Seasonal Eating Guide: Spring
The true essence of Ayurvedic wisdom is about aligning ourselves with nature, and one of the most foundational ways we can do this is by understanding how to live in harmony with the seasons.
As the seasons change, different elements (doshas) become naturally more predominant, and Ayurveda teaches us to adjust the way we eat to find balance. We can use the foundational principle of ‘like increases like and opposites balance’ to choose foods that feel truly nourishing through every season.
In Ayurveda, Spring is considered a time when kapha dosha (earth + water) is naturally predominant, bringing earthy, heavy and slow qualities as nature emerges from its winter hibernation. To create balance, we want to embrace foods that naturally balance kapha dosha in their quality, taste and energy.
Here you can find a detailed guide to foods to embrace this season, and learn how to subtly understand which foods help to balance kapha dosha.
Tastes – favour foods that have a naturally bitter, astringent and pungent taste, such as leafy greens, legumes and fresh ginger. Go easy on foods that have an overly sweet, salty or sour taste, such as high-sugar fruits, excess salt or citrus.
Qualities of food – we want to embrace foods that are warm, light and energising for the body. We can also consider foods that have a more extractive or cleansing quality to help release excess water and heaviness accumulated over winter.
Vegetables that have a light quality, such as leafy greens like kale, spinach, rocket and lettuce, as well as beetroot, fennel, broccoli, green beans, asparagus, onion (cooked, in moderation), garlic (cooked, in moderation), celery, carrot, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, zucchini, radishes, fresh ginger and sprouts. Avoid vegetables that are overly heavy and sweet, such as potatoes, pumpkin and mushrooms.
Fruits such as apples, pears, oranges, lemon, lime, peaches, berries, pomegranate and raisins. Avoid fruits that are overly heavy and sweet, such as dates, bananas and mangoes. Citrus can be enjoyed in small amounts, but excess sour taste can aggravate kapha.
Grains that have a warm and drying quality, such as buckwheat, barley, millet, quinoa, spelt, rye, amaranth and brown or white basmati rice. Avoid having heavy grains such as oats, wheat and rice in excess. Generally, bread is best avoided – try some homemade chapati instead!
Spices that have a warming quality or are supportive for digestion, such as ginger (fresh and dried), cinnamon, clove, turmeric, cumin, cayenne pepper, mustard seeds, saffron, black pepper, asafoetida, ajwain, rosemary, thyme and parsley. Generally, most spices are supportive when balancing kapha dosha.
Legumes such as split or whole mung, red lentils, chickpeas, adzuki beans, black beans or cannellini beans. It can also be wonderful to sprout your legumes at this time of year.
Nuts and seeds are generally best avoided as they are heavy and oily. However, lighter seeds can be enjoyed in moderation, such as sunflower, pumpkin, sesame or flax seeds. Ground flaxseed can also be supportive for elimination if digestion is feeling sluggish.
Oils including ghee and olive oil for cooking, and flaxseed or sunflower oil for dressing, can be supportive for kapha dosha in moderation. Be mindful of using excess oil, as you want to maintain a dry, light quality to your food.
Dairy is best avoided or enjoyed in moderation at this time of year, as it is heavy and can contribute to excess mucus and congestion. If having cow’s milk, always make sure to have it warmed and with a little spice. You can also consider watering the milk down 50/50 with fresh water. Generally, cheese and yoghurt are best avoided; however, a small amount of white cheese or takra (digestive lassi) can be enjoyed in moderation.
Sweeteners are best enjoyed in moderation. A small amount of honey can be supportive, while sugary foods such as dried fruit, chocolate and cakes are best avoided.
To embrace the season, we can start to incorporate more of these foods into our ahara in a slow, steady way. It can be as simple as trying a new seasonal vegetable, switching up our spice mix or rotating our grain and legume choices.
This might look like adding more fresh ginger or ajwain into the weekly dahl, switching your oat porridge to millet or buckwheat, or choosing leafy greens and brassicas for your kitchari instead of pumpkin or sweet potato.
It’s also important to remember that the foundational principle of Ayurveda is balance. While these foods may be most supportive for the season, they are simply suggestions — not rules. Enjoy all foods in moderation and let this guide act as inspiration for more foods to simply invite into your life this season.
If you’d like to learn more about Ayurvedic nutrition & cooking, you can find more information on my website here.
For more recipe inspiration, you can explore my e-cookbook, Finding Balance, here.