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Ahara vidhi literally means method of taking diet. It includes diet and dietary guidelines. The concept of diet in [[Ayurveda]] has a broader view beyond ingestion of food. Unlike modern dietetics, which is restricted to concept of calorie consumption, [[Ayurveda]] recommends methods of taking food, its quality and quantity based upon individual’s capacity to digest ([[agni]]). In this article, various aspects of concept of diet in [[Ayurveda]] are discussed.  

Ahara vidhi literally means method of taking diet. It includes diet and dietary guidelines.The concept of diet in [[Ayurveda]] has a broader view beyond ingestion of food. Unlike modern dietetics, which is restricted to concept of calorie consumption, [[Ayurveda]] recommends methods of taking food, its quality and quantity based upon individual’s capacity to digest ([[agni]]). In this article, various aspects of concept of diet in [[Ayurveda]] are discussed.  

 

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==Terminologies==  

==Terminologies -Anna and Ahara ==  

 

‘Anna’ and ‘ahara’ are the two Sanskrit terms applied to denote food and diet. Anna is ingested or eaten through mouth. The term ‘ahara’ includes all substances that are taken in by humans by various routes, including sense organs and mind too.

‘Anna’ and ‘ahara’ are the two Sanskrit terms applied to denote food and diet. Anna is ingested or eaten through mouth. The term ‘ahara’ includes all substances that are taken in by humans by various routes, including sense organs and mind too.

    

    

#Unwholesome (apathyatama) [Cha.Sa.[[Sutra Sthana]]25/37]

#Unwholesome (apathyatama) [Cha.Sa.[[Sutra Sthana]]25/37]

The best wholesome and worst unwholesome food substances for holistic human being are listed in respective chapter. [[Yajjapurusheeya adhyaya]] [Cha.Sa.[[Sutra Sthana]]

The best wholesome and worst unwholesome food substances for holistic human being are listed in respective chapter. [[Yajjah Purushiya Adhyaya]] [Cha.Sa.[[Sutra Sthana]]

25/38-40]

25/38-40]

Salt, saturated fats, and excess sugar are disease causing. Excess consumption of animal products leads to premature ageing, increased risk of chronic diseases and higher cause of mortality. Refined carbohydrates including white rice, white bread, sugar, honey, maple syrup, agave nectar lead to overweight, diabetes, dementia, mental illness and cancer.  The fast and processed food includes chips, soda, cookies, candy, breakfast cereals, bars, French fries, burgers, pizza, white flour baked goods, and all other high-calorie, low-nutrient foods that people often eat multiple times per day. These food items contribute to obesity, diabetes, heart attacks, strokes, dementia and cancer. This has resulted in decreased longevity. The fast food, processed food, commercial baked goods, and sweets may also be linked to destruction of brain cell and a lowering of intelligence. Candy and sweetened baked goods may even stimulate the brain in an addictive fashion, which can lead to more serious illnesses. <ref name="fast food"> Fuhrman J. The Hidden Dangers of Fast and Processed Food. Am J Lifestyle Med. 2018;12(5):375-381. Published 2018 Apr 3. doi:10.1177/1559827618766483</ref>  Hence they shall be avoided.   

Salt, saturated fats, and excess sugar are disease causing. Excess consumption of animal products leads to premature ageing, increased risk of chronic diseases and higher cause of mortality. Refined carbohydrates including white rice, white bread, sugar, honey, maple syrup, agave nectar lead to overweight, diabetes, dementia, mental illness and cancer.  The fast and processed food includes chips, soda, cookies, candy, breakfast cereals, bars, French fries, burgers, pizza, white flour baked goods, and all other high-calorie, low-nutrient foods that people often eat multiple times per day. These food items contribute to obesity, diabetes, heart attacks, strokes, dementia and cancer. This has resulted in decreased longevity. The fast food, processed food, commercial baked goods, and sweets may also be linked to destruction of brain cell and a lowering of intelligence. Candy and sweetened baked goods may even stimulate the brain in an addictive fashion, which can lead to more serious illnesses. <ref name="fast food"> Fuhrman J. The Hidden Dangers of Fast and Processed Food. Am J Lifestyle Med. 2018;12(5):375-381. Published 2018 Apr 3. doi:10.1177/1559827618766483</ref>  Hence they shall be avoided.   

One should never eat food which is not sacredly prepared (achoksha), contaminated, with stone particles, grass or hair etc.. The food which causes aversion, kept overnight, foul smelling and stale shall be avoided.  The food which does not have its natural taste, hardened due to passage of time, cold, re-heated, with oozing and moisture, burnt shall not be taken. [Su.Sa.Sutra Sthana 46/476-477]   

One should never eat food which is not sacredly prepared (achoksha), contaminated, with stone particles, grass or hair etc.. The food which causes aversion, kept overnight, foul smelling and stale shall be avoided.  The food which does not have its natural taste, hardened due to passage of time, cold, re-heated, with oozing and moisture, burnt shall not be taken. [Su.Sa.Sutra Sthana 46/476-477]   

Reheated foods cause more oxidative stress through formation of aldehydes and increase the risk of degenerative illness and artherosclerotic disease. <ref> Wu SC, Yen GC. Effects of cooking oil fumes on the genotoxicity and oxidative stress in human lung carcinoma (A-549) cells. Toxicol In Vitro 2004;18:571-80. </ref>  Reheating of cooking oils like corn, soyabean, and sunflower oils produces toxin named 4-hydroxy-trans-2- nonenal (HNE). This is responsible for increased risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease, various liver disorders, and cancer. <ref> Vladykovskaya E, Sithu SD, Haberzettl P, Wickramasinghe NS, Merchant ML, Hill BG, et al. Lipid peroxidation product 4-hydroxy-trans-2-nonenal causes endothelial activation by inducing endoplasmic reticulum stress. J Biol Chem 2012;87:11398-409.</ref>  Therefore reheating of food shall be avoided. On should not be habituated to consume food having a single taste, foods of inferior quality, unsuitable to human being and sour foods. [Su. Sa. Sutra Sthana 46/491]  

Reheated foods cause more oxidative stress through formation of aldehydes and increase the risk of degenerative illness and artherosclerotic disease. <ref> Wu SC, Yen GC. Effects of cooking oil fumes on the genotoxicity and oxidative stress in human lung carcinoma (A-549) cells. Toxicol In Vitro 2004;18:571-80. </ref>  Reheating of cooking oils like corn, soyabean, and sunflower oils produces toxin named 4-hydroxy-trans-2- nonenal (HNE). This is responsible for increased risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease, various liver disorders, and cancer. <ref> Vladykovskaya E, Sithu SD, Haberzettl P, Wickramasinghe NS, Merchant ML, Hill BG, et al. Lipid peroxidation product 4-hydroxy-trans-2-nonenal causes endothelial activation by inducing endoplasmic reticulum stress. J Biol Chem 2012;87:11398-409.</ref>  Therefore reheating of food shall be avoided. One should not be habituated to consume food having a single taste, foods of inferior quality, unsuitable to human being and sour foods. [Su. Sa. Sutra Sthana 46/491]

=== The suppression of urge of hunger and its treatment===  

=== The suppression of urge of hunger and its treatment===  

These eight specific factors are as described below:  

These eight specific factors are as described below:  

====1. Nature of food (prakriti) ====  

====1. Nature of food ([[prakriti]]) ====  

The natural properties of food like heavy or light to digest etc. shall be considered and appropriately combined as discussed earlier. [Cha.Sa.[[Vimana Sthana]] 1/22.1]

The natural properties of food like heavy or light to digest etc. shall be considered and appropriately combined as discussed earlier. [Cha.Sa.[[Vimana Sthana]] 1/22.1]

Individuals, who are excessively obese, emaciated, whose muscles, blood, bones are depleted, who are physically very weak, who are habituated to consuming unwholesome food, who take in inadequate quantities of food, and who have very weak mind cannot withstand diseases. Contrary to this, individuals having opposite qualities to the ones mentioned above are capable of resisting diseases. Thus, unwholesome diet, dosha, and body constitution factors produce diseases of mild, severe, acute and chronic nature. [Cha.Sa.[[Sutra Sthana]] 28/7]

Individuals, who are excessively obese, emaciated, whose muscles, blood, bones are depleted, who are physically very weak, who are habituated to consuming unwholesome food, who take in inadequate quantities of food, and who have very weak mind cannot withstand diseases. Contrary to this, individuals having opposite qualities to the ones mentioned above are capable of resisting diseases. Thus, unwholesome diet, dosha, and body constitution factors produce diseases of mild, severe, acute and chronic nature. [Cha.Sa.[[Sutra Sthana]] 28/7]

===Abbreviations ===

===Abbreviations ===

Cha. = Charak, Su. = Sushruta,  Sa.= Samhita, A.Hr. = Ashtanga Hridaya  

Cha. = Charak, Su. = Sushruta,  Sa.= Samhita, A.Hr. = Ashtanga Hridaya  

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