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 .
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.
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.
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:-
- 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.
- Make
sure you add garlic in your meals as it helps in avoiding the
aggravation of vata.
- 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
- Avoid
oily foods and comfort foods like fries, chips, deep fried foods
- Don't
eat fast. Don’t just swallow your food, take your time to chew.
Chewing is an essential step of digestion.
- 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
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
- Ayurvedic
cuisine is the practice of consumption of food to balance our heart, mind
and soul.
- This
cuisine has been present since the ancient ages and still followed today.
¢ Spa
- This
type of cuisine places emphasis on eating fresh healthy food with as
little cooking required to maintain its nutritive values.
- This
cuisine is a relatively new trend which sparks haute cuisine.
- Although
there is an emphasis on veganism and vegetarianism, meat is consumed in
this cuisine to satisfy hearty appetites.
- Ayurvedic
cuisine focuses on diet specified according to the 3 main body types, i.e
Kapha, Pita and Vata.
- Meats
that are lean are used and cooked with as little to no fat to ensure its
nutritional balance.
- 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!
Bibliography
¢ The
Ayurvedic Cookbook
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