Balancing Foods | Reduce/Avoid | |
FruitsNote: Fruits and fruit juices are best consumed by themselves for all doshas. Soak all dried fruits except in cases where Kapha is very high. | Mildly sweet fruits Apricots Apples, cooked/baked Berries, sweet Cherries, sweet Dried figs, soaked Mango, ripe Pears, cooked Raisins, soaked Plums, sweet | Sour and very sweet fruits Avocado Apples, raw or sour Banana Coconut Cranberries Dates Dried fruits, unsoaked Frozen Fruits Fruit with sugar Grapefruit Grapes, sweet* Kiwi Lemon** Lime** Melons Peaches** Pears, raw Persimmon Pomegranate Prunes Oranges Papaya Pineapple Rhubarb Strawberries |
VegetablesNote: For proper digestion and nutrient absorption, combine low starch vegetables (leafy greens, broccoli, carrots, etc.) with either grains or high protein (tofu, dairy, nuts, flesh foods). Combine high starch vegetables (potatoes, squash, etc.) with grains, but not with high protein. | Cooked, fresh vegetables Alfalfa Sprouts Artichoke Arugula* Asparagus Bean Sprouts Beets** Carrots Celery* Cucumber Dandelion greens* Endive* Fennel* Green Beans, well cooked Jerusalem artichoke Jicama Kale* Leafy greens Leeks, cooked** (avoid if experiencing hives) Lettuce* Mung sprouts, cooked Okra, cooked Onions cooked** Parsnip** Radicchio** Rutabaga Snow Peas* Sprouts* Squash* (in autumn) Sweet Potato** Swiss Chard* Watercress* Yel Crookneck Squash Zucchini* | Frozen, dried, canned or microwaved vegetables Raw vegetables in excess Bell pepper Beet greens Broccoli** Brussel Sprouts Burdock root** Cabbage Cauliflower Chicory Chinese Cabbage** Collards Eggplant Escarole Fresh corn** Kohlrabi Mizuna Mushrooms Onions, raw Pac Choy Parsley* Peas** Peppers Potatoes, white Purslane Spinach Tomatoes Turnips Turnip greens |
GrainsNote: Grains combine well with high and low starch vegetables, as well as some light legumes, such as split mung beans. They do not combine with high protein (tofu, dairy, nuts, flesh foods). | Amaranth* Buckwheat* Millet* Quinoa* Rice, brown** White basmati rice Wild Rice* | Cold, dry, puffed cereals Refined, frozen or microwaved products Barley Corn Granola Kamut Oats, cooked Oats, dry Oat bran Popcorn Rice cakes Rye Teff Wheat Wheat bran |
Animal FoodsNote: If you still eat animal foods, be sure to combine them with low starch vegetables only. Avoid combining animal foods with high starch vegetables or grains (rice, breads, pastas, etc.). | Chicken, white meat Turkey, white meat Eggs, not fried Freshwater fish* | Beef Duck Lamb Pork Rabbit Seafood (esp. shellfish) Venison |
LegumesNote: Lighter legumes, such as mung beans, combine with low and high starch vegetables, and grains. Legumes that are higher in protein or heavier (soy bean, tofu) combine with low starch vegetables only. Soak and cook them very well. | Aduki beans Mung beans, whole* Split mung beans (available at Herb and Spice as “Moong Dal”) Split peas* Tepary beans Tofu, cooked Urud dal* | Black beans Black-eyed peas Black lentils Chana dal Garbanzos (chick peas) Khala Chana Kidney beans Common lentils Lima beans Navy beans Pinto beans Red lentils Soy beans Soy flour Soy margarine Soy Powder Soy milk, cheese, yogurt Tempeh White beans |
NutsNote: Avoid combining nuts with other protein foods. Eat only a small portion at a time. | In moderation: Almonds, soaked overnight and skins removed Homemade almond milk (Avoid almonds while experiencing hives) | All other nuts |
SeedsNote: Avoid combining seeds with other protein foods. | Sesame* Sunflower Pumpkin* Flax* | Psyllium |
SweetenersNote: Avoid if candida is high, or if healing from illness. | Fruit juice concentrates, esp. apricot juice and peach nectar Maple syrup | White sugar All other sweeteners |
Condiments | Bragg Liquid Aminos* (avoid if experiencing hives) Coconut** Coriander leaves (if tolerated) Ghee (if tolerated) Lettuce Mango Chutney* (if homemade) Mint leaves Sprouts Yogurt, fresh** | Black sesame seeds Black pepper Bottled salad dressings Chili pepper Daikon radish Garlic Ginger, fresh Gomasio Grated cheese Ginger, dry Horseradish Kelp Ketchup Lemon** Lime** Mayonnaise Mustard** (if from health food store, occasionally) Onion, raw Papaya chutney Pickled vegetables/fruit Radish Salt Seaweeds Soy sauce Tamari |
SpicesNote: if Pitta is in balance (i.e. if you do not have too much heat or Pitta symptoms), you may occasionally use the spices on the “Avoid” list. | Ajwan** Almond extract* Asafoetida* Basil* Bay leaf* Caraway* Cardamom* Cinnamon* Coriander Cumin Dill Fennel Neem leaves* Orange Peel* Parsley* Peppermint Rose water Saffron Spearmint Turmeric Mustard seeds* Oregano* Poppy seeds* Tarragon* Thyme* Vanilla Wintergreen | Allspice Amchoor Anise** Cayenne Cloves Fenugreek** Garlic, esp. raw Ginger, dry Horseradish Mace** Marjoram** Nutmeg Paprika Pippali Rosemary Sage** Savory Star Anise Tamarind |
Dairy | Avoid all dairy: Use rice milk as a substitute (best if homemade) You may or may not be able to tolerate ghee, depending on your sensitivity | All dairy Butter, esp. salted Buttermilk Cow’s milk Feta cheese Hard Cheeses Ice cream Sour Cream Undiluted yogurt |
OilsNote: Cook sesame, sunflower or olive oil on low temperatures. Do not cook other oils. Always choose cold-pressed from a health food store. | Almond Olive* Sesame* Sunflower (Avoid using oils when experiencing hives) | Deep fried foods and rancid oils Apricot Avocado Coconut Corn Safflower Soy |
BeveragesNote: 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 this is not possible, unsweetened and bottled is preferable to frozen. | Alfalfa Aloe Vera Juice or Gel Apricot juice Berry juice, sweet Carob** Carrot juice Cherry juice, sweet Grain beverages Grape juice* Mango juice* Miso broth** Peach nectar Herb Teas: Bansha* Basil** Catnip Chamomile Chrysanthemum* Cinnamon* Elder flowers* Fennel Ginger, fresh** Hibiscus* Hops** Jasmine** Lavender Lemon balm Lotus** Nettle** Oat straw Orange peel* Passion flower* Peppermint Rasberry* Red Clover* Rose flowers Saffron Sarsaparilla Spearmint Violet* | Alcohol Apple juice Banana drinks Beer Caffeine Carbonated drinks Chocolate milk Coffee Cold dairy drinks Cold drinks Cranberry juice Grapefruit juice Lemonade Orange juice Papaya juice Pear juice** Pomegranate juice Prune juice Salted drinks (i.e. bouillon) 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