Why Salads can make you Gain Weight

Salads have for a long time been promoted as the ultimate weight loss meal. However, depending on the strength of your digestive fire and your unique dosha, salads may not be the best choice of food.

In Ayurveda, eating salads can be beneficial for some individuals, but for those with a Vata dosha imbalance or experiencing low digestive fire, it may cause or exacerbate imbalances within the body.

According to Ayurveda, Vata dosha is associated with dryness, coldness, and lightness, and eating raw and dry foods like salads can aggravate these qualities in the body. The increase of these qualities can contribute to nervous system disorders such as anxiety and fear and dryness of the intestine, leading to poor peristaltic movements.

Eating raw salads can be hard to digest for vata-type doshas and those experiencing low digestive fire. It can cause bloating, gas and discomfort. This poor digestion of raw salads can lead to weight gain as the undigested food can turn into toxins and accumulate in the body. It is true that raw food is more nutritionally dense, however if you do not have good agni (digestive fire), then that nutrient dense food will end up as toxins in your body.

Pitta people on the other hand have the strongest digestive strength and fire, and are able to tolerate more raw foods than other doshas - and especially in the hotter summer months.

Salads are also usually low in calories and high in fiber, which can be beneficial for weight loss, but for someone with a Vata imbalance, the low-calorie nature of salads can contribute to weight gain, as it may not provide enough nourishment and energy to sustain the body's needs.

So if you are experiencing vata type symptoms such as constipation, bloating and gassiness, dryness of skin, anxiety or fear, or have low digestive fire, then it is best to avoid raw salads. Instead, opt for warm cooked easily digestible food such as dals, soups, roasted vegetables or warm cooked quinoa salads. Use plenty of spices such as this Summer Spice Mix or Winter Spice Mix to improve digestion and increase nutrient absorption.

A gentle 3 day Ayurveda Cleanse is one of the best things you can do to kickstart your digestive fire and removed accumulated toxins from the body to acheive weight loss. You can read more here.

It's always recommended to consult with an Ayurvedic practitioner to determine the best diet for your specific needs and dosha type. Melissa Smrecnik from Gaia Kin is an experienced Ayurvedic Practitioner and Kinesiologist practicing in Brisbane and online globally.