What does Ayurveda say about Green Juice?

Green Juice in Ayurveda?

One of the question we get a lot as ayurvedists is: What is the ayurvedic take on green juices?

Well, in Western culture we hear a lot about juicing, juice fasting, raw food and salads. But in an ayurvedic diet raw and cold (in temperature) foods are rarely suggested.

In this video I explain some of the reasons why.

The digestive fire

Basically we think of our stomach (the organ) having a fire, Agni. This agni transforms whatever we put into it into nutrients to support our tissues, our body and being. What isn’t needed will eventually be eliminated.

But a fire needs just the right conditions to burn. If we add cold and light material (such as salads or green juices) the fire has to work hard to transform this material into nutrients. We may get digestive issues and it will potentially increase Vata dosha – leading to Vata issues. Both immediately and long term.

When we add food that has already been warmed up, the transformation has begun, the digestive fire can easily absorb, transmute and digest the foods.

There are obviously times when raw light and cool foods may be fine. If you have a super efficient digestive fire, if you are already quite warm (pitta), when it’s summer and sunshine and in the middle of the day when the external fire, the sun, is bright. You can also add warming spices such as ginger to your juice to help the digestive process.

We discuss the digestive fire and listening our hunger even more in the Detox & Rejuvenate Immersion. Learn more here about how to create health and wellbeing. And how to detox the ayurvedic way rather than juice fasting.

We love vegetables and we love seasonal foods. But it’s all about how we actually digest it. So listen to your agni, your digestive fire and your hunger!