As Yoga means union it also includes a union with what you eat and digest, we are unified with the environment and with each other. Your whole body system and mind should strive to reach a balanced and harmonic state. Yoga develops our pure inner nature and the diet plays an important roll. The food produces the energy that drives our body, but it also shapes our emotions and affects our minds. The Yogic scripture divides food into three types: the Sattvic – the pure, the Rajasic – stimulating and the Tamasic – the impure and rotten food.
The Rajas group of food contains for example onions, garlic, coffee, tea, fast food, snacks and spicy and salted foods and it also includes sugar and soft drinks and chocolate. The Bhagavad Gita, 17-9 states “The foods that are bitter, sour, saline, excessively hot, pungent dry, and burning are liked by the rajasic and are productive of pain, grief and disease.” The behaviour is affected by a Rajasic diet and persons become overstimulated and hyperactive in both body and mind and the adrenalin gets high. Characteristics for people eating Rajas diet are aggressive, passionate and anger.
The Tamasic diet contains meat, fish, eggs, drugs, alcohol and overcooked, fried barbecued and reheated food and food containing conservatives. Tamasic means dark or evil. The food in this diet is mainly tasteless, putrid, frired or rotten like mushrooms (they grow in darkness), aubergine, dried sauages, fast food etc. Persons keeping to this diet are often dull, boring, evil or lazy. The Tamasic diet may be a less expensive alternative and may be more represented in areas less fortunate.
The Yogic number one diet is the Sattvic group.Purity, truth, light and love – the higher qualities that allows inner growth. In this group you find the pure food that brings most energy out of us and that calms our mind and sharpens our intellect. Pure fruits, nuts, seeds, vegetables, cereals and whole grain products, pure diary products etc. The Sattvic diet is easily digested and supplies maximum energy and gives endurance. “The foods which increase life, purity, strength, health, joy and cheerfulness, which are savory and oleaginous, substantial and agreeable, are dear to the sattvic people.” Bhagavad Gita, 17-8. This diet brings purity and calmness to the mind and promotes happiness, serenity and a mental equilibrium.
