Favorite food of the gods

The summer garden is richly stocked with the most delicious fruits. Juicy strawberries, fragrant raspberries, velvety peaches, delicious cherries and refreshing melons ripen in a race and invite you to enjoy tempting fruit meals. However, not all summer fruits are recommended for every constitution type and can be enjoyed without restriction.

In India, fresh fruit is one of the favorite foods of the gods. They provide the body with vital substances, invigorate the mind and delight the soul. In order to be well digested by the human organism, a few nutritional rules should be observed in summer.

Raw fruit should always be harvested when ripe and eaten as fresh as possible. They are best digested when eaten on their own. The best time for a fruit meal is in the morning or early afternoon.

• Sweet fruits such as banana, mango, grapes, figs or dates are particularly nourishing, restorative and cell-renewing. They increase Kapha, reduce Vata and have an extremely positive effect on the immune system (ojas). They can be eaten very well together with almonds or nuts.

• Sour fruits such as berries, pineapple or citrus fruits are refreshing but also acidifying. They strengthen Agni (deepana), increase Pitta and regulate Vata. If you are prone to Pitta disorders, it is better to stay away from acidic fruits. Under no circumstances should they be eaten together with fermented milk products such as yoghurt, curd or cheese. This blocks the circulation channels (srotas) and puts a strain on the skin's metabolism (raktadushti).

The combination of milk and raw fruit is absolutely taboo in Ayurveda. The fruit acid cannot be digested together with the milk protein and fat. This results in indigestible metabolic residues (ama), which are partly responsible for many illnesses - such as allergies, asthma, rheumatic complaints and skin diseases. So don't add milk to your fruit shake. Rice milk, almond milk or coconut milk can be used as an alternative

Mango is the only fruit that can be combined with milk and dairy products. A mango lassi or mango quark is therefore 100% Ayurvedic.

Summer smoothie with almonds and ginger for breakfast

From an Ayurvedic point of view, those who have breakfast after 9.00 a.m. can also eat something cold and uncooked. A fruit and almond smoothie is ideal at this hot time of year:

Ingredients

• nectarine
• peach
• Handful of cherries (pitted)
• 1 slice of fresh ginger
• 200ml almond milk

Preparation

Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Consume immediately afterwards. Alternatively, you can also use other fruits - preferably straight from the garden! - can be used.

Article by Kerstin Rosenberg