Salads: Healthy or a Gut disaster!

Let’s see what Ayurveda and Modern Science has to say.

Raw leafy greens like kale, spinach, etc are hailed as ultimate food packed with antioxidants, vitamins and fiber. However, Ayurveda, the ancient system of medicine from India, has reservations about eating them raw in salads or smoothies.

The logic behind Ayurveda’s claim: 

According to Ayurveda, raw leafy greens are dry, rough, light, and cold which are the qualities associated with the Vata dosha. On too much consumption of raw greens, these qualities increase in our body causing Vata imbalance. Symptoms like constipation, bloating, and abdominal discomfort can be experienced. Over time, Vata imbalance may lead to joint and muscle degeneration, contributing to arthritis and aches, especially as we age. Vata types are more susceptible to it, i.e. people with predominant Vata dosha.

What About the Other Doshas?

• Kapha Types: may initially benefit from intake of raw greens. The light, dry rough qualities of raw greens tend to balance the heavy, dense, moist qualities of Kapha. However, Kapha types often have weaker digestion – agni, making raw greens hard to digest, eventually leading to Vata imbalance.
• Pitta Types: usually have a strong digestion, and may tolerate raw greens for a while. However, as we age, we reach the vata stage of life which is around 40 years and later, when our agni weakens. So even people with predominant Pitta can experience Vata-like symptoms if they continue to consume raw greens regularly.

Let’s break the science behind the Ayurvedic claim:

Cellulose: Tough Barrier to break 

Raw greens have cell walls which contain cellulose. Humans are unable to digest them due to the lack of the enzyme, cellulase. So the greens reach the large intestine, where gut bacteria acts on it by the process of fermentation, producing gas like methane and carbon dioxide leading to bloating, flatulence, abdominal pain and constipation. These are the same symptoms Ayurveda associates with aggravated Vata.

Sad to break the bubble! Among all the greens, Kale contains raffinose, a sugar that’s the toughest to digest.

The Vitamin Dilemma: 

Raw greens are considered a rich source for vitamins. Though this is true for Vitamin C in the raw form, but not for Vitamin A, E and K. The research shows that cooking helps unfold the proteins making the vitamins bioavailable.

Evolution may help us understand the absence of cellulase.

Our digestive system has evolved significantly over millions of years. Early humans ate primarily raw foods, which they could process in the large gut. But with time, the gut size became small while the cognitive brain became big. The brain needed more and instant energy which could not be provided by processing raw foods for a long time in the gut.

So what change happened during evolution? Fire!

When fire was discovered, everything changed. With time, the enzymes in our gut may have changed which is why cellulase is not found presently in the human digestive system.

Cooking Greens: The easy answer to efficient Digestion

Ayurveda has always recommended cooking greens to make them more digestible. Harvard’s biologist, Rachel Carmody has been a huge proponent of cooking the greens, which “kickstarts” digestion and makes nutrients more accessible to the body. Cooking not only breaks down tough plant fibers and makes nutrients and vitamins more bioavailable, but cooking helps reduce oxalates. Oxalates which are abundant in spinach, have shown to interfere with calcium absorption and may contribute to kidney stones.

Spicing Up Your Greens: Ayurveda’s Secret to Better Digestion

To further enhance the digestibility of greens, Ayurveda recommends cooking them with spices like cumin, coriander, carom and mustard seeds. These spices not only aid digestion but also help the body absorb the nutrients in greens more effectively. Pairing cooked greens with good fats like ghee or olive oil further supports digestion.

Our gut requires a warm, moist environment, with gentle flow in the gut (peristalsis) to work efficiently. In Ayurvedic terminology, the balance of vata -gentle flow, pitta– digestive enzymes, kapha– healthy mucus lining will lead to optimum digestion – optimum agni!

The Takeaway: Be mindful and Listen to Your Gut

Though raw leafy greens have loads of benefits, they can be difficult to digest. Ayurveda emphasizes balance, so if you enjoy raw greens, be mindful of how your body reacts. Cooking your greens or enjoying them in moderation is the key to better health.Simmi Chopra is a highly accomplished Ayurvedic Practitioner with a unique blend of expertise in traditional Ayurveda and modern science. Trained in the ancient healing system, she completed the prestigious Ayurveda Doctor program from Kerala Ayurveda. Based in New York City, Simmi practices at SIDH Ayur, where she offers personalized Ayurvedic therapies, dietary guidance, lifestyle recommendations, and herbal solutions to help clients achieve holistic balance. Check out her YouTube link for raw foods here – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESxZwNFug7I&t=8s

 

Source  :  https://www.seema.com/salads-healthy-or-a-gut-disaster/