Sattva is a Sanskrit term that means purity, focused, balanced, grounded, and nourishing, and it relates to the qualities of our minds and the foods we ingest.
When people first learn about Ayurveda, they are drawn to it by the feeling of peace surrounding everything about this ancient science. These ideas are very different from how most of the world operates, with too much to do and little time to consider nature.
Ayurveda is grounded in the idea that harmony can be achieved by practicing the four pillars of life: eating foods that nourish our bodies and minds, living in alignment with nature's rhythms and seasons, getting proper sleep, and managing our energy, both physically and mentally.
We balance these four areas of life by increasing Sattva and eating foods that connect us with our higher consciousness. Sattvic foods are grown with mindful practices, are organic, non-GMO, and locally produced. They digest quickly and provide the strength and vitality we are meant to have naturally.
Ayurveda and Yoga are based on the philosophy of the three gunas: Sattva (lightness, balance, harmony, purity, and peace), Rajas (heat, activity, passion, turbulence, and stress), and tamas (heaviness, lethargy, dullness, darkness, and ignorance). These concepts represent the qualities present in food, nature, actions, and our body and mind.
Sattvic foods have the qualities of being balancing, harmonious, and plentiful. They are loosely categorized as fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains, legumes, and nuts. But how they are eaten, for example, cooked versus raw, can make a difference in whether they add Sattva or Rajas to the mind and body. A vegetable may have all of the possibilities of Sattva. But if it is eaten raw, then it may be Rajasic for the body and mind. Many fruits are also Sattvic for the body and mind when cooked lightly with ghee and spices.
Sattvic Foods
Grains: Basmati rice, oats, rice, and wheat.
Dairy: Raw milk, raw milk cheese, and small amounts of freshly made yogurt.
Sweeteners: Honey, Jaggery, and raw sugar.
Oils: Ghee and olive oil.
Fruits: Just about all organic fruit, in season and ripe, but smaller quantities of the heavier fruits.
Vegetables: Most vegetables are good, but smaller quantities of broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbages, cauliflower, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and NO mushrooms.
Nuts and Seeds: Almonds and pine nuts.
Legumes: Aduki beans, mung beans, and tofu.
Spices: Cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, fennel, fresh ginger, and turmeric. Avoid raw garlic, raw onion, and very pungent spices.
Beverages: Pure spring water, raw milk, chamomile, mint teas and sattvic vegetable juices.
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