According to the science of yoga, we can compare our bodies to vehicles that we use to travel the path of life. The food we eat is like the fuel we put in the gas tank—the better the fuel, the better the vehicle performs. What we eat has a huge impact not only on our physical well-being, but also on our mental and our spiritual well-being. So our diet is a vital component of the yoga lifestyle.
The ancient yoga texts describe the foods that benefit our physical health and stamina, our mental clarity, and our spiritual well-being, as sweet, juicy, palatable, and easy to digest. They include fruits and vegetables, milk products, sugar and honey, grains, and nuts and seeds, as well as beans and other legumes.
Research confirms that a diet centered on the foods that comprise the yoga diet can help prevent obesity and diseases such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and arthritis and reduce LDL cholesterol levels. These foods also help maintain a healthy body weight, boost our immunity, and may even slow the aging process.
These foods and the countless delicious preparations made from them form the basis of the yoga diet. Because of their inherent qualities of goodness and natural health-giving properties, they are ideal for anyone wanting to live a healthier, happier life.
