Top 10 Ayurvedic Detox Lunch Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What should we eat during Ayurvedic cleanse? ›

Since the goal of cleansing is to clear ama out of your body, it's good to favor foods that are light, warm, cooked, and easily digestible. Try to follow a vegetarian diet with freshly made flatbreads, light soups and dhals, organic vegetables cooked with spices and freshly-made grains such as quinoa.

The Ayurvedic diet is, generally speaking, a whole foods diet rich in plenty of fresh, organic produce, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, herbs, spices, and—if tolerated—dairy foods like milk, yogurt, and soft cheeses like panir.

04/6The Ayurvedic breakfast

Dr Vara recommends that the ideal breakfast should be warm and easy to digest. “For example, rice porridge or a small portion of cooked grains like Dalia with digestive spices like cumin or a glass of cooked milk with a pinch of shunti (dry ginger).”

Consume low-carb foods at night. This is because low-carb foods are digested easily. Eating foods that are heavy at night will hamper your sleep and you may feel light-headed the next day. Include foods like paneer, tofu, lentils, beans, low-fat chicken, etc.

Best Foods for a Detox Diet

Vegetables and fruits contain enzymes that help improve digestion and also many nutrients that are strong detoxifying agents. Vegetables, fruits, whole-grains and beans are high in fiber and therefore help toxins out of the body through the bowels.

Food you should avoid

While on a detox diet, there are several food items you should avoid. They include milk products, sugar, maple syrup, honey, artificial sweeteners, coffee, alcohol, dried fruit, and grains such as wheat, barley, oats, rice, and barley.

It's often suggested that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but in Ayurvedic practice, lunch is actually the most important. Midday is when our digestive fire (called “agni” in Sanskrit) is at its strongest, so it's best to eat the biggest, heartiest, most nourishing meal for lunch.

One meal a day is consept derived from Yogshastra. Its been said that , the person who eat only once a day is Yogi (is a practitioner of yoga, including a sannyasin or practitioner of meditation). Person who eats twice a day is Bhogi(one who enjoyes life) and a person who eat thrice a day is a Rogi(person who is ill).

One meal a day

“Such a person is called 'yogi' capable of intense thoughts, heightened intellectual and spiritual capabilities, which is further aided by the lightness of their body,” the Ayurvedic expert explained.

The ideal ayurvedic lunch includes two or three kinds of vegetables, one of which should be a leafy green; a lentil or bean dish or a paneer dish; a whole grain; a chutney or relish; a small helping of a warm salad or soup; and lassi, a beverage made by blending together fresh yogurt and water.

What is the best time to eat lunch according to Ayurveda? ›

In Ayurveda, the development of healthy daily routines and habits is a key contributor to overall quality of life. One of these routines is eating your meals at fixed times daily. Ideally, breakfast is to be consumed between 7 am and 9 am. Lunch between 12 pm and 2 pm.

As per Ayurveda, lunch is the most important meal of that day, which should ideally be eaten between noon and 2 pm, which is when the Sun is at its peak and so is the Pitta in our bodies, which takes care of the digestion.

First thing in the morning, boil some water and add a squeeze of fresh organic lemon. Drinking warm water in the morning provides a gentle flush for the whole system while also stimulating peristalsis.

Saffron and cardamom are aromatic spices used in Ayurveda to promote relaxation. Adding a few strands of saffron and a pinch of cardamom powder to warm milk/water can create a soothing bedtime drink.

When it comes to that one drink that suits everyone, water is the best answer and according to Ayurveda, one should always consume warm water as the first drink. Hence, it is the universal morning drink that anyone can have without thinking much about its side effects.

Fill two-thirds of your plate with plant-based foods, like vegetables and whole grains. Try to avoid high-calorie, low-nutrient foods, especially when it comes to snacks. Eliminate sweetened beverages from your diet. Drinking more water throughout the day can replenish your body without adding calories.

While the idea of cleansing is to only consume juices, some people choose to have a small snack. If you're finding it difficult to stay on a liquid-only cleanse, add a few natural and whole foods to your cleanse. You can include a piece of fruit, a handful of raw nuts, broth, herbal tea, or a small salad.