Consider following this diet if you have tendencies toward depression, fatigue, weight gain, sinus and respiratory conditions, or during springtime, when the weather is cool and damp.
SPICE MIX:
Here is a spice mix for balancing kapha dosha. Mix the spices, keep the mixture in a shaker, and use with meals:
Coriander 6 teaspoons, cumin 6 teaspoons, turmeric 3 teaspoons, fenugreek 2 teaspoons, ginger ¼ teaspoon, black pepper ¼ teaspoon.
General approach: Favor bitter, pungent, and astringent tastes, while avoiding sweet, sour, and salty tastes. Favor light, heating, dry foods while reducing heavy, cold, and oily foods. Avoid sugar, sweets and frozen desserts.
GRAINS:
Favor: barley, millet, corn, buckwheat, rye. (All grains should ideally be a minimum of one year old).
Reduce: wheat and rice
LEGUMES:
Favor: almost all beans are appropriate.
Reduce: tofu
VEGETABLES:
Favor: green leafy vegetables, zucchini, asparagus, carrots, beets, potatoes, tomatoes, artichoke, celery, white pumpkin, cabbage, cauliflower, peas, bell pepper, sprouts, tender eggplant, tender radish.
Reduce: sweet potatoes, cucumbers, zuchini
DAIRY:
Favor: low fat or skim milk (boiled and served hot), small amounts of ghee, lassi
Reduce: Yogurt, cream, butter, whole milk and ghee in large quantities.
SWEETENERS:
Favor: raw honey.
Reduce: all other sweeteners
OILS:
Favor: very small amounts of ghee, mustard, almond, and sesame oil, (all used sparingly).
Reduce: all oils in general.
NUTS & SEEDS:
Favor: sunflower and pumpkin seeds.
Reduce: nuts in general
SPICES:
Favor: almost all spices, especially ginger, black pepper, turmeric, cinnamon, mustard seeds, cloves, mint, paprika, basil, fenugreek.
Reduce: salt
FRUITS:
Favor: grapes (red), peaches, apples, pears, raisins, persimmon, figs, dates, papaya, guava, pomegranate, cranberries.
Reduce: avocado, banana, coconut, pineapple, oranges, melons, plums, prunes, grapes (green), oranges, mango, apricot. figs, dates, melons