An Ayurvedic health coach shares 5 foods to eat on an empty stomach for weight loss

Health is wealth, and it is better to care for it when you are healthy rather than waiting to cure it when diseased. In simple words: prevention is much better than cure. In Ayurveda, the first rule of disease care is thinning of the body and removing toxins from the gut, colon and liver. Weight gain, constipation, and water retention usually leads to the accumulation of toxins.

You battle all these by eating the right diet and shedding some weight. Here are some Ayurvedic superfoods that you can eat on an empty stomach to aid weight loss and help regain good health.

1. Warm water with lemon or ghee
The first recipe to be consumed empty stomach is 200 ml of plain warm water or with some lemon squeezed in it to improve peristalsis i.e. downward movement of waste and food. If you are a lean body type (vata / ectomorph) or medium body type (pitta/mesomorph), you can also have warm water with 1 tsp ghee to lubricate the digestive tract and eliminate constipation issues.

2. Digestive teas
Make a warm concoction of a herbal spiced tea to consume in the morning. You can boil 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp fennel seeds, 1 tsp coriander seeds, 1 cardamom, and a pinch of carrom seeds in 500 ml water. Boil and simmer, until it reduces to half its original amount, and drink on an empty stomach to reduce bloating and indigestion issues.

3. Metabolism tea
Give your metabolism a quick pick-me-up with a concoction of cinnamon, cardamom, clove, grated ginger, pepper, star anise, and turmeric boiled in water. Squeeze some lemon and add coconut sugar for taste. This tea dramatically improves body heat and metabolism, thus aiding weight loss

Also Read

Macronutrients vs Micronutrients: Know the difference and how to balance them in your diet Read Now

4. Celery juice
In Ayurveda, we recommend eating raw fruits and having cooked or steamed vegetables to avoid stressing the gut with parasites and bacteria. Completely avoid drinking smoothies that mix fruits, vegetables, milk, yoghurt, and other such unhealthy combinations that cause accumulation of ama or toxins in the body. Instead, you can have the juice of celery with little pink salt and coconut oil to reduce inflammation in the body and thus lose some kilos.

5. Raw fruits
After having the herbal teas, have a bowl of raw fruits that are astringent in nature like green apple, red apple, cranberries, blueberries, cherries, strawberries, pineapple, blackberry, Indian gooseberry (Amla), semi-ripe banana, and pomegranate. These fruits reduce water retention in the body and tighten the tissues and collagen in your skin. This aids in weight loss. Avoid having sweet juicy fruits like pumpkins, melons, cantaloupe and others.

Wait for your metabolism and appetite to improve and consume breakfast after an hour of having fruits.

Also, remember these basic rules for weight loss:

1. Eat only when you are hungry.

2. Follow the circadian rhythm of the sun and do not consume foods after sunset.

3. Do intermittent fasting for 16 hours, starting at sunset and break your fast 2 hours after sunrise.

4. Eat fruits before cooked foods.

5. Remember your stomach is the size of your fist. Break your meals into smaller meals, and eat only 80% of your appetite so there is room for your digestive juices to break down your food.