The earth and water elements combine to form kapha dosha—representing qualities like heaviness, slowness, stability, softness, density, and cold. The dosha is responsible for body fluids, structures, and solidity in physiology. Kapha people should eat drying, light, and warm foods. They can have lightly cooked to raw fruits and salads. Kapha people can also have spicy food.
For Kapha, cooking methods should be drying like baked, broiled, grilled, or sautéed instead of steaming. Kapha people should avoid overeating. The foods that help the Kapha people with good digestion include
- Fruits. Apples, cherries, mangoes, berries, pear, raisins, dried fig, plums, and peaches. Most other dried fruits should be avoided.
- Vegetables. Spicy and bitter including, cabbage, carrots, eggplants, mushrooms, onions, spinach, Brussels sprouts, celery, garlic, peas, fennel and cauliflower.
- Grains. Barley, millet, oats, and corn can be had in moderate quantities.
- Legumes. Except for white beans and lentils, all the other legumes are okay for consumption, and so are all the spices.
Foods to avoid:
- White sugar
- Yogurt
- Cheese
- All fatty foods
The moist, cold, heavy and dull qualities of Kapha allow the body to build and lubricate the body. Kapha is essential the “glue” of the body. In classical Ayurveda test, Kapha disorders are concerned with excess fluids and manifest as obesity, edema and high cholesterol. Detoxification and cleansing programs are important for Kapha disorders. When balanced they are loving and compassionate people.
Ways to Balance Kapha:
Eat a Kapha pacifying diet
Avoid a leisurely lifestyle
Rise early and no naps
Practice invigorating activities
Use warm essential oils and colors dry rub the body
This is a list of Kapha pacifying foods. It is not a complete list. Remember, just because it is on the list does not mean that it is bio energetically matched to you. There are many things to examine when choosing the correct foods for a dosha, especially the imbalances