Food is at the center of all our pursuits, yet many of us slip into little ‘food sins’ without even realizing it.
Ahara i.e. food is the basis of life for all living beings. Food in its different forms and shapes, nourish whatever is living and thriving under this.
Food : The Double Edged Sword
Can’t live without it, can’t live with it (when taken inconsiderably)
According to Ayurveda, food must be wholesome, timely, and in harmony with the season and one’s age. When prepared with care and taken with discipline, such a meal becomes Mahābhaiṣhajya—the Greatest Medicine
Annam Vrittikranam Shreshtham-
Food is the best entity to nourish our body (Ch.Su. 25/40)
Ayurveda mentions food as the cause of health and disease both. The same food which nourishes you, can make you sick if not taken in a disciplined way.
When food is taken in the right way, it nourishes Oja. This further translates as improved resistance to diseases. But when taken without discipline, be it in excess, at the wrong time, or in unsuitable combinations, Agni gets weakened. A weakened Agni disturbs the metabolic processes. This disturbance leads to production of Ama Visha (metabolic toxins) which can further lead to lifestyle disorders like obesity, diabetes, hypertension, liver disorders etc.
What is the right amount of food for you?
Āhāra-mātrā punaḥ agnibala-apekshini I (Ch.Su.5)
“The proper quantity of food is, in fact, dependent on the strength of your Agni.”
If you have been following this page, you would have a clear idea what Agni is. To say in a few words, it is the boon of your existence. Like in the perceivable universe, fire is responsible for transformation, in our body it is Agni which transforms food into fine absorbable molecules, which eventually nourish our body.
Agni is a resilient force .You might not feel anything different about your health just after having one off-day but if continued, it adds up. Once it starts, the damage may increase exponentially!
Considering this fact, among other factors, Ayurvedic classics strongly suggest about eating in the right way. Ahara is even considered one of the basic pillars of health, along with good sleep and self-regulation.
Along with Agni, the type of food you are having also needs consideration. Like a heavy meal should be taken only up to half of your satiety while a meal which is lighter to digest, you can take up to full satiety. These simple yet profound guidelines help in keeping Agni steady and digestion effortless.
Where We Go Wrong- The “FOOD SINS”
Despite this wisdom, daily life often pulls us away from mindful eating. Out of habit, convenience, or temptation, we unknowingly commit food sins. These may look harmless at first, but when repeated, they set the stage for long-term health issues.
Let’s see the three most common ones:
1. Adhyashana
Adhya = over/on top of, Ashana = eating
Ayurveda cautions:
“Ajīrṇādhyāśanam grahaṇiduṣaṇānam”
Eating in a state of indigestion is the prime cause of digestive disorders. (Ch.Su.25)
How we commit Adhayashana in daily life…
- Snacking every hour without true hunger.
- Eating lunch quickly after a heavy breakfast.
- Piling desserts or fried food right after a full meal.
Why it hurts: It overloads Agni, leading to fermentation, bloating, acidity, and eventual formation of Ama (undigested metabolic waste).
Do this instead:
Allow at least 3–4 hours between meals. Eat again only when you feel lightness and genuine hunger.
2. Vishamashana
Vishama = irregular, imbalanced
“Viṣamāśanam agnivaishamyakaraṇam”
Irregular eating causes imbalance of Agni. (Ch.Su. 25)
We commit Vishamashana nowadays by…
- Skipping breakfast, then overeating at lunch.
- Eating at unpredictable hours due to work.
- Weekend bingeing after strict weekday diets or just because you have had a rough week.
Why it hurts: Irregularity disbalances Agni, weakens digestion, and contributes to acidity, obesity, and nutritional deficiencies.
Do this instead:
Keep fixed meal timings, even on weekends. If delayed, have a small fruit or light soup instead of a heavy compensatory meal. However, avoid taking fruits after sunset.
3. Samashana
Sama = together
This refers to consuming wholesome and unwholesome foods together, or combining two good foods that are mutually incompatible.
Modern habits show Samashana in the way you might take…..
- Cola or fries with a salad.
- Milkshakes or desserts immediately after a heavy meal.
- Combining fish with dairy, or fruit with milk.
Why it hurts: Such combinations disturb Agni, leading to incomplete digestion, bloating, heaviness, and Ama buildup.
Do this instead:
Keep meals simple and harmonious. Do not mix food groups which are not compatible, like taking fruit with milk or eggs.
Are you guilty of these instead?
So we have covered the major food sins viz. Adhyashana (overeating), Vishamashana (irregular eating), and Samashana (eating incompatible foods). Yet, there are a few other mistakes we commonly make in our day-to-day life:
1. Eating while watching TV or talking
This is age-old advice but still highly relevant. When you multitask while eating, your mind is engaged in two activities like watching/talking and eating. This reduces mindful awareness of food intake and often leads to overeating. In some rare cases, it can even increase the risk of choking. Eating with full attention allows your body to recognize satiety signals properly.
2. Eating too slow or too fast
Not just what and when you eat, but also how you eat matters. Eating too quickly can cause aerophagia (swallowing excess air), leading to bloating and indigestion. It also prevents proper chewing, which is the first step of digestion. On the other hand, eating extremely slowly may delay satiety cues, sometimes leading to overeating. Ideally, chew well, but maintain a natural rhythm, neither rushed, nor prolonged.
3. Drinking water/fluids immediately after a meal
Many people wash down their food with a big glass of water, milk, or lassi right after meals. This can dilute gastric juices and slow digestion. Ayurveda especially advises against it. Instead, you may sip small amounts of water during the meal (without gulping), and if needed, take lukewarm water about 30–45 minutes post-meal to support digestion and nutrient absorption.
4. Not adapting to seasonal guidelines
Ayurvedic guidelines strongly recommend lifestyle and dietary adaptations as per seasons. With every season, your body undergoes subtle shifts—like dryness in winter, heat in summer, dampness in monsoon. To stay balanced, food and lifestyle need to adjust too. Ignoring this leads to seasonal disorders like colds, flus, indigestion, or skin issues.
Since, winters are just around the corner, you can check recommendations for slaying this winter (and hopefully beyond).
5. Taking too much of cold and fat-free food
This is a modern food fad mistake.
Fat-free obsession: Ayurveda never supports removing fats completely. (here’s why) In fact, Sneha (good fats like ghee, oils, nuts) are essential for digestion, nutrient absorption, joint health, and even mental balance. Modern science is slowly catching up to this idea.
Cold/stale food: Cooking in bulk and reheating (or eating straight from the fridge) makes food lose its vitality (prāṇa) and burdens digestion. Ayurveda always praises freshly cooked, warm meals. Warm meals not only taste better, but it also gets digested and passes down your gut easier. Too much intake of raw foods like salads and smoothies are also not recommended as they can be extra work for your gut.
Moderation is the mother of all balance.
A Gentle Reminder
These “food sins” may look harmless in the moment. But when repeated, they slowly chip away at Agni and disturb the body’s natural balance.
Given our hectic lifestyle, it is not easy to do it perfectly everyday. But, you can atleast be aware and make deliberate changes in your diet.
“Every meal is an opportunity. Eat with discipline, and your food becomes your medicine. Eat with negligence, and the same food becomes your burden.”
