Juices are tricky: while full of natural hydration, enzymes and nutrients they can throw you off balance when three aspects are not in balance. Ayurveda is sensitive to the individual nuances of the body- two Vata people are not identical- they could have completely opposite reaction to juices. Here are the aspects to consider for making juicing choices-
- Weather
- Dosha
- Intensity
I learnt this the hard way: while clearing my exfoliating chelitis I went on a beetroot juice binge and worsened my lip. Luckily I was in Pokhara where a wonderful Juicery was my daily haunt and I managed to create the right mix for myself- the third point intensity is all about how much of a juice you take and how diluted it is. For my situation Beetroot juice shots needed to be diluted and taken with some warm food.
Juices are cooling, light and dry- in winter they are not recommended for any doshas- the most tolerant to juices is Kapha and they benefit the most from it. In summer all Doshas can take juices- Vata must take the least, pitta moderately and kapha frequently. Adding ginger and turmeric to the juice will reduce its coolness to a fair degree.
Going by Doshas, here are the recommended foods for each type: they can be juiced in a combination that appeals to you.
Vata: a mix of Root vegetables like Beet, carrots, parsnip, sweet potato, ginger, fennel, cucumber with apples or pears. Ginger would kill the gas component in these juices.
Pitta: Ash gourd, Asparagus, Broccoli, cucumber with coriander and/or cardamom with kiwi, strawberries, mangoes, mint – coconut water or juice can be added for cooling effect in high summer.
Kapha: Bitter gourd, kale, grapefruit, broccoli, apple
You must have noticed that not many fruits are on the list. Eating fruits whole with fibre is far better than juicing as all doshas benefit from the wholeness of the fruit- skin and all.
Ayurveda is almost reluctant on juices. Please try the juices for a day or two and observe how you feel- some will really raise your energy and you can go for more. If they make you irritable or inflame a situation, look at diluting it or changing it.
Intensity is a factor to consider- if you have just come out of a stressful period or illness, definitely dilute the juice- adding coconut water in summer will ease the juice acceptability in the body. Root vegetable juices are best accepted when the digestion is in good form. Adding ginger or mint improves the taste and digestion.
Neem, curry leaves, moringa leaves in small quantities also help in making the juice healthier and easier on the system. Juices are best before meals- give a 20 minutes for their absorption.
To your health
