According to Ayurveda , "Sattva" means anything that is pure in quality. A Sattvic diet is one that promotes the purity of both mind and body. It is a way of life and more than just vegetarianism. The Ayurveda believes the impact of various elements on the food being prepared and on the health of the consumer of food ultimately.
A Sattvic diet takes into consideration the following:
The composition of the diet
The quality of food
The environment in which food is prepared
The mood of the person who prepares the food
Sattvic foods are abundant in prana (life-force), vegetarian, wholesome, seasonal, fresh, and easy to digest when cooked properly. They are not processed, are free of preservatives, and are grown in a chemical-free environment.
Ambiance for food preparation
The environment in which food is prepared must be clean and clutter-free. The person cooking should have taken bath and must wear clean clothes and should possess clear thoughts. The kitchen must be calm and pleasant during food preparation which enhances the quality of food being prepared.
The mood of the person preparing food
Preparing food with a lot of care and love creates positive, energetic vibrations that get absorbed by the food during preparation and have an overall positive impact on our health. Quality of food is also enhanced by small acts like - how the vegetables are cut, the way the spices are ground, or even in the ways ingredients are added to the preparation.
Incompatible foods (viruddha)[16] are considered to be a cause of many diseases.[17] In the Charaka Samhita, a list of food combinations considered incompatible in the sattvic system is given, such incompatibilities may not have influence on a person who is strong, exercises sufficiently, and has a good digestive system
Nutrition is the most important because from a proper wholesome and balanced diet, all the body constituents-dosha, dhatu and mala-are formed. That is why it is said that 'we are what we eat'. Food is not only essential for our physical well-being but it provides nutrition for our mind as well.
In Upanishad, it has been stated that the food we consume gets divided into three parts. The gross part is converted into flesh and a subtle part nourishes the mind. It is also stated there that the water we drink also gets divided into three parts. The major part becomes urine, the middle part becomes blood and the subtle part nourishes our life force or prana.
sattvic diet is meant to include foods and eating habits that are "pure, essential, natural, vital, energy-containing, clean, conscious, true, honest, wise. A sattvic diet can also exemplify Ahimsa, Yogic Principle ,the practice of non-violence, or not causing harm to other living things, which is one reason that yogis often follow a vegetarian diet.[
As eating habits.,Both the Saṇḍilya Upanishad and Svatmarama, an Indian yogi who lived during the 15th century, state that Mitahara (eating in moderation) is an important part of yoga practice
the virtue of Mitahara is one where the yogi is aware of the quantity and quality of food and drinks he or she consumes, takes neither too much nor too little, and suits it to one's health condition and needs, It recommends that one must "eat only when one feels hungry" and "neither overeat nor eat to completely fill the capacity of one's stomach; rather leave a quarter portion empty and fill three quarters with quality food and freshwater i.e. Sattvik food
The Hathayoga Pradipika suggests ''Kitahara'' regimen of a yogi avoids foods with excessive amounts of sour, salt, bitterness, oil, spice burn, unripe vegetables, fermented foods or alcohol. The practice of Mitahara, in Hathayoga Pradipika, includes avoiding stale, impure, and tamasic foods, and consuming moderate amounts of fresh, vital, and sattvic foods.
A Sattvik diet is a purely vegetarian diet which includes seasonal fresh fruit, ample of fresh vegetables, whole grain, pulses, sprouts, dried nuts, seeds, honey, fresh herbs , milk and dairy products,
Sattvik foods are cooked and eaten with love, gratitude , and awareness.
Sattvic diet is a diet based on foods, in Ayurveda and yogic literature that contains the quality sattva.
Yogi Vishnu is a renowned yoga practitioner with more than 10 years of experience in yoga teaching. He holds a certification in a 500-hour and 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training Course. He guides and suggests ways for lifestyle modification through yoga.