If you’ve read or heard of the yoga diet plan, chances are you’re curious about the benefits of this approach to eating and health. We’ve explored the history, philosophy, and mindset of following a yogic diet, including why a plant-based approach to eating can be a great shift.
The yogic diet, practiced by millions of people throughout history, has been proven to be a healthy approach to eating. Not only is the yoga diet plan good for your body, but it’s also good for the planet. The simple philosophy behind the diet is to eat whole, healthy foods, mostly plant-based.
But what does that really mean? Today, we’ll explore the details of the yoga diet plan and how you can start to embrace this healthier approach to food.
The Yogic Approach to Getting What Our Bodies Need from Food
All food has some value, but we all know there’s a huge difference between surviving on soda and candy bars and thriving on a diet filled with nourishing, healthy, whole foods. So, when we discuss foods on the yoga diet plan, they’re typically all-natural, non-GMO foods free from additives, antibiotics, hormones, and synthetic ingredients. Real food comes from nature, not from a factory.
Do you need to be entirely vegetarian when you follow the yoga diet plan? Well, it’s really up to you. Some people prefer to embrace a strictly vegetarian approach to their diet, which aligns with the yogic diet philosophy. But it’s important to recognize that it’s not unhealthy to include meat in your diet. Meat offers protein, B vitamins, and other nutrients that can be difficult to get from an entirely plant-based diet. Again, it comes down to personal preference.
If you do include meat in your yoga diet plan, be sure to choose meat and eggs that are grass-fed, cage-free, certified organic, and humanely raised. Look for products produced with care for the quality, environment, and consumer.
It’s also a good idea to include a multivitamin supplement in your diet, especially if you’re making food changes. Yes, the yoga diet plan is a healthy, nutrient-rich approach to eating, but any time you’re making a shift in your food consumption, you may inadvertently leave out some critical components until you get used to the new diet.
For a great multivitamin, I suggest Melaleuca’s Vitality Pack. The Vitality Multivitamin and Mineral, along with the Vitality Calcium Complete, will ensure that you’re getting all the essential nutrients you need as you make the healthy change to following a yoga diet plan.
How the Yoga Diet Plan Gives Your Body Fuel
Food is fuel. It gives us what we need for energy; according to yoga philosophy, the body is a vessel guided by the mind. Therefore, the foods we consume should nourish our body and mind and be as pure, wholesome, and nutritious as possible.
The yoga diet plan aligns with a yoga-based lifestyle. Yoga makes us more aware of our bodies. It teaches us to be present with our body’s different functions, including movement, sleep, breathing, and of course, digestion.
Traditionally the yoga diet plan is strictly vegetarian. The practice of yoga originated in India thousands of years ago and was seen as the purest lifestyle practice, typically followed by religious and spiritual people. Although that view has become more open over the years, meat was not seen as an appropriate part of the yogic philosophy. I personally advise including some meat or fish in your diet to help balance your protein intake and ensure you’re getting well-rounded nutrition.
Aside from being plant-based, the yoga diet plan also encourages us to avoid other foods that are highly processed, fried, or less nutritious. It’s all about health and nourishment—aligning the body’s systems for optimal health and wellbeing.
The body needs food for two reasons: as fuel for energy (in the form of calories) and as raw materials and nutrients to repair and maintain bodily systems. The yoga diet plan ensures that you choose the right foods for fuel to keep your body energized and highly functioning.
The fuel we ingest (a.k.a. food) goes into our stomachs and intestines. There, in our digestive tract, food breaks down into usable forms to energize and nourish our cells. In the intestines, food is absorbed and then transported through the bloodstream to all the body’s cells.
In the yoga diet philosophy, energy moves through a distinct system, which can be broken down into four parts:
- The sun: according to yogic philosophy, our energy comes from the sun. The closer our foods are to the sun, the higher the energy or “prana.” In Hinduism, prana is our life-giving force. The sun gives us prana in the form of vitamin D.
- Plants: Because of photosynthesis, plants turn solar energy into matter. Grains and vegetables store energy and provide a source that is easy to digest, assimilate, and use.
- Vegetarian animals: Vegetarian animals, including humans, must obtain energy or prana indirectly by consuming plants in their diet.
- Carnivorous animals: meat-eating animals get their energy thirdhand. In the yoga diet philosophy, energy is lost at each level, so the energy and nutrition that carnivores obtain from their food are less potent than the energy that vegetarians get.
Many people feel more energized when they start following the yoga diet plan. Consuming foods that are easy to digest, nutritionally rich, and whole can help our bodies run smoothly. Our digestion often improves and we may feel a bit of a boost, similar to following a detox diet. We may even lose weight. Often, when we stop eating processed foods high in sugar and other less-healthy ingredients, we’ll notice a significant improvement in our mood, energy, and overall health.
The Five Basic Components of the Yoga Diet Plan
The yoga diet plan focuses on the five essential components of food. It’s important to get a balanced level of each of these components in our diet.
Vitamins and Minerals
Plant-based foods contain vitamins and minerals that are important for the proper functioning of all bodily systems. If we don’t get enough vitamins and minerals in our diet, it can impact our immune system, energy levels, skin and bone health. Fortunately, the yoga diet plan includes many vitamin-rich plants to help us achieve optimal balance.
The yoga diet encourages us to eat fresh and raw fruits and vegetables whenever possible. Avoiding overcooked foods is sound advice all around, as over-processing can remove much of the nutrition from fruits and vegetables. Instead, try lightly steaming, blanching, or enjoying these fruits and vegetables raw. You can also include them in a smoothie.
Great sources for vitamins and minerals include:
- Citrus fruit like lemons, oranges, limes, and grapefruits for vitamin C.
- Berries including blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries for vitamin C and antioxidants.
- Peppers, especially red peppers, for vitamin C and iron.
- Asparagus for folate.
- Watercress and beans for potassium.
- Celery for sodium.
- Spinach for iron, vitamin C, folate, magnesium.
- Tomatoes for vitamin C.
- Cabbage, broccoli, kale, and cauliflower for vitamin K.
- Sweet potatoes and carrots for vitamin A.
Fiber
Another crucial component of a healthful diet, including the yoga diet plan, is fiber. Fiber helps our digestive systems work properly. It helps us avoid constipation and ensures that food passes through our system safely and efficiently (while moving out any harmful substances).
Fiber comes from plants, and when foods are processed, some of the fiber is often removed. So, it’s important to seek whole grains, beans, and minimally processed fruits and vegetables. Dried fruits can also be a good source of fiber.
To include plenty of fiber in your diet, seek fiber-rich foods like:
- Lentils, beans, and chickpeas.
- Whole, old-fashioned oats.
- Dried fruits including apricots, apples, and prunes.
- Brown rice.
- Whole-grain bread.
- Quinoa.
- Chia seeds.
- Berries like blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries.
- Bananas.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates may have received a bad rap in the past, but we need carbohydrates for energy and the proper functioning of our bodily systems. Simple carbohydrates are easily broken down by our bodies and converted into quick energy. More complex carbohydrates are more challenging to digest and act like fiber to help move food through our intestines.
Many carbohydrates break down into sugars when they enter our digestive systems. These carbohydrates are best when they’re unrefined because they include other nutrients as well. Some foods contain only simple carbohydrates, and while they may give us a quick boost, they ultimately become “empty” calories because they don’t offer any additional nutrients. These carbohydrates include refined sugar, candy, and alcohol, and should be avoided on the yoga diet plan.
To get plenty of healthy carbohydrates on the yoga diet plan, be sure to include:
- Arborio rice.
- Root vegetables like carrots and beets.
- Whole-grain bread.
- Whole wheat pasta.
- Beans and legumes like chickpeas and lentils.
- Potatoes, including sweet potatoes.
- Pumpkin and squash.
- Quinoa and oats.
Proteins
When following a vegetarian diet, there’s always a concern about protein. While it’s true that many proteins come from animal products, it’s definitely possible to get enough protein following a well-balanced vegetarian diet plan. Because the yoga diet includes dairy like ghee, cheese, and yogurt, it offers plenty of protein.
Proteins are made up of building blocks known as amino acids. These components help us build tissue and repair cells in the body. Protein is often broken down into nitrogenous waste and removed via the kidneys. Too much protein can strain our kidneys, and animal products can cause health concerns like heightened blood pressure and cholesterol.
To ensure you get enough vegetarian protein on the yoga diet plan, be sure to include:
- Organic cheese, yogurt, and butter (ghee).
- Seeds like sunflower seeds, pumpkin, and chia seeds.
- Tree nuts like almonds and cashews.
- Kidney beans.
- Pearl barley.
- Lentils.
- Tempeh.
- Tofu.
Fats
Another component that is necessary to a healthy diet is fat. We may be concerned that by including fat in our diet, we will gain weight or experience unhealthy effects of too much fat. But the truth is that fats help the body store energy. We need small quantities of dietary fat to help us store all the nutrients and vitamins that we eat. Fat also protects our internal organs, and dietary fats are needed to create the myelin sheaths that protect our nerves.
Fats include saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. When we eat saturated fats (which come mainly from animal products), we can overload our system. Our body stores excess fat, leading to heart disease, high cholesterol, and other issues. When we enjoy unsaturated fats from plant-based sources, the fatty acids are healthy and easily used by our bodies.
To include healthy fats in the yoga diet plan, be sure to consume:
- Nuts like almonds and cashews.
- Avocado.
- Olives and olive oil.
- Soybeans, including tofu.
- Corn.
- Seeds like chia, sesame, hemp, and pumpkin.
Incorporating the Yoga Diet Plan into Your Daily Life
So, is the yoga diet plan realistic? Surprisingly, unlike many other diet plans, the yoga diet plan is quite easy to follow, especially when you focus on the philosophy of using food as a source for health and nourishment. As with a yoga practice, the yoga diet plan is a way we can align our body with the outside environment, focusing on wholeness and wellness.
A simple yoga diet plan menu might include:
- Breakfast: A bowl of oats and chia seeds, topped with organic yogurt and berries. Or a smoothie with spinach, berries, banana, and organic yogurt.
- Lunch: A salad of greens, citrus fruit, and squash, topped with avocado dressing. A serving of hummus with pepper strips or a cup of lentil soup.
- Dinner: A quinoa, rice, or whole-grain pasta bowl topped with steamed vegetables, olive oil, and crumbled organic cheese. Or a chickpea and tofu curry dish served over brown rice, with a piece of fresh fruit or berries for dessert. Enjoy with a cup of herbal tea.
Throughout the day, stay hydrated with plenty of water. Add a squeeze of lemon for flavor and extra vitamin C.
Flavor your dishes with fresh herbs, spices, and citrus. You’ll be surprised at how quickly healthful eating becomes satisfying and delicious. When you follow the yoga diet plan, you’ll likely feel more mindful and conscious of your food choices. You’ll discover more energy and a greater sense of wellness when you take care of your body! Let me know your thoughts on the yoga diet plan in the comments below.
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