what does ayurveda say about meat eating?

Like plants and grains, Ayurveda accepts meat also as a form of food. Emphasizing upon this, the ancient Ayurvedic master Charaka  says that no other food excels meat in producing nourishing effects in the body (mamsam brimhananam).

Ayurveda also gives detailed explanations on meat in eight different categories which include animals, birds and fish. These are the eight categories of non-vegetarian food mentioned in the ancient classical texts.

1. Prasaha (animals and birds who eat by snatching)
2. Bhumisaya (animals who live in burrows in the earth)
3. Anupa (animals inhabiting in marshy land)
4. Varisaya (aquatic animals)
5. Varicara (birds moving in water)
   6. Jangala (animals dwelling in dry land forests)
6. Viskira (gallinaceous birds)
7. Pratuda (pecker birds)

The concept of a vegetarian diet: 

In Vedas and Puranas, there is mention of non vegetarian diet and its qualities etc. The famous “Vatapi Jeerno bhava”  incident in Agastya Maharishi is a classical example for the prevalence of non vegetarian diet in those times.

The Hindus adopted a total vegetarian system after Buddhism spread across India. It is a classical nature of the Hindus to be flexible and to adopt any good thing from any other religion.

Properties Of Meat

The classical texts give numerous elaborate descriptions of the properties of various meats, especially their Vata-reducing properties.

• Those such as peacock for example were commonly used for improving the eyes, voice, intellectual capabilities, complexion, hearing and more, and were commonly used.
• Goat meat was also well-known for bulking the tissues and often used as a meat-soup or even a basti  (Ayurvedic enema). Goat and mutton are said to be strengthening or tonifying for the body, and so they are good for Vata people and those with severe debilitated conditions.2 Goat also does not cause malas  or waste material in the body.3
• Beef is said to cure dry cough, exhaustion, chronic nasal catarrh, emaciation and excess hunger.4
• Charaka says that fish is in general heavy, hot in potency, sweet, strength promoting, nourishing, unctuous and aphrodisiac.5
• Charaka also says that good quality meats are brimhana (strengthening and building) as also balya (promoting strength). He states that meat-soups (mamsarasa) are one of the best for the body. They are sarvarogaprashamanam (alleviates all diseases) and promote vidyam  (wisdom), swarya (good voice), strength (bala) of vayas (age), buddhi (intellect) and indriyas (senses) respectively.

Type Of Meat Plus Nutritional And Medicinal Benefits

Mutton

Mutton is homologous with the dhatus (body tissues), it is anabhishyandi (does not obstruct the bodily channels) and is nourishing.

Chicken

Chicken is an aphrodisiac and is nourishing. It clarifies the voice, promotes strength and produces sweating.

Beef

Beef is beneficial for exclusive vitiation of Vata, rhinitis, irregular fever, dry cough, fatigue, atyagni (increased appetite) and wasting of muscles.

Fish

Fish is strength promoting, nourishing, unctuous and aphrodisiac. It causes skin diseases and is not recommended for daily use.

Lamb

Lamb is a vermifuge and tonic. It improves intellect, digestion and is a laxative.

What To Eat On A Daily Basis

Keep in mind that Ayurveda doesn’t recommend the intake of certain types of meat on a daily basis. There is a detailed list of food materials that should or should not be included in the diet on a daily basis.

Food For Regular Use

1. Ghee
2. Honey
3. Indian Goose Berry
4. Fruits like grapes, pomegranate, et cetera
5. Rice
6. Barley
7. Immature Radish
8. Chebulic Fruit
9. Leafy Vegetables
10. Meat of animals in arid or dry land

In short, dishes that are capable of promoting health and curing diseases are suitable for regular use.

What Not To Eat On A Daily Basis

Undesirable Food For Regular Use

1. Cheese
2. Yogurt
3. Alkaline preparations like vinegar
4. Sprouted seeds
5. Black gram
6. Dried meat
7. Molasses
8. Tuberous roots
9. Sweets prepared by grinding cereals
10. Uncooked radish

This list of undesirable food materials is not because of any religious or spiritual reasons. It is because too much of these substances can result in health problems.

Meat During Ayurvedic Treatment

Another popular misbelief is that you are not supposed to take meat items while undergoing Ayurveda treatments or when having Ayurveda medicines. The truth is that Ayurveda does advise certain pathya-apathya (wholesome and unwholesome foods and regimen) depending on the nature of the disease. This pathya and apathya are not for the medicines. There are certain disease conditions where Ayurveda advises the intake of meat as medicine. In Tuberculosis, for example, after correcting the digestion, processed meat with certain herbs are advised as medicine. In certain sexual disorders also, meat is mentioned as a medicine in Ayurveda.

Bone broth has been used for thousands of years to build bone tissue and for those suffering from fractures, dislocation of joints and more.

When To Eat Meat

Another common doubt is whether there is a particular time of the day to eat meat. It is ideal to have meat at mid-day because your digestive fire will be highest during that time. Cook meat properly with clarified butter, curd, sour gruel (Kanjika), acid fruits like pomegranate, and pungent and aromatic condiments like black pepper. Meat prepared like this is considered very wholesome to the diet, though heavy to digest. It possesses relishing, strength-giving and tissue building properties.

Meat Preparations

Varieties of cooked meat are also mentioned in the Ayurvedic classics.

• Ullupta (minced meat)
• Bharjita (fried)
• Pishta (made into balls or cakes)
• Pratapta (roasted with clarified butter over a charcoal fire)
• Kandupachita (dipped in mustard oil and powdered aromatic condiments and roasted to a honey color over a charcoal fire.

In addition, the benefits of thin meat soup have also been described in detail.

A thin meat soup is a pleasant tonic, and proves beneficial in cases of dyspnea, cough, and consumption. It subdues the Pitta and Kapha, destroys the Vata, and has an agreeable taste. It is wholesome to persons of weak memory and reduced semen. Meat-soup, prepared with the juice of the pomegranate and seasoned with pungent condiments, increases the quantity of semen and tends to subdue the action of all the three deranged humors, Vata, Pitta and Kapha.7

Eggs And Ayurveda

Ayurveda gives an explanation of different types of eggs in the classical texts. Ducks, poultry and quail eggs are effectively used as medicine in various diseases like decreased sperm count, chronic cough, Tuberculosis, heart diseases and more. Eggs are also said to improve growth and development in children.

Modern medicine explains that an egg has 9 essential fatty acids along with omega 3 fatty acids. A large egg contains over six grams of protein. It has 4.5 grams of fat which is only 7 percent of the daily value. Only one-third (1.5) grams is saturated fat and 2 grams are mono-unsaturated fat. They contain, in varying amounts, almost every essential vitamin and mineral needed by humans as well as several other beneficial food components.

Though eggs are highly nutritious, it is heavy in nature according to Ayurveda. This heaviness makes them hard to digest. People with strong digestive power can definitely include eggs in their diet.

Fish In Ayurveda

Ayurveda also has explanations and details on consuming fish.

Eating fish improves strength and helps in gaining weight. It is Vata pacifying in nature and can be consumed in diseases occurring due to aggravated Vata. It also increases Kapha, due to which fish is not advised for daily use.

Acharya Susruta, the ancient Ayurvedic author and father of surgery, explains in detail about the quality of fish residing in ponds, lakes, streams and rivers. Ayurveda prefers small fish varieties over larger ones. Small fishes like anchovy are light for digestion, provide instant energy, are delicious and pacify all the three doshas.

Fish is a low-fat, high-quality protein. Fish is filled with omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins such as D and B2 (riboflavin). Fish is rich in calcium and phosphorus and a great source of minerals, such as iron, zinc, iodine, magnesium and potassium.

The American Heart Association recommends eating fish at least two times per week as part of a healthy diet. Fish is packed with protein, vitamins, and nutrients that can lower blood pressure and help reduce the risk of a heart attack or stroke.

Shellfish is one of the more common food allergies. This allergy usually is lifelong. Certain descriptions on allergic reactions to fish have been described in Ayurveda as well. Intake of prawns and milk together are considered virudh ahara (incompatible).

There are two groups of shellfish: crustacea (such as shrimp, crab and lobster) and mollusks (such as clams, mussels, oysters and scallops). Crustacea cause most shellfish reactions, and these tend to be severe. Shellfish can cause severe and potentially life-threatening allergic reactions (such as anaphylaxis). Allergic reactions can be unpredictable, and even very small amounts of shellfish can cause one.8

Ayurveda considers prawns to be the worst of fish varieties since it aggravates all the three doshas.

Health Tips For Meat Consumption

Keep in mind the following things when you consume meat.

• Do not consume meat on a daily basis. Instead have it moderately, and have more in winter season when you have a strong digestive power.
• Keep in mind your digestive power and constitution while consuming meat. A Kapha predominant person must consume less meat compared to a Vata predominant person.
• If you consume meat, make sure you exercise to keep the body healthy and fit.
• Along with meat, include vegetables and grains in your diet. Make sure you receive all the necessary nutrients.
• Choose organic, hormone-free meat whenever possible.
• Choose quality over quantity. A meatball sized portion of meat (1/4c) eaten daily with vegetables and grains is an appropriate amount that your body can process fully.
• According to  Charaka, healthy and wholesome food, even if taken even in proper quantity, does not get properly digested when the individual is afflicted with grief, fear, anger, sorrow,
• excessive sleep and excessive vigil. Therefore, your mind matters.
• Food taken in proper quantity provides strength, vigor, good complexion and nurtures the health of the tissues. In order to live healthy, one must live in harmony with his surroundings and follow a diet suitable to one’s own bodily constitution.

Conclusion:

• Ayurveda does not say that one should follow total vegetarianism.
• A non vegetarian diet has its own medicinal significance in Ayurveda.
• It does not mean that everybody should have a non vegetarian diet. One who is accustomed to it, can have it and one who is not, may not have it.
• One of the reasons why a total vegetarian diet is encouraged is because non veg is claimed to increase Tamas, which, according to spirituality, is true.
• Following a non vegetarian diet will not have any bad effects on herbal Ayurvedic pills that one might be taking. One can have non veg, during his Ayurvedic medication period. There is no rule that non veg should not be taken while one is on Ayurvedic medicines.

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5) easyayurveda

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7) Sceiendirecr.com

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9) NCBI

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