Kapha Balancing Toolkit

The main qualities of kapha are unctuous, cool, heavy, slow, smooth, soft, and stable. It is also dense, cloudy, and viscous. So, having a kapha-predominant prakriti means that these qualities express themselves generously throughout your mental, emotional, and physical make up. You may find them reflected in your strengths and weaknesses in the following ways:

  • The unctuous quality can allow for smooth joint function but, if pronounced, can lead to excess mucous.

  • The cool quality may manifest as cool skin and a laid-back, cool temperament.

  • Heaviness may manifest as a large, sturdy, grounded physical and emotional constitution and, in excess, as being overweight or experiencing a subjective feeling of heaviness in the mind.

  • Slowness may manifest as a slow gait or a slow, steady pace that you can maintain. In excess, you may get stuck in a pattern that may not be the best for you.

  • Softness can manifest as a soft heart that is easily empathic. Another manifestation of this quality is having soft skin.

  • Stability can be an asset that friends, family, and colleagues probably recognize and perhaps lean on, but in excess could become stubbornness or sluggishness. You could become so stable that you are disinclined toward any physical activity.

  • Density can manifest as good stamina and strong, well-formed muscles and bones. This enables the kapha constitution to withstand vigorous exercise. This quality is also responsible for dense, luxurious hair.

OPPOSITES AS MEDICINE

Each of us has a unique proportion of the three doshas in our prakritis. Ayurveda teaches us that if a dosha increases beyond its original, natural proportion for us, it fosters an environment where disease can flourish.

It is common for our predominant dosha (vata, pitta, or kapha) to increase more quickly than other doshas because we tend to perpetuate what we know best. For example, if your dominant dosha is kapha, due to the slow quality of kapha you may be naturally inclined toward calming activities. In excess, this quality may lead to stagnation.

If a dosha increases in our bodies, Ayurveda suggests that we will want to decrease it in order to restore a healthy balance to our constitution.

Medicines are substances that decrease the excess dosha by providing the opposite qualities to it. For example, if kapha has increased due to excess stagnation in your life, activity can be a medicine. If it has increased due to excess coolness, you can use heat as a medicine. Too much heaviness? Use lightness.

One of the practical aspects of Ayurveda is that anything can be used as a medicine because everything that exists has a quality. This includes but is not limited to: herbs, foods, drinks, environments, colors, smells, and lifestyles.

Qualities opposite to kapha are predominantly warm, dry, light and active. It is therefore best for kapha individuals to seek out physical and emotional environments, routines, and foods that possess these opposite qualities.

DIET AT MEDICINE

Kapha is balanced by a diet of freshly cooked, whole foods that are light, dry, warming, well-spiced, and relatively easy to digest—ideally served warm or hot. These foods calm kapha by balancing mucous production, regulating moisture levels, maintaining adequate heat, and by supporting proper digestion and elimination. Because kapha is so substantive in nature, an appropriate diet is actually one of the most effective ways to reel it in. Kapha thrives on a fairly minimalistic diet with smaller meals, little to no snacking, fewer sweets, an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables, a variety of legumes, minimal alcohol, and lighter fare all around. Below, you will find a list of recommended ingredients to seek out in order to balance a kapha constitution:

Fruits

Fruits that pacify kapha will generally be somewhat astringent and only mildly sweet. Dried fruits are acceptable, on occasion, but should only be enjoyed in small quantities because they are so dense and concentrated. Fruits to avoid are those that are exceptionally sweet or sour (like oranges or grapes), and any that are especially heavy, dense, or watery—like bananas, coconut, dates, melons, pineapple, or plums.

And remember, fruits and fruit juices are best enjoyed alone—30 minutes before, and ideally at least 1 hour after, any other food. This helps to ensure optimal digestion. Note: this rule does not apply to fruits that we typically consider vegetables (avocados, cucumbers, tomatoes, etc.). You will find these fruits listed among the “vegetables.”

AVOID:

  • Bananas

  • Cantaloupe

  • Coconut

  • Dates

  • Figs (fresh)

  • Grapes (green)

  • Grapefruit

  • Kiwi

  • Melons

  • Oranges

  • Papaya

  • Pineapple

  • Plums

  • Rhubarb

  • Tamarin

  • Watermelon

FAVOR:

  • Apples

  • Applesauce

  • Apricots

  • Berries

  • Cherries

  • Cranberries

  • Figs (dry)

  • Grapes (red, purple, black)

  • Lemons

  • Limes

  • Mango

  • Peaches

  • Pears

  • Persimmons

  • Pomegranates

  • Prunes

  • Raisins

  • Raspberries

  • Strawberries

Vegetables

Vegetables that pacify kapha will generally be pungent, bitter, and astringent. Most vegetables include some combination of these tastes, so vegetables are an important centerpiece of any effective kapha-balancing diet. Cooked vegetables are generally easier to digest than raw ones, so it’s best to have raw veggies, salads, and kapha-aggravating vegetables in small quantities and at mid-day, when digestive strength is at its peak. Raw vegetables are often more appropriate for kapha in the spring and summer seasons. The only vegetables for kapha to reduce or avoid are those that are particularly heavy, dense, oily, or watery – like avocado, cucumber, olives, and the other vegetables listed in the reduce or avoid column below:

AVOID:

  • Avocado

  • Cucumber

  • Olives

  • Parsnips

  • Pumpkin

  • Squash, Summer

  • Sweet Potatoes

  • Tomatoes (raw)

  • Zucchini


FAVOR:

  • Artichoke

  • Asparagus

  • Beet Greens

  • Beets

  • Bitter Melon

  • Broccoli

  • Brussels Sprouts

  • Burdock Root

  • Cabbage

  • Carrots

  • Cauliflower

  • Celery

  • Cilantro

  • Collard Greens

  • Daikon Radish

  • Dandelion Greens

  • Green Beans

  • Jerusalem Artichokes

  • Kale

  • Kohlrabi

  • Leafy Greens

  • Leeks

  • Lettuce

  • Mustard Greens

  • Okra

  • Onions

  • Peas

  • Radishes

  • Rutabaga

  • Spaghetti Squash

  • Spinach

  • Sprouts

  • Squash, Winter

Grains

Grains that pacify kapha are light, dry, and rough. In general, grains tend to be staples in our diets because they are somewhat heavy and nourishing. But when it comes to balancing kapha, these qualities are best minimized, so reducing grain consumption overall can be a huge benefit. Avoid grains that are exceptionally heavy, moist or dense (like wheat, flours, breads, cooked oats, and pastas) as much as possible, and eat smaller quantities of appropriate grains. It often works well to supplement meals with extra vegetables or legumes, which are nutritionally rich, but also more balancing for kapha.

AVOID:

  • Oats (cooked)

  • Pancakes

  • Pasta

  • Rice (brown, white)

  • Wheat

  • Yeasted Bread

FAVOR:

  • Amaranth

  • Barley

  • Buckwheat

  • Cereal (unsweetened, cold, dry)

  • Corn

  • Couscous

  • Crackers

  • Durham Flour

  • Granola

  • Millet

  • Muesli

  • Oat Bran

  • Oats (dry)

  • Polenta

  • Quinoa

  • Rice (basmati, wild)

  • Rice Cakes

  • Rye

  • Seitan

  • Spelt

  • Sprouted Wheat Bread

  • Tapioca

  • Wheat Bran

Legumes

Legumes are generally astringent, which is one of the tastes that balances kapha. Kapha can enjoy a wide variety of legumes, but they should generally be well-cooked and well-spiced to make them more digestible. The only beans that don’t work for kapha are simply too heavy or oily to be balancing.

AVOID:

  • Kidney Beans

  • Miso

  • Soy Beans

  • Soy Cheese

  • Soy Flour

  • Soy Powder

  • Soy Sauce

  • Tofu (served cold)

  • Urad Dal

FAVOR:

  • Adzuki Beans

  • Black Beans

  • Black-Eyed Peas

  • Lentils

  • Lima Beans

  • Mung Beans

  • Mung Dal

  • Navy Beans

  • Pinto Beans

  • Split Peas

  • Toor Dal

Dairy

Dairy products are best minimized when trying to reduce kapha because they tend to be heavy, unctuous, and can increase mucus production. As a rule, dairy milks should be taken at least one hour before or after any other food. Ideally, milk is boiled and served hot with a pinch or turmeric or ginger—to make it more digestible and less congesting. Goat’s milk and goat’s milk products are the best option for kapha because they are lighter, but are best in moderation. Almond and rice milks are good substitutes.

AVOID:

  • Butter

  • Cheese

  • Cow’s Milk

  • Frozen Yogurt

  • Ice Cream

  • Sour Cream

  • Yogurt (store bought)

FAVOR:

  • Buttermilk

  • Cottage Cheese (ideally from skim goat’s milk)

  • Ghee

  • Goat’s Cheese (unsalted, not aged)

  • Goat’s Milk (skim)

  • Yogurt (fresh and diluted)

Nuts & Seeds

Nuts and seeds tend to be heavy, dense, and oily and are generally not terrifically balancing for kapha. But there are a few types of nuts and seeds that are acceptable in small quantities. When trying to balance kapha, nuts and seeds are best enjoyed only on occasion.

AVOID:

  • Brazil Nuts

  • Cashews

  • Coconut

  • Filberts

  • Macadamia Nuts

  • Peanuts

  • Pecans

  • Pine Nuts

  • Pistachios

  • Sesame Seeds

  • Tahini

  • Walnuts

FAVOR:

  • Almonds (soaked and peeled)

  • Charole Nuts

  • Chia Seeds

  • Flax Seeds

  • Popcorn (without salt or butter)

  • Pumpkin Seeds

  • Sunflower Seeds

Oils

Most oils are a bit heavy and, well, oily for kapha. However, in very small quantities, the oils in the favor column are acceptable, if they are of good quality. Because toxins tend to concentrate in fats, buying organic oils may be more important than buying organic fruits and vegetables. When trying to balance kapha, you can minimize reliance on oil by sautéing foods in water instead of oil or by simply steaming them. For those occasions when a tad of oil is needed, the best oils for kapha are corn oil, sunflower oil or ghee.

AVOID:

  • Avocado Oil

  • Apricot Oil

  • Coconut Oil

  • Olive Oil

  • Primrose Oil

  • Safflower Oil

  • Sesame Oil

  • Soy Oil

  • Walnut Oil

FAVOR:

  • Almond Oil

  • Flax Seed Oil

  • Ghee

  • Sunflower Oil

Sweeteners

As the sweet taste is not particularly supportive to kapha, most sweeteners are better avoided. Honey on the other hand – which is dry, light, and heating—is the one exception, when used in small quantities. Honey also scrapes toxins and fat from the tissues, so it benefits kapha on multiple levels. However, heating or cooking with honey creates toxins, so only raw and unprocessed honey should be used. Foods and drinks that contain refined sugars or corn syrup can be especially detrimental and should be avoided as much as possible.


AVOID:

  • Artificial Sweeteners

  • Barley Malt

  • Date Sugar

  • Fructose

  • Honey (cooked, heated or processed)

  • Jaggary

  • Maple Syrup

  • Molasses

  • Rice Syrup

  • Sucanat

  • Turbinado

  • White Sugar

FAVOR:

  • Honey (raw and unprocessed)

Spices

Most spices are wonderful for kapha, so feel free to experiment with a wide variety of new and exotic spices. Kapha is the only dosha that can usually handle fiery hot foods. Even if those don’t suit you, a variety of mild spices will help to strengthen the digestive fire and can improve overall metabolism. In particular, the pungent and digestive qualities of onions, garlic, ginger, black pepper, chili pepper, and cayenne pepper benefit kapha.

AVOID:

  • Salt

FAVOR:

  • Ajwan

  • Allspice

  • Anise

  • Basil

  • Bay Leaf

  • Black Pepper

  • Caraway

  • Cardamom

  • Cayenne

  • Cinnamon

  • Cloves

  • Coriander

  • Cumin

  • Dill

  • Fennel

  • Fenugreek

  • Garlic

  • Ginger

  • Hing (Asafoetida)

  • Mace

  • Marjoram

  • Mint

  • Mustard Seeds

  • Neem Leaves

  • Nutmeg

  • Oregano

  • Paprika

  • Parsley

  • Peppermint

  • Pippali

  • Poppy Seeds

  • Rosemary

  • Saffron

  • Savory

  • Spearmint

  • Tarragon

  • Thyme

  • Trikatu

  • Turmeric

  • Vanilla

  • Wintergreen

Stephanie Wright