Pitta Dosha

The Pitta dosha is one of the three doshas in Ayurveda. Each dosha has physical, psychological, and emotional aspects that affect each person.

If you possess an excessive amount of Pitta you are more prone to developing Pitta diseases. These illnesses can be prevented by balancing your inner tri-dosha.

To balance these energies, you must know a little bit about your constitution.
People of the Pitta constitution tend to be built with moderate-sized frames and are usually of medium weight.

Their skin and hair tend to be soft and oily. These people burn hot and usually have warm skin. They are also prone to pre-mature greying of the hair.

These people usually have a large appetite and eat big meals frequently. Their fast metabolism allows them to eat excessively while maintaining their weight.

They usually enjoy sweet, bitter, and astringent foods. Water consumption is and should be in large quantities.

Pitta people tend to be moderately active and walk at a moderate pace.

Their speech tends to be sharp and precise.

Their minds tend to be aggressive and intellectual.

They have a sharp memory, both short and long-term. Most life events are likely remembered reasonably accurately.

Dreams tend to be fiery and filled with anger, violence, and war.
Their sleep is little but of good quality.

People of the  Pitta dosha often can acquire wealth. This is done because they only spend their money on luxurious items.

You likely feel like you can relate to some of these more than others. Even if this is your dominant dosha, you will not agree with every aspect.
You may have a large amount of Pitta energy in most of these aspects. However, nobody is 100% one constitution.

If you most identify with the Pitta constitution, there are some foods you'll agree with and some you won't. As you look at the foods that do and don't agree with your constitution, you may notice many that go along with your prior beliefs.

You may see some of the foods Pittas should avoid you already don't like. If they are foods you enjoy, you don't necessarily have to cut them out of your diet. Simply observe the effect it has on your body when consumed. If you notice your body disagrees with the food, consume it in moderation.

This is not meant to be an all inclusive list that you must follow. It is just meant to give you a guideline. 

Here is the list of foods to enjoy and foods to avoid:

Fruits

Consume

• Sweet Fruits
• Apples
• Avocado
• Coconut
• Figs
• Grapes (dark)
• Mango
• Melons
• Oranges (sweet)
• Pears
• Pineapples (sweet)
• Plums (sweet)
• Pomegranate
• Prunes
• Raisins

Avoid

• Sour Fruits
• Apricots
• Berries
• Bananas
• Cherries
• Cranberries
• Grapefruit
• Grapes (green)
• Lemons
• Oranges (sour)
• Papaya
• Peaches
• Pineapples (sour)
• Persimmon
• Plums (sour)

Vegetables

Consume

• Sweet & Bitter Vegetables
• Asparagus
• Broccoli
• Brussels sprouts
• Cabbage
• Cucumber
• Cauliflower
• Celery
• Green beans
• Leafy greens
• Lettuce
• Mushrooms
• Okra
• Peas
• Parsley
• Peppers (green)
• Potatoes
• Sprouts
• Zucchini

Avoid

• Beets
• Carrots
• Eggplants
• Garlic
• Onions
• Peppers (hot)
• Radishes
• Spinach
• Tomatoes

Graines

Consume

• Barley
• Oats (cooked)
• Rice (basmati)
• Rice (white)
• Wheat

Avoid

• Buckwheat
• Corn
• Millet
• Oats (dry)
• Rice (brown)
• Rye

Animal Foods

Consume

• White Meat (chicken or turkey)
• Eggs (white)
• Rabbit
• Shrimp

Avoid

• Beef
• Eggs (yolk)
• Lamb
• Pork
• Seafood

Legumes

• All legumes are okay except lentils

Nuts

• No nuts except for coconut

Seeds

• No seeds except sunflower or pumpkin

Sweeteners

• All sweeteners are okay except molasses and honey

Condiments

• No spices except coriander, cinnamon, cardamon, fennel, turmeric, and a small amount of black pepper.

Dairy

Consume

• Butter (unsalted)
• Cottage Cheese
• Ghee
• Milk

Avoid

• Buttermilk
• Cheese
• Sour cream
• Yogurt

Oils

Consume

• Coconut
• Olive
• Sunflower
• Soy

Avoid

• Almond
• Corn
• Sesame

Knowing what is and isn't beneficial for your constitution is the first step to balancing your doshas.

Everyone is different, and just because a food is or isn't supposed to agree with you, that doesn't mean it's true. The important part is eating a diet that is right for you.

This is meant to be a guideline and is not exact for everyone. You should take what you learned here and form your own opinion.

Plus, there's so much more to Ayurveda and your constitution than what I included here. Now that you have a basic understanding, you can experiment and eventually come to understand the age old practice of Ayurveda.

To learn more about Ayurveda or other ways to balance your health click here.

If you wish to view items to help maintain your constitution, click here.