Comparative study on Ayurvedic and Spa Cuisine

Objective

To understand and educate the masses about the distinction between Ayurvedic and Spa cuisines with regard to its trends, benefits and popularity. To identify the various alternatives for healthy cuisines and be able to stimulate a healthy appetite.

Ayurvedic cuisine


Prana Pranbhrutamnnam Tadayuktaya Nihanntyasun,
Visham Pranaharam Tachcha Yukti Yuktam Rasayanam...

Ayu is life and Veda means knowledge. Knowledge of Life is Ayurveda)

The word ‘Ayurveda’ means the ‘science of life’. The earliest literature of Ayurveda appeared during the Vedic period in India. The Sushruta Samhita and the Charaka Samhita were some of the important texts on Ayurveda in this era. Ayurveda believes that the universe and the human body are made of five elements.
Ayurveda is a way of healing and a way of life that takes into consideration the whole person. Everything absorbed by five senses like Mouth (food, water), Nose (Breath), Ear (Chanting, sweet music), Skin (Sunlight), Eyes (Nature) is Food.



According to Ayurveda, a healthy metabolic system, good digestion, and proper excretion contribute to vitality It also stresses the importance of exercise, yoga, meditation, and massage.



Oils and herbal drugs are widely used in Ayurvedic medicine. Some animal products may also be used, like milk, ghee, honey, bones, etc. Minerals like sulfur, arsenic, lead, copper sulfate and gold are also used in ayurvedic formulations


Ayurveda has three main focuses: healing, prevention and health care. This medical science is a method of personalizing food for each person's healing process. Ayurvedic style cooking is a rational way to prepare food keeping in mind the dietary need of an individual based on different body types.




Ayurveda categorizes food into three categories: Satvic, Rajasic and Tamasic. These types of foods have different effects on the body and the mind.

¢  Sattva:-
Sattva is a quality of mind which induces clarity, harmony and balance.
The following food promotes Sattva.
Fresh fruits and vegetables, salads, fresh fruit juices, cereals (red rice), herbal tea, fresh cow milk, dry fruits, nuts, honey, jaggery,
all spices and freshly cooked food .



¢  Rajas:-
A quality of mind which induces energy and action. The need to create.
The following food promotes Rajas.
Read to eat canned food, basmati rice, sour cream, paneer, ice-cream, yeast, sugar, pickle, vinegar, garlic, onion and salted food.




Tamas:-

Tamas is a quality of mind which evokes darkness, inertia, resistance and grounding.The need to stop.The following food promotes Tamas .
Alcohol, Beef, Chicken, Fish, Pork, Eggs, Frozen food, Microwaved food, Mushroom, Drugs, Tea, Coffee, Fried food, Fried nuts.

Utensils for ayurvedic kitchen


¢  Heavy cast iron frying pan

¢  Chapati skillet
¢  Medium sized pots with lids(stainless steel)
¢  Soup pot with lid
¢  Deep pot for frying
¢  Heavy frying pan with lid
¢  Mixing bowls, measuring cups and spoons
¢  Large metal spoons and soup ladles
         .   Blender



Do’s and Don’ts

Do’s:-


  1. Try to include Indian spices like fenugreek, cinnamon, mustard ,fennel and cumin in the diet as it helps you to maintain a proper balance of three doshas in the body.
  2. Make sure you add garlic in your meals as it helps in avoiding the aggravation of vata.
  3. To combat stress and anxiety and lower your risk of heart disease, you can take ashwagandha powder (3 gms) with milk every day.
For emotional well-being and anger management, you can practise pranayama or anulom vilom, which also helps to keep pitta levels under control.

 Dont’s

  1. Avoid oily foods and comfort foods like fries, chips, deep fried foods
  2. Don't eat fast. Don’t just swallow your food, take your time to chew. Chewing is an essential step of digestion.
  3.  Do not eat incompatible food items together. This might lead to an upset stomach. Here are some food combinations that you should avoid.


Spa cuisine

  Spa cuisine by its very nature is a low fat, low salt and low sugar form of cookery. This is not to say that fat, salt or sugar must be eliminated, but just that these elements in the normal diets are over consumed and people would be a lot healthier if they took the effort to review and subsequently reduce the quantity taken.

Spa Cuisine makes use of whole grains, fresh fruits, healthy vegetables, lean proteins, low-fat dairy products, and the avoidance of added or artificial salts, colors, flavors, or preservatives. Chefs demonstrate that they are devoted to enhancing your overall well-being through a variety of nutritious and delicious foods which have been combined to encourage the renewal of mind, body and spirit.



The essence of spa cuisine is in the ingredients you use:-

¢  Balanced, wholefoods, organic, natural, fresh and clean.
¢  Alternative foods are becoming more and more available and should be used.
¢  The use of plant based foods is essential.
¢  Be very cautious regarding supplements; they do not substitute for real food



Utensils for spa cuisine


¢  Steamers
¢  Convection ovens
¢  Grillers
¢  Poachers
¢  Masticator and Centrifugal Juicers
¢  Stainless steel, glass or copper pots, pans and utensils
¢  Bar blenders




Characteristics of spa cuisine



Natural Ingredients: Processed and refined foods are minimized and instead, spa cuisine uses fresh and natural ingredients that are good for you and are whole in nature.SeasonalAppropriate: Most spa cuisine menus incorporate in-season ingredients. Some spas may even grow their own produce. This ensures that the ingredients are always available and are as fresh as possible.

Colorful: Often, meals served at spas are very colorful. The more color that is on your plate, the more you are eating diversified nutrients, vitamins and minerals. Additionally, colorful plates are more aesthetically appealing and promise to be more appetizing.
Well-balanced and Nutritious: Meals served at spas often concentrate on providing balance and variety in the dishes they serve. They want to ensure that guests get a good balance of macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates and fats) in their meal. Each calorie you consume is meant to provide you with healthy nutrients, vitamins and minerals.



Taste and Flavor: As opposed to focusing on delivering large quantities of mediocre tasting food (think Chinese Buffet), spa cuisine focuses on satiating your appetite by delivering appropriately portioned dishes that are high in quality, taste and flavor.
Uniqueness and Creativity: Spas often create recipes that use spices and ingredients that are a bit non-traditional. Additionally, when it comes to indulgences and dessert, they come up with creative ways to satisfy your sweet tooth without causing major impact to your waistline or sacrificing taste.




Quality Ingredients: You can be sure that the food you eat is high in quality. Protein sources will be lean and will come from both animals and plants. Carbohydrates will be unrefined, and will include fresh vegetables, fruits and whole grains. And incorporated fats will be of the healthiest types,including olive oil, sunflower and canola oils.


Do’s and Dont’s

Do’s :-



¢  DO USE FRESH ORGANIC PRODUCE
¢  DO USE CHEMICAL FREE FOOD
¢  DO USE THE CORECT EQUIPMENT 
¢  DO USE SUBSTITUTES FOR BAD FOODS
¢  DO BE DIFFERENT AND CREATIVE
¢  DO STICK TO YOUR PHILOSOPHY

Don’t’s:-


¢  DON’T DEEP FRY
¢  DON’T SHALLOW FRY
¢  DON’T MICROWAVE OR USE CANNED FOOD
¢  DON’T USE ALUMIMINUM EQUIPMENT
¢  DON’T DECEIVE THE CLIENTS 



 Difference between ayurvedic and spa cuisines

¢  Ayurvedic                          
  1. Ayurvedic cuisine is the practice of consumption of food to balance our heart, mind and soul.
  2. This cuisine has been present since the ancient ages and still followed today.    
¢  Spa
  1. This type of cuisine places emphasis on eating fresh healthy food with as little cooking required to maintain its nutritive values.
  2. This cuisine is a relatively new trend which sparks haute cuisine.
  3. Although there is an emphasis on veganism and vegetarianism, meat is consumed in this cuisine to satisfy hearty appetites.
  4. Ayurvedic cuisine focuses on diet specified according to the 3 main body types, i.e Kapha, Pita and Vata.               
  5. Meats that are lean are used and cooked with as little to no fat to ensure its nutritional balance.
  6. Spa cuisine is open to any and all body types and focuses on nutritional balance and overall health.

Conclusion

Through this detailed study about the two similar but distinct cuisines, we can conclude that neither one is superior than the other as they play their roles in advocating and promoting healthy eating and lifestyle through their techniques, practices and ingredients. It is important to observe what we intake as it directly affects our system  as we can all agree OUR BODY IS OUR TEMPLE!


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