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Monday, March 17, 2008

Gherkin, the divine fruit !



Gherkin is the divine fruit, according to Naturopathy. Consumption of Gherkin increases longevity.

GENERALLY not found on Indian plates, gherkins — pasteurised cucumbers — are a major dietary constituent to many in central or eastern European countries.

It is said that in the Czech Republic, if one orders for meat and vegetarian food, a slice of cow and two pickled gherkins would be served. Similarly, in France, pickled gherkins are most sought after.

And, supplying gherkins to the global market for about a decade are units located in Tuticorin and Bangalore. The demand for gherkins globally is increasing every year, says Mr S.D.K. Rajan, Managing Director, Indian Tropical Agro Products (P) Ltd, a Tuticorin-based exporter of agricultural products including gherkins.

Last year, the company exported about 10,000 tonnes of gherkins to various countries including US, France and Spain, and earned revenue of Rs 20-25 crore, he said.

Started as a trader of rice and gypsum, the ITAP today is one of the largest grower, processor and exporter of gherkins and pickled onions in India.

According to Mr Rajan, depending on the quality, the company buys gherkins from farmers at price ranging between Rs 1 and Rs 9 per kg, which it sells at about Rs 20 per kg after processing. The gherkins are grown in and around Madurai, Tenkasi and Dindigul in Tamil Nadu, he says.

Mr Rajan says that competition in the industry is increasing, and there are about 20 Indian companies, mainly in Tuticorin and Bangalore, exporting gherkins compared to one or two about five years ago.

Gherkins from the farm are processed at Tuticorin to preserve the natural taste and freshness.

They are also packed in containers and sent directly to the shops in various countries, he said.

According to Mr Rajan, the company has over 3,000 farmers in 100 villages spread across 25 fertile pockets.

This is in addition to its own 250 acres of "corporate growing system", which makes Indian Tropical Agro Products one of the largest producers of gherkins in India.

The company's cultivation processes conform to US and European Union standards and requirements on pesticides. The company has invested over Rs 1 crore on post-harvest handling system , he said.

The company's 50,000 sq.ft, built-in, processing plant in Tuticorin can handle 50-60 tonne of fresh produce per day.


Article Source : Hindu

Monday, February 11, 2008

Yogic eating



Any dog or horse trainer will tell you that what is fed to an animal influences its behaviour. Although we like to forget this when it comes to ourselves, what we eat has a huge influence not only over our physical well being, but also over our thoughts, and ultimately our emotional and spiritual well being. The yogis of ancient times knew this, and many classical yogic texts, such as the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, contain advice on a yogic diet. However, proper diet is a controversial subject. Nutrition has been extensively researched by modern science, and there seems to be as many 'proper' diets as there are scientific studies. It is more than a bit confusing for someone to devise their own individual diet amidst so much, often contradictory, advice.
The advice given below is based on the classical yogic texts and on the author's experience. It also gives pointers for further research and experimentation.

Unlike modern scientists, yogis are not interested in the chemical content (protein, vitamins, etc...) of the food. Instead, food is traditionally classified according to its effect on the body and mind, using the the three Gunas: Sattva (the quality of love, light and life), Raja (the quality of activity and passion, lacking stability) and Tamas (the quality of darkness and inertia, dragging us into ignorance and attachment) :

Sattvic food promotes clarity and calmness of mind and is favourable for spiritual growth. It is "sweet, fresh and agreeable" and includes most fruits, nuts, seeds, vegetables, particularly green leafy vegetables, whole grains, honey, pure water and milk (with the reservation that commercially produced milk may not nowadays be so sattvic...). Given the amount of pesticides and chemical fertilisers used on commercial crops, only organic products still qualify as Sattvic, and tinned or frozen food certainly don't.
Rajasic food feeds the body, but promotes activity and therefore induces restlessness of mind. It disturbs the equilibrium of the mind and is generally to be avoided by yoga practionners. Rajasic foods include most spicy foods, stimulants like coffee and tea, eggs, garlic, onion, meat, fish and chocolate, as well as most processed food. Eating too fast or with a disturbed mind is also considered rajasic. Rajasic food should be avoided by those whose aim is peace of mind, but will benefit people with an active lifestyle. A little rajasic food can be sattvic, for example, hot spices can help digestion, and therefore help create peace of mind!
Tamasic food (to be avoided) induces heaviness of the body and dullness of the mind, and ultimately benefits neither. It includes alcohol, as well as food that is stale or overripe. Overeating is also tamasic. The traditional advice is to fill the stomach half with food, one quarter with water, leaving the last quarter empty.
The nature of food can change. Cooking is the most obvious way to change the nature of food. Grains become sattvic only after cooking. Honey becomes tamasic (poisonous) with cooking. The nature of a food also change by being in combination with other foods and spices, or if it is stored for periods of time. Generally grains should be aged a bit (they become more sattvic) but of course, fruits shouldn't (they rot and become tamasic).

How and when to eat is also important. One should not eat too late at night, for there should be a gap of at least two, and preferably 3 to 4 hours between supper and sleep. Food should be freshly prepared and eaten with attention, respect and gratitude. While one should eat to live, rather than live to eat, food should be tasty, so as to be appreciated. The attitude of the person preparing the food is important as well, as the mood of the cook permeates the food. Most Indians still prefer their lunch box prepared at home to lunch in a restaurant for this reason, and some yogis only eat food prepared by themselves or other yogis.

Another important issue with a yogic diet is that of vegetarianism. Not only are fish and meat specifically listed amongst the "food injurious to the yoga" by the Hatha Yoga Pradipika (I, 59), but eating the flesh of dead animals violates the first principle of yogic ethics (yamas) as laid down by Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras, that of non- violence (ahimsa). Yogis believe that the fear of death permeate every cell the body of an animal when it is slaughtered, and therefore, the traditional yogic diet is lacto-vegetarian and avoids eggs as well as all animal flesh (including fish!). Indeed modern research has shown that vegetarians are generally in better health than meat eaters. Proteins that can be obtain from nuts, dairy products and legumes are generally of a better quality than meat.
Anyone who has lived for a while on a dairy farm might go as far as questioning the morality of eating dairy products when the milk is taken from a cow whose calf has been taken away and slaughtered. This is a valid point, and while milk is not inherently "injurious to the yogi", it may be that in the world we live in, only a vegan diet can really be sattvic, because of the poor treatment of the milking animal, the stress they are subjected to, and the quantity of drugs that they have to ingest (some of which undoubtingly find their way into their milk). However, I believe that dairy from farms where animals are well treated, such as organic ones, is acceptable.

Another important point to consider is how any particular diet suits an individual's particular constitution and circumstances. Ayurveda, the classic system of Indian medicine, classifies people, as well as food into three categories according to their nature. These three categories, or doshas as they are called, are Pitta (hot and oily), Vata (dry and light) and Kapha (cold and moist) and in ayurveda, the individual's diet should be tailored to the individual's constitution to keep the doshas in balance. Some foods which are recommended for a particular ayurvedic constitution may not be suitable for another; for example, while milk, a sattvic food, is generally good for Pitta constitution, it may not suit someone with a Kapha constitution. The ideal ayurvedic diet also changes depending on the time of the year. For further information, see our articles on Ayurveda, Ayurvedic diet, and Ayurvedic cooking

Finally, the issue of food combining, which has received some attention in the West in recent years, is also important, for even the right foods taken in wrong combination can cause problems. Without going into too much details, let's just say that some types of food combine well, while others, because of the difference in the digestive process they require, should not be mixed. For example, strong proteins should not be mixed with carbohydrates. To be safe, avoid mixing too many different types of food in the same meal. See "Food Combining Made Easy " by Herbert Shelton, or "The Tao of health, sex and longevity", by Daniel Reid (also offers a wealth of advice on diet and exercise) for more information on that subject.

They are many more approaches to dieting, and eating the right food, in the right amount, in the right combination, at the right time, is a difficult art, that can only be learned by experimenting to find out what works best. I hope that the recipes from our recipes section will inspire you!

Christophe Mouze
Christophe is one of the resident yoga teacher and chefs at the Clare Island Retreat Centre, Ireland



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Article Source : http://yogaholidays.net/magazine/diet.htm

Thursday, January 31, 2008

Vegetarian Holistic Foods Diet, Vedic Foods Diet



What you eat today will influence the way you think, in turn influencing the way you look, in turn influencing your future. Eat lovingly and you will be loved; eat mercilessly and the world will not be compassionate to you. Mony Singh

Vegetarianism is good though all bodies are not designed for vegetables, depending on the shape of your teeth. However, eating too much red meat—particularly cow's meat—will not only pollute you mentally but will disturb your electromagnetic energy causing diseases such as cancer, allergies, Alzheimer's, pollution of the blood, stress and depression. The cow is a spiritually elevated animal. Vedic seers had the vision to realize this. If you crave meat, stay with lower consciousness animals until your consciousness grows and you begin respecting life.

The wisdom of eating is very simple. If you are very much in touch with your heart, you will never fail to crave the right food at the right time. The ultimate goal is to satisfy the body, mind and soul. Certain foods satisfy the body but are not light enough to reach the mind; there are foods that have the potential to nourish the mind. There are, however, only two foods to my knowledge that have the potential to nourish the soul.

There are thousands of books available in the market on what to eat and how to eat. Thousands of pages and all they do is leave the reader more confused. My way is very simple. The food you eat should be as freshly cooked as possible, should smell fresh and when you look at and smell the food, your mouth should fill with water. If it does not, your body has already rejected that particular food.

The following foods will help you spiritually, mentally and physically:

Pungent foods nourish the lower charkas; aromatic foods nourish the higher charkas.
Foods for the soul are ghee(Indian clarified butter) and water energized with MANTRA.
Foods for the mind are yogurt, sugar, walnuts, green vegetables, fruits (sweet), rice (basmati) and coconut.

Foods for the body are milk, proteins, wheat, corn, barley, etc, vegetables that grow under the earth, lentils, spices and fruits (citric).

Food items you should avoid are red meat of all kinds, old chocolate (can cause leukemia), coffee (can cause high blood pressure, nervousness and arthritis), eggs (can cause ulcers and contribute to kidney and heart problems), pound cakes (cause stagnation of the digestive system—if you must eat cake, make sure it has lot of nuts and fiber), old food that has been cooked or lying in the refrigerator for more than 72 hours. Food that is very old nourishes emotional blocks from the past and is extremely detrimental to spiritual progress. Try not to mix proteins and carbohydrates (red beans and potatoes is one example). Cold drinks and sodas are also to be avoided as they rob the body of vital heat.

Always remember! Our connection with the Earth is through food. The Earth is a store house of all kinds of energies. The food we eat helps us tap the negative or positive forces from the Earth. If you are happy, you must be eating healthy. If you are sad and lifeless, change the foods you eat and the way you eat them. The choice is yours.

Please visit Ayurx.com to buy Ayurvedic Healthcare Products.


To know more about vegetarianism please Click Here
Vedic Wisdom

Article Source : http://www.vedicwisdom.com/vegetarian.php

Vedic Foods



The Recommended Diet by Ayurveda, the Science of Life

The Scientific Aspect

Vedic Foods means high octane fuels like clean water fruits, vegetables, sea vegetables, herbs and their teas, whole grains, seeds, nuts, legumes and plain white yogurt without fruit or sweeteners. Foods not okayed by Ayurveda include low octane fuels - all sugars,excess oils,alcohols, stimulants such as narcotics, tea and coffee, white breads, candies,carbonated soft drinks and sweetened fruit juices.Modern scientific research has found out the presence of "Phytochemicals" ( "phyto" is a Greek term meaning "plant derived") that are disease preventing ( cancer preventing ) substances in all fruits and vegetables. Eat a variety of coloured fruits & vegetables to get a full range of phytochemicals. One should favour the consumption of less animal protein foods or dairy.

The Solar Ingress into Capricorn and the six months following that Ingress are known as Uttarayana ( The Northern progress of the Sun, Declination North ). This time is known as Adana and we have to eat seasonal fruits like Pomegranate, Water Melon, Orange, Grapes, Tender Coconut and its water, carrot juice etc. The Solar Ingress into Cancer and six months following that are known as Visarga or Dakshinayana ( The Southern progress of the Sun, Declination South ) and we are instructed to eat bittergoud, kovai fruit, guava etc.

Acid-Alkaline Balance - Key Indicator of Health

Foods either leave an acid ash or an alkaline ash. Maximum health is in an alkaline body. The average 20th century diet, stress, pace, lifestyle & environment produce far more acid than is healthy. The human body is alkaline by design & acidic by function, which means that your body's health is dependent upon it being alkaline.The original source of stress is known as a stressor. Most of the stressors in todays' society ( cigarette smoke, alcohol, stress itself, bad diet, coffee, sodas, pharmaceuticals) all produce an acid state in the body. All cancerous states are acid states of long duration.Research indicates that 90% of our general population is far too acidic, which leads to a variety of negative health effects. Over time, being acidic is the main cause of degenerative diseases & aging. If you have an acidic body, you become energyless, exhausted physically & mentally and you lose the radiance and shine of skin & hair. Grains,sugar, dairy, animal or vegetarian protein & oils yield an acid ash while fruits, sea vegetables, quality water & herbs yield an alkaline ash You should consume 20% of your food daily, by weight from the acid ash-forming foods & 80% , from the alkaline ash-forming foods.pH ( standing for 'potential of Hydrogen' ) is a measure of the relative acidity or alkalinity of a solution. The scale of pH ranges from 1 to 14. 14 is totally alkaline and zero is acidic. The middle of this line is 7, neutral. Quality water has a Ph of 7 and you should maintain this level.

It is ideal to incorporate 2 glasses of lime juice along with the 8-12 glasses of water which is taken daily . A diet of 80% alkaline ash foods is ideal. We have to maintain this ratio - 80 % alkalinity & 20% acidity for optimum health.The effects of having an alkaline body

1) we are calm & collected
2) we have high energy level
3) our sleep patterns are deep
4) we have less colds and flus than normal
5) the immune system is fortified
6) the body has good absorption/assimilation/digestion.

One of the Ten Commandments of Hygiea ( the Greek Goddess of Health is that "Thou shalt eat pure, unprocessed, living natural food". This means we have to eat more natural foods & less processed foods ( which are more or less acidic ). Truly speaking, processed foods,even though they taste well, are robbers as they rob us of our natural, vibrant health. We are, indeed, indebted to Mother Nature for giving us these natural foods or to the Divine Blueprint who created these powerful, natural foods.


The Philosophic aspect

The Vedas averr that the Sun causeth vegetation and from vegetation cometh all food and that the earth is the storehouse of all enery. The food that we consume helps us to tap the negative or positive earth energies. Food influences the mind. We are what we eat. Our present and future are influenced by our thoughts. What you think, you become.The Vedic food perspective is multi-dimensional.Cancer, allergies, Alzheimer's disease,pollution of the blood, Stress & depression are all caused by the consumption of red meat, beef & cow meat. Not only that, it will disturb your electromagnetic energy.The Seers declared that you can stay with lower consciouness animals till your consciousness grows, if you crave meat. Man is basically a fruitarian.

The Five Scientifc Reasons behind Vegetarianism

The key to good health & happiness is Vegetarianism. The Vedic perspective, which is multidimensional includes the medical, ecological & spiritual viewpoints. These are the major reasons


I) The Ethical Law of Reason

Love in Action is Non-violence & because of this noble passion, ethically one desists from killing animals. Inflciting pain is Sin.

II) The Consequences of the Law of Karma

The Law of Cause & Effect, of Action & Reaction & the Grand Law of Causation is known as the Law of Karma.Divine Merit & Sin have been defined in transcendental literature thus.Helping others is divine merit.Inflicting pain is sin.All actions have reactions, physical & karmic.By involving in inflicting pain to others ( animals included ), one must in the future, experience an equal measure of the suffering caused.

III) Medical Reason

Fruits and vegetables are alkaline by nature and by consuming them we keep our 80-20 percent ratio of alkalinity & acidity.Vegetarian diet is easier to digest, imposes fewer toxins on the body & provides a wide range of nutrients. Vegetarians are less susceptible to major diseases ( because they are more alkaline than acidic ) and thus live longer. They have smaller medical bills, fewer physical complaints & less frequent visits to the doctor. Their immune system is stronger, bodies purer & skin more glamorous because of natural foods.

IV) The Spiritual Reason

While the Occidental perspective is to consume food which will bring out aggression & dynamism, the Oriental perspective is to consume food which will bring out the latent divinity in man.Food is the source of the body's chemistry & the subtle essence of food becomes the mind. What we ingest, affects our Consciousness, emotions and experiential patterns. One should abstain from meat, fish & eggs if one wants to live in higher states of Consciousness. By ingesting the grosser characteristics of animal foods, one introduces in to the mind lust, greed, anger, jealousy, anxiety, suspicion, fear etc all of which are locked into the flesh of the butchered animals. For these reasons, vegetarians live in higher consciousness & non-vegetarians abide in lower states of Consciousness.

More information about Transcendental Philosophy & Yoga can behad from http://www.astrologiavedica.com/html/yogamain.htm


V) The Ecological Reason

As our Mother Earth is suffering, we have to understand that Meat is the cause of the escalating loss of species, destruction of ancient rain foreststo create pasture lands for livestock, loss of topsoils and the consequent increase of water impurities and air pollution. Hence by renouncing meat, we save our Planet Earth.Here we give below foods for the tripod of Body, Mind & SelfFood for SelfGhee ( Indian Clarified Butter ) & Water energized with MantraFood For for MindFruits ( sweet ), Green Vegetables, Coconut, Yogurt, Sugar, Walnuts. Rice ( basmati)Food For BodyFruits ( citric ), Vegetables which grow under the earth, Milk, Proteins, Wheat, Corn, Barley etcLentils & SpicesFoods to be generally avoidedEggs ( Can cause ulcers, Heart & kidney problems )Coffee ( Can cause BP, Arthritis, Nervousness )Red Meat ( Can cause Cholesterol related diseases )Old Chocolate ( Can cause Leukemia )Pound Cakes ( Stagnation of digestive system)Refrigerated Food. May I finish my article with a quotation from the Philosopher-King Parikshith " The animal killer cannot relish the message of Absolute Truth " !