Shopping List for the Kapha Dosha

SPICES

Kapha: ajwan, allspice, anise, asafoetida, basil, bay leaf, black pepper, caraway, cardamom, cayenne, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, cumin, curry leaves, curry powder, dill (leaves or seeds), eucalyptus, ginger (dried), garlic, garam masala, horseradish, hot peppers, marjoram, mustard seeds, neem leaves, nutmeg, onion, orange peel, oregano, paprika parsley, peppermint, pippali, rosemary, saffron, sage, spearmint, star anise, tarragon, thyme, turmeric.

Kapha/Vata: allspice, anise, asafoetida, basil, bay leaf, black cumin, black pepper, caraway, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, coriander seeds, cumin, curry powder, dill leaves, eucalyptus, funugree, garam masala, garlic (cooked), ginger (dried or fresh), mace, marjoram, mint, mustard seeds, neem leaves, nutmeg, onion (dried), orange peel, oregano, paprika, parsley, peppermint, rosemary, saffron, sage, savory, spearmint, star anise, tarragon, thyme, turmeric.

Kapha/Pitta: allspice, anise, bay leaf, black cumin, black pepper, caraway, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, curry leaves, curry powder, cumin, dill (leaves or seed), garam masala, garlic (cooked), horseradish, mace, marjoram, mint mustard seeds, nutmeg, orange peel, oregano, paprika, parsley, peppermint, pippali, rosemary, saffron, sage, spearmint, star anise, tarragon, thyme, turmeric, vanilla, wintergreen.

Tridosha (VPK=): black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, coconut, coriander, cilantro, cumin, dill (leaves or seeds), fennel, garlic (cooked), ghee, ginger (cooked), ginger (fresh), lemon, mint leaves, mustard, nutmeg, orange peel, parsley, rose water, saffron, sea salt, tamarind, tarragon, turmeric, vanilla, wintergreen. 

Foods for Reducing Kapha—Earth & Water Elements

Favor bitter, astringent and pungent tastes--avoid sweet, salty and oily foods

	Balancing Foods	Avoid/Reduce
Fruits Note: Fruits and fruit juices are best consumed by themselves for all doshas. Soak all dried fruits except in cases where Kapha is high. Adding spices to fruits or stewing them in a little water helps their digestibility during the colder seasons or times of illness.	Apples Apricots Berries Cherries Cranberries Figs, dry Mango, ripe Peaches Pears Persimmon Pomegranate Prunes Raisins (omit in case of candida)	Sour and very sweet fruits Apples, sour Frozen fruits or fruits with added sugar Avocado Bananas Coconut Dates Figs (fresh) Grapefruit Grapes* Kiwi* Lemon* Lime** Melons Oranges Papaya Pineapples Plums Rhubarb Soursop Strawberries* Watermelon
Vegetables Note: For proper digestion and nutrient absorption, combine low starch vegetables (leafy greens, broccoli, carrots, etc.) with either grains or high protein (tofu, dairy, nuts, flesh foods). Combine high starch vegetables (carrots, squash, etc.) with grains, but not with high protein. Vegetables should be 65 % to 75 % of your diet, proteins 10% and grains 15% to 20%.       Vegetables (cont’d)	Raw, Pungent and Bitter, or Astringent Vegetables Artichoke* Arugula Asparagus Bean sprouts Beets Beet greens Broccoli Bok Choy Brussel Sprouts Burdock Root Cabbage Carrots Cauliflower Celery Chicory Chinese cabbage Collard greens Fresh Corn Daikon Radish Dandelion greens Eggplant* Fenugreek Greens Garlic, cooked* Green Beans Guy Lon Horseradish Jerusalem Artichoke Jicama Kale Kohlrabi Leafy Greens of all kinds Leeks Lettuce Mushrooms (shitake only)** Okra Onions (cooked)* Parsley Peas Radicchio Radish Scallopini Squash Snow peas Spinach Sprouts of all kinds Summer Squash Swiss Chard Turnips* Turnip Greens Watercress Yel. Crookneck Squash Zucchini*	Frozen, dried, canned or microwaved vegetables Sweet and Juicy Vegetables Acorn Squash Bell Pepper* Butternut Squash Cucumber Fennel* Olives (black or green) Parsnip ** Potatoes (all varieties) Pumpkin Rutabaga Spaghetti Squash* Sweet potatoes Tomatoes Winter Squash
Grains Note: Grains combine well with high and low starch vegetables, as well as most legumes, such as split mung beans and aduki beans. They do not combine with high protein (tofu, dairy, nuts, flesh foods).	Cook grains with warming spices (i.e. clove, ginger, mustard seeds): Amaranth Barley Buckwheat Corn Granola, fruit sweetened and low-fat Kamut** Millet Oats, dry Oat bran Popcorn** Quinoa Rice, basmati, small amount Rice cakes* Rye Teff*	Cold, dry, puffed cereals Refined, frozen or microwaved products Oats, cooked Rice, brown Wheat Spelt
Animal Foods Note: If you still eat animal foods, be sure to combine them with low starch vegetables only. Avoid combining animal foods with dairy, oils, or high starch vegetables or grains (potatoes, rice, breads, pastas, etc.).	A portion no larger than the size and width of the palm of your hand: Chicken or Turkey Eggs, coddled (not fried or scrambled with oil) Rabbit	Beef Duck Freshwater fish** Lamb Pork Seafood Shrimp Venison**

Legumes Note: Legumes and beans combine with low and high starch vegetables. When combined with grains (in the same meal or in the same day), they form a complete protein.  Since soy beans and tofu are considered high protein, they combine with low starch vegetables only. Soak and cook all beans very well. Tofu is best steamed, baked or scrambled/stir-fried (with broth or water rather than oil).	Pre-sprouting any of these is especially good: Aduki Beans Black Beans Black-eyed Peas Chana Dal Garbanzos* Lima Beans Kala Chana Mung beans, whole* Navy Beans Pinto Beans Red Lentils* Hot Soy Milk* Split Mung Beans (available at the Herb and Spice on Bank St.) Split Peas Tepery Beans Hot Tofu* Tur Dal White Beans	Black Lentils Kidney Beans Common Lentils Soy Beans** Cold Soy Milk Soy Cheese Soy Flour Soy Margarine Soy Powder Soy Yogurt Tempeh Tofu, cold or raw Urud dal
Nuts Note: Avoid combining nuts with other protein foods. Eat only a small portion at a time.	In moderation: Almonds, soaked overnight and skins removed Homemade almond milk	Black Walnuts Brazil Nuts Cashew Coconut English Walnut Filberts Macadamia Nuts Peanuts Pecans Pine Nuts Pistachios
Seeds Note: Avoid combining seeds with other protein foods.	Chia Flax* Pumpkin* Sunflower*	Psyllium Sesame**
Sweeteners Note: Avoid if candida is hig, and avoid/reduce if healing from illness.	Raw Honey (do not cook/bake honey) Fruit Juice Concentrates, esp. Apple and Apricot Stevia	Barley Malt Syrup Brown Rice Syrup Fructose Jaggery Maple Syrup (in excess) Molasses Sucanat Sugar Cane Juice White Sugar
Condiments	Chili pepper* Coriander leaves Daikon radish Dulse, well-rinsed* Garlic, cooked* Ghee* Ginger, fresh Hijiki, rinsed** Horseradish Kombu* Lettuce Mint leaves Mustard (from health-food store) Onion, cooked** Sprouts Radish Yogurt, fresh (dilute 1:3)	Black pepper* Black sesame seeds** Coconut** Garlic, raw Ginger, dry Gomasio Grated cheese Kelp Ketchup Lemon** Lime** Mango Chutney Mayonnaise Onion, raw Papaya chutney Pickled vegetables/fruit Salt Sea salt, sparingly** Sesame seeds** Soy sauce Tamari
Spices	Ajwan Allspice Almond extract* Anise Asafoetida Basil Bay leaf Caraway Cardamom Cayenne* Cinnamon Cloves Coriander Cumin Dill Fennel* Fenugreek Ginger, fresh and dry Horseradish Mace Marjoram Mustard seeds Neem leaves Orange Peel Oregano Parsley Peppermint* Pippali Poppy seeds Rosemary Rose water Saffron Sage Savoury Spearmint Star Anise Turmeric Tarragon Thyme Vanilla* Wintergreen	Amchoor Garlic, raw Nutmeg* Paprika Tamarind
Dairy	Ghee (Clarified Butter)* Goat Milk, fresh Diluted Yogurt (1:4 pts or more with water) Fresh homemade, unsalted goat cheese**	Butter Cheeses of all kinds Buttermilk Cow Milk Ice Cream Sour Cream Yogurt (undiluted)
Oils Note: Only cook with ghee for medium high temperatures, and sesame, sunflower or olive oil for low temperatures. Do not cook other oils.	Cold-pressed, from a health food store: Almond Sunflower Flax Olive* Sesame* (all in small amounts)	Deep fried foods and rancid  or unidentified oils Avocado Apricot Canola Corn Coconut Peanut Safflower Soy Walnut
Beverages Note: It is best to drink between meals (up to 30 min prior and 2 hours after eating), so as not to dilute digestive and enzymatic juices. Beverages are the most energizing when freshly made, rather than from bottled/frozen juices and drinks. When fresh is not possible, unsweetened and bottled is preferable to frozen. Consume all beverages warm or at room temperature. Cold drinks will weaken digestion and create more coldness in the body. Dilute fruit juices 1:1 with water and drink in moderation	Aloe vera juice* Apricot juice Berry juice, sweet Carob Carrot juice and combos Cherry juice, sweet Cranberry juice Grain beverages Grape juice* Mango juice* Miso broth** Hot spiced Goat milk* Peach nectar Pomegranate juice Prune juice Hot Herbal Teas: Ajwan Alfalfa Bansha Barley Basil Blackberry Borage Burdock Catnip Chamomile Chrysanthemum Cinnamon Cloves Dandelion Elder flowers Eucalyptus Fennel* Fenugreek Ginger, fresh Ginseng Hawthorne Hibiscus Hyssop Hops Jasmine Juniper berries Lavender Lemon balm Lemongrass Lotus** Nettle Orange peel* Osha Passion flower Peppermint Rasberry Red Clover Rose flowers Saffron Sage Sarsaparilla* Sassafras Spearmint Violet Yarrow Yerba Mate	Alcohol, in excess Apple juice* Banana drinks Caffeine** Carbonated drinks Chocolate milk Coconut milk Coffee Cold dairy drinks Cold drinks Grapefruit juice Lemonade Orange juice Papaya juice Pear juice** Salted drinks (i.e. canned soups or commercial bouillons) Sour juices, drinks and teas Soy milk, esp. cold Tomato juice V-8 juice
Other	Chlorella Spirulina and other blue-green algae

*These foods are OK in moderation

**These foods are OK occasionally

Note: Avoid/Reduce means when balanced, decrease consumption and eat occasionally. When imbalanced, avoid completely. If you are unclear as to your body type or state balance/imbalance, consult your Ayurvedic nutritionist.