Best Pre-Yoga and Post-Yoga Foods

In yoga, food is really very important. Best Pre-Yoga If you are new to yoga or an advanced-level practitioner, then you must be aware of the role of the right kind of food and diet in yoga. The ancient holistic practices like yoga and Ayurveda also emphasize a lot on Ahar, or food. Every yogi follows a diet that is sattvic in nature and also customized as per their individual nutritional needs.

If you have just started or are already practicing yoga, then it becomes really very important to pick the correct diet for you, for yourself. Eating too much before your yoga can make you lazy, and not eating healthy can make you feel weak! Thus, choosing your pre- and post-yoga diet is the biggest responsibility for a yogi. It can be a tough task to plan the correct pre- and post-yoga diet every day for a beginner! So, we are here with some amazing suggestions that can help you to plan your pre- and post-yoga diet!!

Types of foods in Yogic Disciplines

The yogic discipline classifies food into three basic categories according to the “Gunas”. They are called Sattva Guna, Rajas , and Tamas Gunas!!

1- Rajasic:

The foods that increase the Rajasic principle in a person through an excess of stimulants are considered Rajasic foods. These foods include highly spicy meals and dishes, fried foods, coffee, tea, and other caffeinated beverages, junk food, and fast food. The Rajasic diet is allowed only in minimal amounts in yoga, while serious yogis totally avoid such kinds of food, since they lead to imbalance and agitation of the mind.

2- Tamasic:

Tamasic diet is also known as “dead food”, which includes stale, frozen, or non-vegetarian meals, processed foods, junk or canned foods, highly sweetened meals, undercooked or old foods taken from the fridge. All these foods make the human body and mind numb, ineffective, and indifferent. Tamasic food can lower your energy and make you feel dull, which is why it is prohibited in yoga! People who practice yoga have to totally eliminate tamasic food from their diet in order not to harm themselves.

3- Sattvic:

Sattvic diet is the most beneficial for a human being, and it is the favorite one among yogis. A sattvic diet consists of natural foods, non-salty products, and slightly seasoned meals. It includes legumes, fresh fruits and vegetables, natural juices, and other healthy foods. A sattvic diet helps to purify the body and enhance the balance and activity of the mind and spirit. All these essential qualities are gained from a sattvic diet, which makes it the key one for practitioners of Pre-yoga.

Best Food to Eat Before a Yoga Session

So, now you might be aware of the virtues of the sattvic diet. Thus, your pre-yoga meals should be sattvic to prepare you for your yoga time! 

Tip: Eating Light is always Right before yoga!!

The food that one eats before yoga needs to be light but full of energy, carbohydrates, and fiber. Always keep a gap of 3 hours between eating and yoga! This is because when we eat, it is the body’s energy that is consumed in the digestion process. Hence, if one eats just before yoga, one stands a greater chance of being inactive due to a lack of energy. However, when one snacks rather than eating big meals before Pre-yoga, one feels energetic and fit since digestion takes a relatively short time compared to when one eats full meals. Hence, the tip for healthy and right food before Pre-yoga includes the following:

• Eating Light and healthy

• Eating Sattvic Food

• Snacking over Big Meals

• Eating at least an hour before your yoga session

1.Ginger Lemon Honey

In case one has to do yoga early in the morning, it is important to avoid overeating. One can take a glass of warm water with some ginger and honey and a squeeze of half a lemon. This will certainly clear one’s system as well as refresh one from within. This will also play a big role in sensitizing the senses and providing an immediate soothing effect to begin the day’s yoga session.

2. Green Bowls

One can also consider taking a green salad as a good breakfast before yoga. The fresh vegetables and fruits can fill the empty space in one’s stomach without causing one to feel sluggish after eating. Therefore, taking a green salad bowl as a morning snack before yoga is helpful since it enables one to feel energetic and active during the yoga practice.

3. Bananas

Bananas are full of energy. Hence, one may consider them as an option for food before yoga. The fruit will make one feel full and give him or her enough energy to perform Pre-yoga. One will also get the required carbohydrates in preparation for a Yogic session.

4. Dates and almonds

Dried fruits are always a good source of nutrients and energy. One can have dates and almonds as a snack before yoga. Some of the best almond and date delicacies include cookies and bites, among others. Therefore, having a healthy snack made of almonds and dates before Pre-yoga is a good way to start the day’s yoga session.

Read More: Science-backed benefits of 10 Minutes of daily meditation

Best Post-Yoga Food Option

You will feel hungry after your yoga session, which is quite normal. But along with food, also have enough water to rehydrate yourself! Here are healthy meal options for you post-yoga!

• Drinks like water can be your first option to drink and rehydrate yourself after your yoga sessions!

• Coconut water can also help you, as it has the electrolytes that can hydrate you well and give you instant energy!

• Fresh fruit juices are also a good option to keep yourself energized. The natural sugars in the juice give you the much-needed energy post-exercise, especially post-yoga!

• Soups can be a great way to have a meal after your yoga sessions. Carrot soup, spinach soup, corn soup, and other mildly spiced soups can be great to refresh your body, mind, and soul after a grueling yoga session. Just make sure they are not store-bought, since Pre-yoga keeps you close to nature, so do your meals!

• If you practice Pre-yoga early in the day, say during lunch or dinner, then you can have sattvic meals like chapatis, fresh vegetables, dal, and rice for a hearty meal. This will keep you satiated for a long time post-practice!

• Oatsmeal, smoothies, and shakes can also be had to re-nourish your body after a tiring yoga session!

Final Word

The kind of food that you eat plays an important role in your yogic as well as spiritual practice. A sattvic diet is encouraged to lead a healthy yogic lifestyle because it keeps you pure and refreshed throughout the day. Be it pre- or post-yoga snacks and meals, there is always a need for sattvic, healthy, and pure food items in a yogi’s diet. Keep your pre-meals light and post-meals wholesome! Not only does food affect your physical body, as per the yogic texts, it also influences the way you think and feel! So eat healthy and stay fit and fresh for your daily yoga sessions!