Yogic Concepts About Food and How You Can Apply Them to Baby Foods

8Yes, Yoga is not a food science in itself, but it does offer some prescriptive insight into food and its connection with our physical, mental and spiritual health. Just like Ayurveda, which is another interrelated brand of Vedic knowledge, Yoga too stresses internal and external purification through emphasis on diet, nutrition, exercise, hygiene and spiritual connect.

Yogic food concepts emphasize clarity, calmness and overall well-being rather than giving micro rules of what one can and cannot eat or placing strict dietary restrictions.

So as International Yoga Day 2024 fast approaches, we thought of looking at all the yogic concepts about food and how new mothers can apply them to the food they offer to their babies and toddlers.

Breaking down the foods we eat:

According to the philosophy of yoga, food can be broken down into 3 categories according to their gunas or properties, namely sattva (foods that inculcate purity and balance), rajas (foods that offer energy for activity and passion) and tamas (foods that promote lethargy and inertia).

These properties act on our minds and do, the tenets of yoga speak of these:

• Since Sattvic foods are considered light, pure and vital, they should be included in daily or regular meals as they promote peace, harmony and clarity. Examples of sattvic foods are fresh vegetables and foods, nuts, seeds, milk, whole grains and legumes.
• Since Rajasic foods stimulate energy levels they need to be consumed in moderation, and at times when such energy levels need to be maintained. Over-consuming these can cause restlessness and at times even aggression. Examples of rajasic foods are onion, garlic, stimulants such as tea and coffee, and even spicy foods.
• Since Tamasic foods are known to deplete energy and cause dullness, heaviness, negativity and sluggishness, they must be completely avoided if possible. Examples of tamasic foods are meats, fish, refined sugars, processed foods and even fried foods.
• Yogic tenets actively require moderation in diet or mit ahaar, a core yogic principle since it stresses on eating enough food to nourish the body, not enough to give in to cravings and cause harm.
• Yogic science stresses eating only until one is about 75% full, eating only the freshest, most seasonal, most local foods and choosing whole foods at all times, Not just this, but food should also be consumed without distractions (such as phones and televisions) so that every bite can be taken slowly and savoured to ensure bodily cues are received as nature intended.
• Since yoga is built on the principles of ahimsa or non-harm, the science also promotes vegetarianism.

So, the question now is whether (and how) new mothers can apply these basic yogic principles when they plan their baby’s meals.

Applying yogic logic to baby foods

Since yogic food concepts just provide a general guideline or framework for healthy eating, new mothers need not be rigid or strict with them. They should try to inculcate all the basics that fit their logic when it comes to feeding their babies and toddlers. So here are some pointers that seem logical to all moms when looked at from a nutritional standpoint.

• As yogic insight states, offering your baby the freshest, most local foods, such as fresh fruits and vegetables is always a good idea and makes the most logical sense in terms of nutrition.
• Whole grains, especially local whole grains, also make logical sense. Especially grains that are part of India’s rich food history, such as millet.
• Sticking to sattvic foods such as fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes and milk also make for a wholesome, nutritious diet for overall wellbeing.

According to these, giving your baby wholesome sattvic meals featuring fresh fruits, milk, vegetables and local grains should be the most beneficial for your babies and toddlers. Since fresh food is valued greatly, fresh homecooked meals such as millet purees, fruit and vegetable purees or even dal khichdi are perfect early baby foods. But if fresh home-cooked meals are not always possible, the next best thing could be ready foods that are preservative-free, clean label and true to the ingredients they claim to have, such as the trusted and super-healthy baby meals offered by Mother Nurture in India, using quality, local Indian ingredients. https://www.mothernurture.in/collections/all