The Sanskrit term "VATA" is derived from the verb "va", meaning to move like air. Vata regulates all the movement activity in the body, from how many thoughts one might have in a day to how the food moves through your digestive system. Vata is in charge of vital life essence, oxygen or prana. Hence, when Vata leaves the body, life ends.
To learn more about Vata characteristics, click here.
Scroll down further to get to the yummy porridge recipe.
For Vata types, choose foods that are warm, moist, heavy, and oily in quality and tastes that are sweet, sour and salty.
Fruits that are sweet, sour, heavy or juicy in nature, such as avocadoes, bananas, berries, cherries, figs, grapefruit, grapes, lemons, mangoes, sweet melons, oranges, lemons, limes, papayas, peaches, pineapples, and plums. Cooked fruits are better in a cold season or when the digestive fire is weak.
Vegetables such as asparagus, beets, carrots, onions, parsnips, peas, sweet potatoes, yellow squash, zucchini, and yams.
Eat in moderation: lettuce, leafy greens, sprouts, and spinach.
Eat well cooked and with spices: broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, kale, potatoes, tomatoes, and winter squashes.
Grains that are heavy and warming such as basmati rice, brown rice, wild rice, oats, quinoa, and wheat.
Legumes that are easy to digest such as green mung beans, soy, and yellow or red lentils.
Nuts and seeds if they are soaked, made into nut milks or cooked, especially almonds and sesame seeds.
Ghee or cow's milk for lubrication and nourishment. Most dairy is good except have diluted or spiced yogurt (buttermilk).
Oils such as sesame, olive, and almond.
Sweeteners that are natural and unprocessed such as raw sugar, dates, molasses, rice syrup, and in moderation honey and maple syrup.
Condiments that are warming, sweet, sour, or salty, such as basil, lemon, lime, salt, seaweed, and vinegar and occasionally cilantro and mint.
Spices that are warming and calming in nature such as cardamom, curry leaves, ginger, fenugreek, and hing (asafoetida). Use coriander, cumin, fennel, saffron, or turmeric in combination with other warming spices and use cinnamon and nutmeg in moderation.
If you consume animal products to build strength, then use bone broths made of beef, chicken, or turkey.
Black Rice Porridge
Chewy, Creamy, Sweet and Delicious- that's how I would describe this porridge. Oh! yes, and very healthy too for Vata types. Black rice is also known as 'Forbidden Rice' in ancient China since only those belonging to the upper class could afford to eat it. Black rice is known as chak-hao in Manipur, India.
Black rice has a deep black color and usually turns deep purple when cooked. Its dark purple color is primarily due to its anthocyanin content, which is higher by weight than that of other colored grains. Compared with other types of rice, black rice is one of the highest in protein. Research shows that black rice contains over 23 types of antioxidants and has the highest antioxidant activity of all rice varieties.
Black rice is naturally gluten-free and can be a good option for those with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.
Ingredients
3 cups water
pinch of salt
1 cup uncooked black rice
1/4 cups cashew chopped
1/4 tsp cardamom powder
2 cups oat or almond milk
1 tsp ghee
4 dates, soaked overnight in 1 cup of water and pitted
Instructions
Place 3 cups water, ghee and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil on high heat. Add rice, reduce heat to low, and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes or until all the water is absorbed.
While the rice is cooking, blend the dates with the soaked water to make a date paste.
Once the rice is done, remove from the heat and add 2 cups of almond milk or oat milk, date syrup, cardamom powder and chopped cashews and mix well.
Put the porridge back on gas to cook for 5-10 minutes on low flame or until the porridge is of desirable consistency.
Serve your pudding warm and garnish with some fresh slices of strawberries or mango with mint or cooked apples and pears.
NOTE
Pitta types choose cooked apples and pears
Kapha types use additional water instead of milk, do not use ghee or dates (use honey for sweetness); enjoy occasionally.