Balancing Pitta Dosha Diet:

Ayurvedic texts recommend the principle of opposites for reducing the level of a dosha that has become
aggravated. Since the characteristics of Pitta include sharpness, heat, and acidity, qualities that are
opposite to these in diet and lifestyle help restore balance to Pitta dosha.

Dietary recommendations:
The following guidelines are to be utilised as a general indication of a proper diet according to your
specific doshic balance. These guidelines may be adjusted to suit your individual needs as determined
during your initial consultation. Other factors are seasonal, food allergies, and specific doshic
imbalances that must be corrected by diet.

Include a few dry foods in your daily diet to balance the liquid nature of Pitta, some “heavy” foods that
offer substance and sustained nourishment, and foods that are cool to balance the fiery quality Pitta. So
what exactly does this mean in terms of foods you should choose and foods that you should stay away
from? Here are some specific dietary tips:

1) If you need to balance Pitta, choose Ghee, in moderate quantities, as your cooking medium, (1/4
teaspoon per dish, per person). Ghee, according to the ancient Ayurvedic texts, is cooling for both the
mind and body. Ghee can be heated to moderately high temperatures without effecting it nourishing,
healing qualities, (don’t let the Ghee burn or smoke), so use ghee to sauté vegetables, spices or other
foods. You can even season dishes like soups with 1/4 teaspoon of Ghee while serving.

2) Cooling foods are wonderful for balancing Pitta dosha. Sweet, juicy fruits, especially pears, can cool
a fiery Pitta quickly. Milk, sweet rice pudding, coconut, and coconut juice, and milkshakes made with ripe
mangoes and almonds or dates are examples of soothing Pitta-pacifying foods.

3) The three Ayurvedic tastes that help balance Pitta are sweet, bitter and astringent, so include more of
these tastes in your daily diet. Milk, fully ripe, sweet fruits, and soaked and blanched almonds make
good snack choices. Eat less of the salty, pungent and sour tastes.

4) Dry cereal, crackers, granola and cereal bars, and rice cakes balance the liquid nature of Pitta dosha,
and can be eaten any time hunger pangs strike during the day.

5) Carrots, asparagus, bitter leafy greens, fennel, cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower,
and brussels sprouts, green beans and bitter gourd (in very small quantities) are good vegetable choices.
They become more digestible when chopped and cooked with Pitta-satisfying spices. Vegetables can be
combined with grains or mung beans for satisfying one-dish meals. Avoid nightshades, or use very
sparingly. (Nightshades are tomato, white potato, eggplant and bell pepper).

6) Basmati rice is excellent for balancing Pitta. Wheat is also good- fresh flatbreads made with whole
wheat flour (called atta or chapatti flour and available at Indian grocery stores) combine well with cooked
vegetables or Pitta-balancing chutneys such as coriander or mint, (green), chutney. Oats and amaranth
are other Pitta-balancing grains.

7) Choose spices that are not too heating or pungent. Ayurvedic spices such as small quantities of
turmeric (1/8th teaspoon), cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cardamom and fennel offer flavor, aroma and
healing wisdom.

Utrecht Ayurveda • UtrechtAyurveda.nl • (0)61 523 06 16 • hoi@utrechtayurveda.nl

 8) Drink sweet lassi (home made yoghurt drink: blend 1 part yoghurt to 2 parts cool water, and sweeten
with maple syrup or raw sugar), with lunch to help enhance digestion and cool, not ice-cold water to
quench thirst.

Food Guidelines For Balancing Pitta Dosha:

Foods to Favor Foods to have in Moderation Foods to Avoid

Grains:

Rice (Basmati, white or wild) Polenta Buckwheat

Amaranth Brown Rice Bread made with yeast

Barley Muesli Corn

Cereal, dry Dry Oats Millet

Couscous Oat Bran (dry) Oat Granola

Wheat Bran Crackers Rye

Durham (Wheat) Flour

Granola

Oat Bran (Cooked)

Oats (Cooked)

Pancakes

Pasta

Quinoa (Cooked)

Rice Cake

Seitan (Wheat Gluten)

Spelt

Sprouted Wheat

Tapioca (Sago)

Wheat

Utrecht Ayurveda • UtrechtAyurveda.nl • (0)61 523 06 16 • hoi@utrechtayurveda.nl

 Foods to Favor Foods to have in Moderation Foods to Avoid

Vegetables:
(Steamed or boiled- not
fried)
Asparagus Mushroom Beet Greens

Acorn Squash Beets Fenugreek Greens (Methi)

Tender & Bitter Greens Onion Garlic

(Collards & Dandelion)

Artichoke Spinach Horseradish

Broccoli Leeks Green Olives

Brussels Sprouts Eggplant Kohlrabi

Burdock Root Potato (White) Tomatoes

Butternut Squash Bell Pepper (without seeds- use Turnip

sparingly)

Cabbage Turnip Greens

Fresh Corn Radishes

Cauliflower Onions (Raw)

Cucumber Mustard Greens

Celery Daikon Radish

Okra

Green Beans

Jicama

Olives (black)

Parsley

Parsnip

Peas

Potatoes (Sweet)

Pumpkin

Rutabaga

Utrecht Ayurveda • UtrechtAyurveda.nl • (0)61 523 06 16 • hoi@utrechtayurveda.nl

 Foods to Favor Foods to have in Moderation Foods to Avoid

Scallopini Squash

Spaghetti Squash

Sprouts

Squash (Summer & Winter)

Yellow Crook Neck Squash

Zucchini

Wheat Grass

Fruits (Generally ripe and

sweet)

Apples (Sweet) Lime Grapefruit

Apple Sauce (Unswetened) Apples (Sour) Kiwi

Apricots (Sweet) Bananas Apricots (Sour)

Avocado Strawberries (Sweet) Plum (Sour)

Berries (Sweet) Cherries (Sour) Tamarind

Cherries (Sweet) Papaya Sour Sop

Coconut Grapes (Green) Rhubarb

Figs Lemon Persimmons

Grapes (Sweet) Mangoes (Green) Strawberries (Sour)

Mangoes (Ripe and Sweet) Peaches Oranges (Sour)

Melons Berries (Sour)

Oranges (Sweet) Cranberries

Pear

Pineapple (Sweet)

Plums (Sweet)

Pomegranates

Quince (Sweet)

Prunes

Utrecht Ayurveda • UtrechtAyurveda.nl • (0)61 523 06 16 • hoi@utrechtayurveda.nl

 Foods to Favor Foods to have in Moderation Foods to Avoid

Raisins

Watermelon

Lentils & Legume

(Well cooked- until soft)

Mung Beans Soy Flour Soy Sauce

Mung Dhal Soy Powder

Red or Brown Lentils Miso

Lima Beans Soy Sausage

Garbonzo Beans (small portions-

1/2 cup)

Black Beans Tur Dhal

Black-Eyed Peas Urad Dhal

Kidney Beans

Aduki Beans

Black Lentil

Pinto Beans

Soy Beans

Split Peas

Navy Beans

Temphe

Tofu

White Beans

Green Peas

Dairy

Cow’s Milk (2% or 1% is best) Hard Cheeses Yoghurt (Frozen or with fruit)

Goat Milk Sour Cream Butter (Salted)

Unsalted Butter Ice Cream Buttermilk (Commercially made)

Utrecht Ayurveda • UtrechtAyurveda.nl • (0)61 523 06 16 • hoi@utrechtayurveda.nl

 Foods to Favor Foods to have in Moderation Foods to Avoid

Cottage Cheese Feta Cheese

Mild, soft cheeses (Not aged,

unsalted)

Goat Cheese (Soft, unsalted)

Ghee

Yoghurt (Freshly made, diluted

with water/ homemade
Buttermilk)

Paneer (Indian Cheese)

Meat/ Animal Products

Chicken (White) Shrimp All Seafood

Turkey (White) Egg Yolk Beef

Eggs Whites Chicken (Dark meat)

Fresh Water Fish Turkey (Dark meat)

Venison (Deer) Fish (From the sea)

Buffalo Lamb

Pork

Salmon

Sardine

Tuna fish

Shell fish

Duck

Condiments

Black Pepper Lime Daikon Radish

Coconut Dulse (Red Algae) Black Sesame Seeds

Coriander Leaves (Cilantro) Hijiki (Sea Vegetable) Chili Peppers

Mango Chutney (Sweet) Kombu (Kelp) Mango Chutney (Spicy)

Mint Leaves Seaweed Ketchup

Utrecht Ayurveda • UtrechtAyurveda.nl • (0)61 523 06 16 • hoi@utrechtayurveda.nl

 Foods to Favor Foods to have in Moderation Foods to Avoid

Mint Chutney Salt Mustard

Sprouts Tamari Lemon

Lettuce Scallions Mayonaisse

Ghee Tamarind Chutney Soy Sauce

Carob Vinegar

Gomasio (Un-hulled Sesame

Seeds)

Lime Pickle

Horseradish

Chocolate

Pickles

Nuts

Coconut Pecans Almonds with skin

Charole (Indian nut) Pine Nuts Walnut (All kinds)

Almond (Soaked & hulled) Macadamia Nuts Brazil Nuts

Cashews

Hazelnut

Peanut

Pistachio

Seeds

Flax Seeds Sesame Seeds (light Brown) Black Sesame Seeds

Buttered Popcorn (no Salt) Chia

Psyllium Tahini

Pumpkin Seeds

Sunflower

Oils

Sunflower Oil Almond Oil Corn Oil

Utrecht Ayurveda • UtrechtAyurveda.nl • (0)61 523 06 16 • hoi@utrechtayurveda.nl

 Foods to Favor Foods to have in Moderation Foods to Avoid

Ghee Safflower Oil Sesame Oil

Canola Oil

Soy Oil

Olive Oil

Flax Seed Oil

Primrose Oil

Walnut Oil

Coconut Oil

Beverages

Almond Milk Soy Milk Berry Juices (Sour)

Aloe Vera Juice Chai Caffeinated Beverages

Apple Juice Black Tea Carbonated Drinks

Apricot Juice Miso Broth Carrot/ Ginger Juice

Berry Juices (Sweet) Orange Juice Cranberry Juice

Cherry Juice (Sweet) Alcohol (Beer, Dry White Wine) Grapefruit Juice

Coconut Milk Carrot Juice Cherry Juice (Sour)

Coconut Smoothies Carrot/Vegetable Combination High Sodium Drinks

Juices

Cool Dairy Drinks (Not Iced- Ginger Tea Ice-Cold Drinks

Cold)

Date Shake Chocolate drinks Lemonade

Goat Milk Banana Shake/Smoothie Papaya Juice

Grape Juice Coffee Pungent Teas

Mango Juice Apple Cider Sour Juices and Teas

Mixed Vegetable Juice (Freshly Tomato Juice

Made)

Grain Teas (Barley, Cafix, Pero, Iced Tea

Roma)

Utrecht Ayurveda • UtrechtAyurveda.nl • (0)61 523 06 16 • hoi@utrechtayurveda.nl

 Foods to Favor Foods to have in Moderation Foods to Avoid

Peach Nectar Chocolate Milk

Pear Juice Pineapple Juice

Pomegranate Juice V8 Juice

Prune Juice Alcohol (Hard, Red & Sweet

Wine)

Rice Milk

Herbal Teas

Alfalfa Hawthorne Ajwan (Indian Spice)

Bansha Burdock Eucalyptus

Blackberry Rose Hips Yerba Mate

Barley Basil Clove

Borage Orange Peel Fenugreek

Chamomile Comfrey Ginger (Dry)

Chickory Cinnamon Ginseng

Chrysanthemum Anise Hyssop

Corn Silk Juniper Berry

Elder Flower Mormon

Dandelion Osha

Fennel Penny Royal

Yarrow Red Zinger

Hibiscus Sage

Hops Sassafrass

Jasmine

Kukicha

Lavender

Lemon Balm

Lemon Grass

Utrecht Ayurveda • UtrechtAyurveda.nl • (0)61 523 06 16 • hoi@utrechtayurveda.nl

 Foods to Favor Foods to have in Moderation Foods to Avoid

Licorice

Lotus

Nettle

Oat Straw

Passion Flour

Peppermint

Raspberry

Red Clover

Rose Flowers

Saffron

Sarsaparilla

Spearmint

Strawberry

Violet

Winter Green

Spices

Fresh Basil Leaves Orange Peel

Black Pepper Anise Ajwan (Indian Spice)

Coriander Seeds Caraway Asafoetida (Hing)

Cumin Seeds Cinnamon Basil (Dried)

Cardamom Parsley Cayenne

Dill Cilantro Leaves Cloves

Fennel Tarragon Garlic (especially raw)

Mace Bay Leaves Ginger (Dry)

Mint Fenugreek Horseradish

Peppermint Rosemary Marjoram

Saffron Thyme Mustard Seeds

Utrecht Ayurveda • UtrechtAyurveda.nl • (0)61 523 06 16 • hoi@utrechtayurveda.nl

 Foods to Favor Foods to have in Moderation Foods to Avoid

Spearmint Almond Extract Nutmeg

Tumeric Allspice Oregano

Wintergreen Onion (especially raw)

Rose Water Paprika

Neem Leaves Pippali (Indian Spice)

Vanilla Poppy Seeds

Sage

Savory Mint

Amchoor (Indian Spice)

Sweeteners

Barley Malt Honey Jaggery (Indian Brown Sugar)

Brown Rice Syrup Fruit Juice Concentrates Molasses

Dried or Fresh Sugar Cane Juice White Sugar

Maple Syrup High Fructose Corn Syrup

Turbinado (Unrefined Raw

Sugar, “Sugar in The Raw”)

Date Sugar

Food Supplements

Aloe Vera Juice Bee Pollen Amino Acids

Barley (Green) Royal Jelly

Brewer’s Yeast

Blue Green Algae

Spirulina

Utrecht Ayurveda • UtrechtAyurveda.nl • (0)61 523 06 16 • hoi@utrechtayurveda.nl