Spices	Ajwan Allspice Almond extract Amchoor Anise Asafoetida Basil Bay leaf Caraway Cardamom Cinnamon Cloves Coriander Cumin Dill Fennel Fenugreek* Garlic, cooked** Ginger Horseradish* Mace Marjoram Mustard seeds Orange Peel Oregano Parsley* Peppermint* Poppy seeds Rosemary Rose water Saffron Sage Savoury Spearmint Star Anise Tamarind Turmeric Tarragon Thyme Vanilla Wintergreen	Cayenne* Garlic, raw Neem leaves* Nutmeg* Paprika Pippali
Dairy Note:  Choose only fresh dairy products. Avoid dairy during times of congestion, mucus, water retention, and lethargy.	Fresh goat’s milk** Fresh, organic cow’s milk** Freshly made (i.e. homemade soft cheese or paneer* Freshly made yogurt Ghee (clarified, unsalted butter)	All dairy that is not fresh Cow/goat powdered milk Butter, esp. salted Buttermilk Feta cheese Hard Cheeses** Ice cream Sour Cream
Oils Note: Only cook with ghee for high temperatures, and sesame, sunflower or olive oil for low temperatures. Do not cook other oils. Keep all oils in the fridge, except for olive oil and ghee.	Cold-pressed, from a health food store: Avocado Almond Ghee (make at home) Olive Sesame, especially good Sunflower	Deep fried foods and rancid oils Canola Coconut Corn Peanut Safflower Soy “Vegetable” oil
Beverages Note: It is best to drink between meals (up to 30 min prior and 2 hours after eating), so as not to dilute digestive and enzymatic juices. Beverages are the most energizing when freshly made, rather than from bottled/frozen juices and drinks. When fresh is not possible, unsweetened and bottled is preferable to frozen. Consume all beverages warm or at room temperature. Cold drinks will weaken digestion and create more coldness in the body.	Aloe vera juice* Almond milk Apricot juice Banana shakes/smoothies Berry juice Carrot juice and combos Cherry juice Coconut milk Grain beverages Grape juice* Mango juice Miso broth* Hot spiced Goat milk* Oat milk Peach nectar Papaya juice Rice milk Sour juices and teas Vegetable broths Hot Herbal Teas: Ajwan Bansha, with sweetener and milk/substitute                      Basil Catnip Chamomile Cinnamon Cloves Elder flowers Fennel Fenugreek Ginger, fresh Ginseng* Hawthorne Hibiscus* Hyssop Jasmine** Juniper berries Lavender Lemon balm Lemongrass Licorice Lotus Marshmallow Nettle** Oat straw Orange peel Osha Passion flower* Peppermint Rasberry* Red Clover* Rose flowers Rose hips Saffron Sage Sarsaparilla Sassafras Spearmint Violet*	Alcohol Apple juice Caffeine Carbonated drinks Chocolate milk** Coffee Cold dairy drinks Cold drinks Cranberry juice Grapefruit juice Lemonade Orange juice Pear juice Pomegranate juice Prune juice** Soy milk, esp. cold Tomato juice V-8 juice
Other	Chlorella* Spirulina and other blue-green algae*

*These foods are OK in moderation

**These foods are OK occasionally

Avoid/Reduce means: when balanced, decrease consumption and eat occasionally. When imbalanced, avoid completely.  See your Ayurvedic practitioner if you are unsure as to your constitution or current state of balance/imbalance.