Beyond Raw Salads: Gut Health and Vitality in Ayurveda
Hi and welcome! I’m Evangeline—mom, Registered Massage Therapist, Yoga teacher, and lover of all things health and wellness. I started this blog back in the early days of Covid19 as a way to stay in touch with my clients, and it’s grown into a space to share what I love most. Here you’ll find simple, nourishing recipes I make for my family, sprinkled with Ayurveda and Yoga wisdom. My hope is that these posts inspire you to care for yourself in small, joyful ways and feel a little more balanced in everyday life.
In Ayurveda, gut health, sleep, and moderate daily activity are essential for sustaining well-being—and modern research confirms this wisdom. Good digestion is considered one of the foundations of health because when the gut is balanced, the whole body benefits: energy, mood, immunity, and resilience all thrive.
This is one of the reasons why in my recipes, like my Easy Vegan Caesar Salad this past summer, I make it without garlic. Garlic and onions are traditionally used to fight off colds and flus because they act like natural antibiotics, but unfortunately, they can also diminish “the good guys”—our friendly bacteria. Ayurveda views garlic and onions not as “bad,” but as potent foods to be consumed medicinally when needed, rather than as a daily staple.
Causes of Sluggish Digestion
Something rich and creamy can feel deeply satisfying and, more importantly, soothing—especially for pitta dosha, which benefits from pacifying, rich foods and cooling elements. Yet treats like ice cream or take-out, though quick and satisfying in the moment, often create long-term problems: clogging and sluggish digestion from the build-up of ama—partially digested food that burdens the body, paving the way towards metabolic disorders.
At the same time, raw salads, though celebrated in modern diets, can aggravate digestion for some, and create vata imbalances. Vata dosha governs circulation, timing, distribution, movement and flow of fluids, nutrients, and all substances throughout the body. Raw foods are typically cold, rough, and dry—qualities that naturally increase vata, which is already light, dry, and mobile by nature. In addition, the fibrous texture of raw vegetables is harder to break down compared to cooked foods, where the fibres have softened and become easier to digest. Even for those who enjoy salads, balance comes from preparation—adding a dressing with oil, lime or lemon juice, spices and herbs, or cooking vegetables can make them gentler on the digestive system.
Optimize Nutrient Absorption
From a nutritional perspective, raw vegetables also contain phytates, oxalates, and goitrogens—naturally occurring compounds that can inhibit mineral absorption, particularly calcium and zinc. If eaten in excess, they may gradually deplete the body’s mineral stores. For example, recent research has led scientists to link increased phytate and oxalate consumption with decreased calcium bioavailability contributing to osteoporosis, fractures and decreased bone health among adults in the US. Cooking reduces these substances, making nutrients more bioavailable and easier for the body to assimilate.
Ayurveda emphasizes not just what you eat, but how it’s prepared. A thoughtfully cooked meal can provide nourishment that raw food sometimes cannot. And while plant-based diets are highly valued, it’s essential to include key nutrients such as Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, iron, zinc, calcium, magnesium, and omega-3 fatty acids to sustain long-term vitality and balance.
Supporting Vata and Staying Balanced
Raw salads may feel refreshing in summer, but if you’re prone to vata imbalances—dry skin, bloating, anxiety, or irregular digestion—it’s wise to keep them in moderation, especially in cooler months. Supporting vata includes simple daily practices: sipping warm teas, eating mindfully, getting adequate rest, practicing meditation, and cooking with ghee or olive oil to soften the rough, cold, dry qualities of vata foods.
This is where Ayurvedic cooking truly shines—guidelines offer personalization, balance, preparation (samskar), and combination (samyog) of foods. When we align food with season and constitution, digestion strengthens and vitality flourishes.
Vata Imbalances May Increase During Cooler Seasons
Vata dosha is considered the “king of the doshas,” as my Ayurvedic teacher, Vaidya Rama Kant Mishra, would say. This is because vata governs the intelligence of the body—guiding circulation, movement, and the precise timing and delivery of substances like hormones, neurotransmitters, blood, and fluids. Keeping vata balanced is key to steadiness, ease, and proper function throughout all systems of the body. Signs of vata imbalances include:
Dry skin, dehydration, or dry mouth
Stiffness, cracking joints, muscle spasms or palpitations
Constipation, gas, irregular digestion
Poor circulation, irregular sleep, anxiety, restlessness
Feeling underweight or emaciated
Maintaining Balance During Autumn
As autumn deepens, dominated by the lightness of air and space, we’re reminded that food is more than fuel—it is medicine, rhythm, and grounding. Nourishing digestion with warm, wholesome, fresh prepared meals not only sustains the gut, but also supports mental clarity, emotional steadiness, and energy through seasonal change.
Cooking with awareness—choosing the right foods, preparing them with care, and enjoying them with presence—remains one of the simplest, most effective ways to cultivate vitality and balance.
References
Vaidya R. K. Mishra- Notes from Shaka Vansiya Ayurveda Courses, Practicum, Conferences and Lectures 2003-2015
