Abstract
Ayurvedic science was concerned with food and its usage in the attainment of health and in managing disease long before the advent of nutrition science. The Ayurvedic method of analyzing food substances is unique and incorporates healthy food and specifies eating habits and ways of eating. Food, according to Ayurveda, is classified by consistency, taste, properties, qualities, compatibility, and incompatibility. Diet is an important controlling factor with regard to indigenous microbiotic activities. Gut microflora contains pathogenic, benign, and beneficial microbial species. A predominance of the former can lead to gut upset, which can be both acute (e.g., gastroenteritis) and chronic (e.g., inflammatory bowel disease). The three humors of Ayurveda – Vata, Pitta, and Kapha – which are derived from specific combinations of five elements, are also influenced by the six tastes. The influence of the five elements in food items is proportional to the influence of the five elements in a particular region.
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Kumar, S. (2014). The Concept of Diet in Ayurveda and Its Implications for the Modern World. In: Rastogi, S. (eds) Ayurvedic Science of Food and Nutrition. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-9628-1_3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-9628-1_3
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