Forbidden Food According to Bhagavad Gita 17:8-10

We are accustomed to the idea that the chemical makeup of food affects our bodies, that proteins, fats, carbohydrates, fiber, and vitamins are all absorbed and used by the tissues for maintenance, growth, and repair. Food has other properties as well, properties that affect us at a deeper level. Does the origin of what we eat, how it is grown, processed, prepared, and eaten affect our mind and consciousness as well as our body? The sages would answer, “Of course!”

According to the Hindu sages and rishies, who were in every way scientists, performed numerous experiments on themselves with a variety of foods, painstakingly documenting the results. What they discovered is that food is an embodiment of the life force; it affects us on all levels—physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual.

In the modern world today, we tend to think of food as fuel, ignoring its subtler effects. We know enough to say, “You are what you eat,” recognizing that our bodies are affected by our diet, but we never dream that there is a more profound interpretation of that saying—that we are, we assimilate at a deep level, the sum of the characteristics of the food we eat. In addition to absorbing the physical components such as calories, protein, and carbohydrates, we also assimilate the attitudes with which food has been grown, harvested, processed, and sold. Thus food has the potential to feed or starve our very souls.

Bhagavad Gita 17:10: "That which is stale, tasteless, putrid, rotten and impure refuse, is the food liked by the Tamasic."

Foods in the mode of ignorance or darkness are essentially those that are not fresh. Any food cooked more than three hours before it is eaten (except prasadam, food offered to the Lord) is considered to be in the mode of darkness. Because they are decomposing, such foods give a bad odor, which often attracts people in this mode but repulses those in the mode of goodness.

These food are said to have sedative effect on the mind and body. According to yoga, these foods are to be avoided as they can cause mental dullness and physical numbness:

Tamasic Foods
1. Beef
2. Pork
3. Mutton and lamb
4. Mushroom
5. Alcohol
6. Onion
7. Garlic
8. Food cooked more than three hours before it is eaten
9. Meat of any animal like chicken, rabbit, turkey, venison
10. Fish
11. Fertilised egg (all parts)
12. Durian
13. Blue cheese
14. Drugs like opium, etc
15. Any food that has been kept overnight.
16. Fast food (including sattwic food)
17. Fried food (contains saturated fats)
18. Frozen food (includes instant chappati, parata and ice-cream)
19. Microwaved food
20. Lard
21. Leeks
22. Margarine
23. Milk (homogenized, pasteurized, powdered)
24. Pop corn
25. Black radish
26. Shallots
27. shellfish
28. Soy beans
29. Even sattwic and rajasic foods become tamasic if they are not eaten fresh.
29a. Overeating any food, including sattwic food.

Note: Onions, garlic, mushrooms (or any fungi for that matter), alcohol and processed food are a big no, since these are known to have harmful effects on the body.

Research shows that foods derived from animal flesh are harmful to humans. This is not just because flesh foods often contain high levels of cholesterol, although this is a part of the problem. Another part is that the animals have been fed hormones and antibiotics that remain in the meat and are transmitted to those who eat it. But the real problem, according to the ancients, is that the flesh of conscious beings carries within it the memory and the emotion of the kind of life they have led, and that by eating it we transfer these same tendencies (samskaras in yogic parlance) to ourselves.

This hypothesis bears closer examination. The direct effect of food on consciousness is not easily observed, especially if we are living a hectic life, full of sensory stimulation. But the yogis insist that it has a cumulative effect, whether or not we can observe it. The effect is greater if the food carries an intense consciousness, as does the flesh of animals. Let’s take as an example cattle that are raised and slaughtered for profit. These cattle are bred, pastured, and later fattened in feedlots, so they have come to depend on humans. Their instinct for self-protection has been weakened by their trust in their caretakers. When they find themselves at the door of the slaughterhouse their survival instinct tells them they are going to be killed by the same beings they have come to look to for food and protection—they go to their deaths bewildered, angry, frightened, and desperate. These powerful negative emotions release a strong chemical into the bloodstream that permeates their flesh. It follows that those who habitually eat this flesh are taking within themselves the samskara of mistrust, anger, fear, and desperation.

The samskaras of non-flesh foods are not nearly as strong. The consciousness in fruits, vegetables, and grains is not so highly developed as the consciousness in animals. According to the yogis, the only way to contaminate plant food with strong negative samskaras is for it to be grown and harvested by people who are themselves extremely negative. Even then, the samskara will be weak because the consciousness of a carrot, for example, is itself quite weak.

Bhagavad Gita 17:9: "The foods that are bitter, sour, saline, excessively hot, dry, pungent and burning, are liked by the Rajasic and are productive of pain, grief and disease."

Rajasic foods are those that have a stimulating effect on the mind and body. These foods lead to aggressiveness and irritability. For instance, the meat of hens, birds, fishes etc fall under this.

Rajasic Foods 
1. Caffeinated drinks like coffee, tea (both black and green), cola drinks, and energy drinks
2. Brown or black chocolate
3. Paan
4. Ginkgo biloba
5. Overly spicy food
6. Salty food like Olay, crackers, etc. (even if they are vegetarian)
7. Unfertilised egg
8. Any canned
9. Sweetened fruit
10. All fermented food
11. All bottled fruit juices
12. Avocado
13. Beans (garbanzo, kidney)
14. Black pepper corn
15. Brewer’s yeast
16. Buttermilk (not freshly made)
17. Cabbage (raw)
18. Cacao
19. Cheese (hard, cottage)
20. Chili
21. Dates (dried)
22. Eggplant
23. Guava
24. Grapefruit (sour)
25. Lemon
26. Lentils (red)
27. Lime
28. Malt syrup
29. Mango (unripe)
30. Molasses
31. Olives
32. Peanut oil (contains Saturated oil)
33. Peanuts (salty)
34. Peppers
35. Pickles
37. Peas (green dried)
38. Pine apple (sour)
39. Pistachios (salted)
40. Potatoes
41. Radish
42. Red beets
43. Rhubarb
44. Rice bran syrup
45. Salt (all kinds)
46. Sour cream
47. Sugar (white, brown, date, fructose, jaggery)
48. Sugar cane juice
49. Tomatoes
50. Vinegar
51. Yogurt (not freshly made).
52. Sattvic food can be turned into rajasic when eaten too hot, too cold, or too spicy.

Note: According to Ayurveda, we need just a small amount of Rajasic foods to stimulate creativity and outward motion.

Bhagavad Gita 17:8: "Foods which increase life, purity, strength, health,joy and cheerfulness, which are oleaginous and savoury, substantial and agreeable, are dear to the Sattwic people."

Rishies and sages tell us that grain has a greater power to absorb and transmit samskaras. Grain is seed. In addition to containing carbohydrates, protein, and oil, it has the ability to sprout and grow. Grain gathers samskaras more efficiently than do fruits and root vegetables, for example, and for this reason the yoga texts advise those who undertake the higher spiritual practices to increase the portions of wild grains, fruits, and vegetables in their diet, and reduce the amount of cultivated grain. In fact, according to the scriptures, wild grains and fruits are permitted during practices that require fasting. The samskaras of grain that has not been cultivated, as well as the samskaras of fruits and roots, are neutral; they will not affect the consciousness of the practitioner in any active way.

Let’s take this link between food and consciousness one step further. In the wild, animals kill other animals for food—for survival. We humans kill domesticated animals for profit. And increasingly, family farms that were once the major source of our fruits, grains, and vegetables are giving way to giant food conglomerates where the only concern is for the bottom line. Thus, the consciousness we are absorbing when we eat mass-produced food is profit-oriented and business-oriented. If we are indeed affected by the samskaras of the food we eat, a steady diet of mass-produced food will eventually cause us to develop a convoluted relationship toward others—a customer/merchant relationship based on selfishness, greed, and the desire for gain.

Sattwik food includes natural, fresh, locally harvested food such as fruit, vegetables, herbs, whole grains, nuts and seeds, natural oils and dairy products obtained from humanely treated cows. Sattwik food is abundant in Prana (Universal Life-force). Prana is energy that gives life. It is the binding agent of the Universe and all its elements.

Sattwik food nourishes the mind, body and the soul; boosts physical and mental health, increases longevity and transfers positive vibrations/energy from the Earth.

Sattwik food is a lacto-vegetarian diet that is the purest type of food. The perfect Sattwik diet constitutes of food that is taken while being in harmony with nature that is grown in mineral-rich soil from the plant that has been exposed to abundant sunlight, fresh air and clear water.

Any food that is obtained through violence over other living beings is not considered to be Sattwik. This is why meat and eggs are excluded. The food must be fresh and natural, this means foods that have been subjected to the use of pesticides, preservatives and frozen food are not classified as Sattwik food.

Sattwic food is that which leads to clarity of mind and physical health. This category of foods is to be consumed on a regular basis. Fruit, vegetables, nuts, milk and dairy products, raw honey come under this category.

Sattwik diet has six distinct types of taste that is included in every meal, namely, sweet, salty, sour, spice, bitter & astringent. Each of these flavours has a specific role to play in regard to achieving  absolute balance between the mind, body and soul. Sattwik food also provides ample amounts of nutrition that the body requires to function properly.

The six flavours of the Sattwik Diet:
Sweet: Contrary to the popular belief that sweet food are desserts, chocolates or marshmallows, according to Ayurveda, sweetness is associated with honey, milk, butter, oils, sweet potatoes, grains and ripe fruits like bananas, papayas, etc. These kinds of food are rich in proteins, carbohydrates and healthy fat.

Sour: Foods that can be associated with sour tastes are fresh yogurt, cheese, sour cream, vinegar, tomato, tamarind and citrus fruit, including oranges, grapes, berries, peaches, plums, etc. When consumed in moderate quantities, this food stimulates appetite, digestion, and elimination.

Salty: The third taste, salty can be found in black olives, or food that contains sea salt, Himalayan salt or rock salt.  Salt enhances taste, stimulates digestion, helps electrolyte balance, cleanses tissues, and increases absorption of minerals.

Bitter: The fourth taste is bitter and is often found in leafy greens, turmeric, and herbal teas. It is great for detoxification of impurities from the body and is also rich in vitamins, minerals and nutrients. These also act a coolants.

Pungent: This flavour is the hottest of all the taste types, and can be found in spices, hot peppers, and ginger. It helps in digestion, improves appetite, clears sinuses, stimulates blood circulation, and heightens the senses.

Astringent: This is less of a taste, more of a saliva provoking tannins you get when you consume food like an unripe banana, green tea, spinach, coriander, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, artichoke, celery, sprouts, turnip and very fresh green beans. Astringent food helps to cool and dry the system – hence that dryness in the mouth when you eat them.

Sattwic Foods
1. Alfalfa sprouts
2. Almonds
3. Amaranth
4. Anise
5. Apple
6. Apricot
7. Artichoke
8. Arugula
9. Asparagus
10. Banana (ripe)
11. Barley
12. Basmati rice
13. Beans (azuki, black, broad, fava, green, lima, mung, navy, pinto, tepary),
14. Bean sprouts (all)
15. Bee pollen
16. Berberies
17. Blackberries
18. Blueberries
19. Broccoli
20. Brussels sprouts
21. Buckwheat
22. Butter
23. Buttermilk (fresh)
24. Cabbage (cooked)
25. Cantaloupe
26. Cardamom
27. Carob
28. Carrots
29. Cauliflower
30. Celery
31. Chard
32. Cheese (freshly made)
33. Cherry
34. Coconut
35. Collards
36. Corn (fresh)
37. Cornmeal
38. Cranberries
39. Cream (sweet)
40. Cucumber
41. Currant
42. Dates (fresh)
43. Fennel
44. Figs (fresh and dried)
45. Fruit juices (freshly made)
46. Ghee (clarified butter)
47. Grapefruit (sweet)
48. Grapes
49. Honey (raw unheated)
50. Honeydew melon
51. Kale
52. Kohlrabi
53. Lentils (black, tan)
54. Lettuce
55. Licorice
56. Mango (ripe)
57. Maple syrup
58. Mother’s milk
59. Milk (fresh, raw, pure): obtained from humanely treated cows. (See the note below this list)
60. Millet
61. Mung dahl
62. Mustard greens
63. Nectarines
64. Nuts (Brazil, cashew, chestnuts, macadamia, peanuts, pine, pecans, walnuts)
65. Oats
66. Oranges (sweet)
67. Okra
68. Papaya
69. Paneer (Indian cheese)
70. Parsley
71. Parsnip
72. Peaches
73. Peas (black eye, green)
74. Persimmon
75. Pineapple (sweet)
76. Plum
77. Pomegranate
78. Prunes
79. Pumpkin
80. Quinoa
81. Raisins
82. Raspberries
83. Rice
84. Rose hips
85. Rutabaga
86. Sesame seeds
87. Saffron
88. Sorghum
89. Soy lecithin
90. Spinach
91. Strawberries
92. Sugar cane (raw)
93. Summer squash
94. Sunflower seeds
95. Sweet potatoes
96. Tangerines (sweet)
97. Turnip
98. Watercress
100. Watermelon
101. Wheat
102. Wild rice
103. Winter squash
104. Yams
105. Yogurt (fresh)
106. Zucchini.

Note: When it comes to dairy products, only those that come from happy cows can be consumed. This would mean that the cows had been allowed to freely graze in open fields and have had access to fresh air and sunlight, and their calves were allowed to sustain on their mothers' milk, and the male calves were not sent off to become veal.

We know that food plays a great part in human life. The human being is obsessed with food, so much so that it seems that one is born only for eating. Taste has become predominant instead of nutrition in the formation of our dietary habits. Artificial foods are increasing daily. We have lost the sense of food value, and we eat foods that are unhealthy. Food that is not fresh or nutritious, that is leftover and full of spices or grease is unhealthy. Overeating and eating un-fresh food and food that is full of fat and spices create many diseases. The mind and body are inseparable; if proper food is not supplied to the body, the mind is affected. Such Tamasic food makes the mind dull, passive, and inert. On the other hand, Rajasic food agitates the mind and creates hypertension; it is also unhealthy for the liver and hard on the kidneys. Rajasic food satisfies the senses, but it is not healthy physically or mentally. Neither is it healthy for those who want to tread the path of spirituality. Aspirants are advised that well-selected and well-prepared vegetarian food is healthier than a meat diet.

That food which does not cause inertia and heaviness and does not make one restless, lazy, or sleepy is called Sattwic food. Those who eat Sattwic food remain calm, quiet, and serene; those who eat Rajasic food become agitated, angry, and worried; those who eat impure food and drink liquor are Tamasic. Those who eat heavy food full of fat and who drink alcohol excessively suffer both physically and mentally.

Food plays an important role in thought, speech, and action: it has profound effects on all aspects of human behavior. Diet and environment are two important factors that play a great role in sadhana. A calm, quiet, and serene atmosphere and a simple, fresh, and nutritious diet are essential requisites for the sadhaka.

Sources: https://yogainternational.com/article/view/food-for-the-wise
https://blog.tutc.com/satvik-food-kumbh-yogis-diet/