Mustard Seeds, Pink and Black Salts, Fructose, Dates, and other Ingredients for Sugar Metabolism

These are some of the questions that arise for me from the Fat & Sugar Metabolism workshop

Fat Metabolism:

1. Spices – do mustard seeds & asafoetida help due to their pungent vipaka? 

Vaidya responds: Mustard seed is very pitta provoking – it will make pitta go very high very fast. If your pachak pitta in the stomach is high, and kledak kapha is low, it can thus create problems for the stomach and the liver. Asafoetida is good for enhancing pachak pitta and pachak agni, but as per my experience over the past several years, and having grown up using and identifying real Asafoetida, I can tell you in all confidence that the Asafoetida available on the market is not authentic. It is either completely synthetic, or an adulterated version of actual Asafoetida. I recommend you best try to avoid Asafoetida.

2. Salt – is Himalayan salt ok? Is fine better than coarse? Is Black salt (pink) ok?

Vaidya responds: As per my research, pink Himalayan salt – most of the time – contains unwanted residues of heavy metals, sulphur, and other impurities. It is quasi impossible to extract the sulphur and heavy metals from the pink crystals. That’s why, in my father’s practice, he used to favor only the white crystals, from the same Himalayan region. We used to further clean the white crystals with herbals decoctions to flush out any unwanted residues. This is the salt I use. This is the salt we call Soma Salt. We call it Soma Salt because it contains calcium salts, and of course it has some sulphur content, but in its overall molecular constitution it is more cooling and soothing rather than heating and sharp. Soma Salt is also clean and free of any heavy metals. I would not recommend using Black Salt as it is very highly pitta provoking. It is ok to use once in a blue moon. It is ok to occasionally add a pinch in your salad or yoghurt, but I do not recommended for regular daily use. In a nutshell: whenever one is experincing glucose and fat metabolism problems, it inevitably means that the liver and pancreas are disgruntled. Because of this, you have to try and avoid anything heating for the pancreas. Black salt heats up the pancreas and liver. In some cases, some constitutions, people need this effect of the Black salt. But the problem arises when such ingredients become staple regular use ingredients. In fat and sugar metabolism problems, the liver is already hot and compromised, so try to avoid anything extremely heating on daily basis. That’s the SVA logic.

3. Fats – with all the hype about coconut oil being a good fat for reducing weight, what is the SVA take on this? I know it is a relatively cold and heavy fat, which needs good agni – does that mean it is not good for fat metabolism? Why then is Functional Medicine raving about it? Are they misguided?

Vaidya responds: have written at length about this topic, kindly check my blog entries at the link below:

https://www.svayurveda.com/?s=coconut+oil

4. Grains – are buckwheat and besan as flours good? (due to their dry guna?)

 5. Should grain be eaten whole rather than as a flour? I have been told flours are very sticky so harder to digest. Even mung flour is not advised.

Vaidya responds: It depends. Everything whole is not always good. But sometimes with good samyog (combination) and samskar (preparation), you can make these flours more easy to digest and thus absorb. For example, mix 50% mung flour and 50% besan flour to make a dough with hot water. Add some turmeric (no more than ½ tsp) and a little bit of fresh shredded ginger (1 tsp) and a pinch of cumin, and Soma Salt to taste. Make a dough and then roll out to bake or toast on the iron skillet – roties. This will give you very easy to digest and flavorful rotis. Another delicious way of consuming this is also to break the flatbread into small pieces and add to your lassi or butter milk (made in the proportions of 80water/20yoghurt). This is a delicious combination that also helps with weight reduction. Best of all this is a great recipe to consume the flour and the yoghurt with least possible chance of making ama.

6. Sweeteners – fructose (apples, pears, berries are ok). What about papayas, pomegrenates?

Vaidya responds: Papaya has a high GI. So does pomegrenate. If blood sugar levels are a concern, it’s best to avoid these fruits.

7. Grains – organic whole wheat – does it not have a sweet vipaka? What about gluten? What is the SVA stand on gluten?

Vaidya responds: In Sanskrit wheat is called “godhum.” It’s an ancient grain. Generations upon generations of human beings have been sustained by it and have thrived on it. Sadly, in our modern age, corporate greed has led to hybridization, genetic modifications, and the use of deadly pesticides, adulterating the original satwic and nourishing nature of this grain. In addition, nowadays we prepare our breads using preservatives to extend shelf life, we add yeast, or even synthetic yeast, along with rancid or industrially processed oils, lab made salt, or in general contradictory ingredients.  All these things, independently or taken together, give indigestion or at the very least slow down indigestion to the point that wheat is now seen as the culprit!

While this whole problem of gluten intolerance actually comes from all these undesirable added ingredients and forced processing method.  Our bodies need and thrive on intelligent gluten. It’s a wonderful source of plant protein and other nutrients. If you are totally allergic to gluten from childhood, then that’s another story, then you should not have wheat for sure. But if you have gained gluten intolerance at a later stages of life, it means the problem does not originate in your body, but rather in the wheat you have been consuming. The cause resides in the pollution of generic wheat. So my SVA stand is to try to get our hands on the generic wheat berries, nice organic ones, and grind them yourself, and make your own flour. So although wheat has a sweet vipak as you indicate, you can mix it with 50% kala chana besan, add some turmeric powder, cumin seeds, make a dough and consume your wheat that way. This bread preparation will have a lower glycemic index. You cannot starve yourself! You need nutrition. With the proper samyog and samskar, you can still eat wheat, with kala chena besan. When you mix in with the chana besan, you are lowering the glycemic index by at least 50%, then making it further easy to digest by adding the spices etc.

 8. Lentils – kala chana (whole) & chana (split), the same effect?? Kala chana harder to digest?

Vaidya responds: Yes kala chana is harder to digest so it’s best to avoid it. For the split chana dahl, it’s good if you soak it overnight and then rinse the next morning and cook with a stick or two of Cinnamon. At the end, saute your soup with Garcinia Masala (Vata, Pitta, or Kapha). Add Soma Salt, cumin seeds. Both whole kala chana and split chana dahl carry the same nutritional properties, but having it in the split format makes it easier to digest, and that is always our number one goal with any meal we consume.

 9. Sweeteners – fructose?? Did Vaidya expand on this? HCFS is bad, fruit is good ?

Vaidya responds: Fructose is great to use in lieu of any/all other sweeteners – in moderation, depending on your blood sugar levels. Fructose has the lowest GI and is a natural sweetener that does not confuse the brain/body connection as I explained with regards to Stevia above. HCFS is definitely to be avoided because of the presence of corn and the processing it involves. However, fruits with low GI – such as kiwi, all the berries, are great to use, including apples and pears occasionally.

G.I:

10. Dates – are these ok if mixed with ghee, besan flour, nuts, spices (cardamom etc) ? A date square has been my breakfast for years (but I don’t have a blood sugar problem).

 It keeps me going with a cup of Raja’s Cup, until lunch time.

Vaidya responds: If you don’t have blood sugar problems and the date squares are not bothering you, this is a great recipe for you, it will sustain you. You may want to try my Vaidya’ Cup, for added early morning bliss!

Recipes:

11. Tamarind – is this ok for people with stiff gouty joints ? Sour vipak would be contraindicated, I would think?

Vaidya responds: First off, you have to make sure you are not buying tamarind that is prepackaged and sold in containers. Buy only fresh sweet thai tamarind that comes in the pods. This kind of tamarind does not have a sour but rather it has a madhur vipak. This tamarind is good to use safely in all your cooking. Tamarind is great for supporting digestion and metabolism. To give it a little sour twist, you can add some fresh lime juice. Never cook your lime juice, add it at the end once your preparation has cooled off enough. You can make a nice chutney with this tamarind or add to your cooking ingredients.

12. Berries and nuts – is it ok to mix fruits with other foods? especially nuts/seeds which are heavy to digest?

Vaidya responds: If one is experiencing an imbalance in their digestive system, then certainly they should not mix berries and nuts. Berries are fruits, fruits carry more soma and are heavier. Nuts are fatty foods, so they are heavier. Together they need more digestive agni to be broken down. So if your agni is sharp, you can mix them and eat them, no problem. To be safe, and have your berries and nuts and still enjoy them, blend them! Make a chutney, by adding a small chunk of ginger, some black peppercorns, a dash of olive oil, Soma Salt, some water. Blend to a creamy texture and eat with your meals or alone. This will be smoother on your digestive system; it is very nourishing and has a low glycemic index.

13. Garcinia Cambogia – is this kokum? Then what is goraka? Same family? Is goraka just as good kokum for protein & fat metabolism?

Vaidya responds: Both are from the Garcinia family. But there are several kinds of Garcinia. I prefer to use only the flours of the kokum for many reasons. After dehydrating it for preservation, it does not attract moisture, so this keeps it from oxidation and microbes. In addition, after cooking it, it does not give an overwhelming citrus sour taste, which is heating and inflammatory. The white kokum flowers are not heating and therefore do not cause pitta induced inflammatory imbalances. That’s why I favor the kokum flour in all my Garcinia products. I use only dried kokum flowers.

 14. Do the tips/protocol Vaidya gave for weight loss work even when there is a hormonal imbalance/pcos related weight issue?

Vaidya responds: This whole protocol of fat metabolism is intended for those who, in general, have a slow and low fat metabolic system. If there are any specific hormonal imbalances or any disease associated with the low fat metabolism, this protocol may not help. You always need to identify the root cause of your problem. If you slow fat metabolism is caused by a medical condition then nothing will really help until and unless that medical condition is corrected. Always check with your medical doctor before embarking on any diet or changes in your lifestyle and food intake if you have any issues to address.

 15. Vaidya said NO WATERMELON -> high GI. Did he say no to beetroot as well…I could not hear properly.

Vaidya responds: Beetroots also have a relatively high GI and should not be consumed or consumed only in moderation, specially in cases of blood sugar imbalances.

Thank you.

Regards

Gita

Melbourne – Australia