C3. Ingredient Profiles — Ayurveda Meets Nutrition

Twenty-four ingredients that define this kitchen. Ayurvedic attributes (rasa, guna, virya, vipaka) are those commonly given in Dravyaguna references — texts differ in places — and nutrition values per 100 g are from the same composition tables used for the recipes.

Ghee Ghrita

Rasa · Guna	Madhura (sweet) · Snigdha, guru (unctuous, heavy)
Virya · Vipaka	Shita (cooling) · Madhura
Dosha effect	Pacifies Vata & Pitta
Per 100 g (raw)	900 kcal · protein 0 g · fat 99.8 g · carbs 0 g · fibre 0 g
In this kitchen	Tempering, on rice and dal, sweets; carrier for spices
Caution	High LDL: 1–2 tsp/day; counts toward visible fat

Split moong Mudga

Rasa · Guna	Madhura, kashaya · Laghu, ruksha (light, dry)
Virya · Vipaka	Shita · Katu
Dosha effect	Pacifies Kapha & Pitta; tridoshic when cooked with ghee
Per 100 g (raw)	340 kcal · protein 24 g · fat 1.3 g · carbs 56 g · fibre 9 g
In this kitchen	House dal, khichdi, yusha, chilla, dhokla
Caution	None for most; always cook fully

Aged rice Shali (purana)

Rasa · Guna	Madhura · Snigdha, laghu (when aged)
Virya · Vipaka	Shita · Madhura
Dosha effect	Pacifies Vata & Pitta
Per 100 g (raw)	350 kcal · protein 7.5 g · fat 0.6 g · carbs 78 g · fibre 1.3 g
In this kitchen	Khichdi, kanji, manda, peya, vilepi
Caution	Diabetic guests: pair with dal and vegetables, smaller portion

Barley Yava

Rasa · Guna	Madhura, kashaya · Ruksha, guru
Virya · Vipaka	Shita · Katu
Dosha effect	Pacifies Kapha & Pitta
Per 100 g (raw)	352 kcal · protein 10 g · fat 1.2 g · carbs 74 g · fibre 15 g
In this kitchen	Yavagu, barley water, soups, roti blend
Caution	Drying — add ghee for Vata elders

Cow's milk Godugdha / ksheera

Rasa · Guna	Madhura · Snigdha, guru
Virya · Vipaka	Shita · Madhura
Dosha effect	Pacifies Vata & Pitta
Per 100 g (raw)	65 kcal · protein 3.2 g · fat 3.8 g · carbs 4.8 g · fibre 0 g
In this kitchen	Golden milk, kheer, porridges
Caution	Not with sour fruit, banana or salty food

Curd Dadhi

Rasa · Guna	Amla (sour) · Snigdha, guru
Virya · Vipaka	Ushna (heating) · Amla
Dosha effect	Pacifies Vata; aggravates Pitta & Kapha
Per 100 g (raw)	61 kcal · protein 3.4 g · fat 3.5 g · carbs 4.5 g · fibre 0 g
In this kitchen	Raita, kadhi, curd rice — lunch only
Caution	Never at night, never heated, not with milk dishes

Buttermilk Takra

Rasa · Guna	Kashaya, amla · Laghu
Virya · Vipaka	Ushna · Madhura
Dosha effect	Pacifies Kapha & Vata
Per 100 g (raw)	15 kcal · protein 0.8 g · fat 1.1 g · carbs 0.5 g · fibre 0 g
In this kitchen	Neer mor, moru curry, takra peya
Caution	Thin and fresh; spiced for digestion

Honey Madhu

Rasa · Guna	Madhura, kashaya · Ruksha, guru
Virya · Vipaka	Shita · Katu
Dosha effect	Pacifies Kapha
Per 100 g (raw)	304 kcal · protein 0.3 g · fat 0 g · carbs 82 g · fibre 0.2 g
In this kitchen	Warm teas (added below 40 °C)
Caution	Never heated; never equal parts with ghee

Jaggery Guda

Rasa · Guna	Madhura · Snigdha, guru
Virya · Vipaka	Ushna · Madhura
Dosha effect	Pacifies Vata (old jaggery best)
Per 100 g (raw)	380 kcal · protein 0.4 g · fat 0.1 g · carbs 95 g · fibre 0 g
In this kitchen	Winter sweets, panakam, kadha
Caution	Still a sugar — small portions; diabetics avoid

Coconut Narikela

Rasa · Guna	Madhura · Snigdha, guru
Virya · Vipaka	Shita · Madhura
Dosha effect	Pacifies Vata & Pitta
Per 100 g (raw)	354 kcal · protein 3.3 g · fat 33 g · carbs 15 g · fibre 9 g
In this kitchen	Chutneys, avial, olan, stews, ladoo
Caution	Rich — measured portions for high-LDL guests

Sesame Tila

Rasa · Guna	Madhura, tikta, kashaya · Snigdha, guru
Virya · Vipaka	Ushna · Katu
Dosha effect	Pacifies Vata
Per 100 g (raw)	573 kcal · protein 17.7 g · fat 49.7 g · carbs 23.5 g · fibre 11.8 g
In this kitchen	Ladoo, podi, oil for winter cooking
Caution	Heating — reduce in summer

Indian gooseberry Amalaki

Rasa · Guna	All except salt; mainly amla · Laghu, ruksha
Virya · Vipaka	Shita · Madhura
Dosha effect	Tridoshic rasayana
Per 100 g (raw)	44 kcal · protein 0.9 g · fat 0.6 g · carbs 10 g · fibre 4.3 g
In this kitchen	Chutney, murabba, candy, yusha, tea
Caution	Murabba is high in sugar — diabetics use steamed amla

Fresh ginger Ardraka

Rasa · Guna	Katu · Guru, ruksha, tikshna
Virya · Vipaka	Ushna · Madhura
Dosha effect	Pacifies Vata & Kapha
Per 100 g (raw)	80 kcal · protein 1.8 g · fat 0.8 g · carbs 18 g · fibre 2 g
In this kitchen	Every dal, kadha; slice with rock salt before lunch
Caution	Reduce in acidity and summer Pitta

Dry ginger Shunthi

Rasa · Guna	Katu · Laghu, snigdha
Virya · Vipaka	Ushna · Madhura
Dosha effect	Pacifies Vata & Kapha
Per 100 g (raw)	300 kcal · protein 10 g · fat 8 g · carbs 50 g · fibre 25 g
In this kitchen	Sweets, kadhas, panjiri, digestive waters
Caution	Pinch quantities; heating

Turmeric Haridra

Rasa · Guna	Tikta, katu · Ruksha, laghu
Virya · Vipaka	Ushna · Katu
Dosha effect	Balances all three, especially Kapha
Per 100 g (raw)	300 kcal · protein 10 g · fat 8 g · carbs 50 g · fibre 25 g
In this kitchen	Dal, sabzi, golden milk — with pepper and fat
Caution	Large doses only on medical advice (blood thinners)

Cumin Jiraka

Rasa · Guna	Katu · Laghu, ruksha
Virya · Vipaka	Ushna · Katu
Dosha effect	Pacifies Vata & Kapha
Per 100 g (raw)	300 kcal · protein 10 g · fat 8 g · carbs 50 g · fibre 25 g
In this kitchen	Tempering, takra, CCF tea
Caution	None in culinary amounts

Coriander seed Dhanyaka

Rasa · Guna	Kashaya, tikta, madhura · Laghu, snigdha
Virya · Vipaka	Ushna (mild) · Madhura
Dosha effect	Tridoshic; cools Pitta in practice
Per 100 g (raw)	300 kcal · protein 10 g · fat 8 g · carbs 50 g · fibre 25 g
In this kitchen	Masalas, CCF tea, panjiri, dhaniya water
Caution	None in culinary amounts

Fennel Mishreya / shatahva

Rasa · Guna	Madhura, katu, tikta · Laghu, snigdha
Virya · Vipaka	Shita · Madhura
Dosha effect	Pacifies Vata & Pitta
Per 100 g (raw)	300 kcal · protein 10 g · fat 8 g · carbs 50 g · fibre 25 g
In this kitchen	Mukhwas, coolers, khatta-meetha sabzis
Caution	None in culinary amounts

Black pepper Maricha

Rasa · Guna	Katu · Laghu, tikshna
Virya · Vipaka	Ushna · Katu
Dosha effect	Pacifies Kapha & Vata
Per 100 g (raw)	300 kcal · protein 10 g · fat 8 g · carbs 50 g · fibre 25 g
In this kitchen	Rasam, pongal, with turmeric
Caution	Mild amounts for elders; avoid in ulcers

Green cardamom Ela (sukshma)

Rasa · Guna	Katu, madhura · Laghu, ruksha
Virya · Vipaka	Shita · Madhura
Dosha effect	Tridoshic
Per 100 g (raw)	300 kcal · protein 10 g · fat 8 g · carbs 50 g · fibre 25 g
In this kitchen	Milk, sweets, chai
Caution	None in culinary amounts

Asafoetida Hingu

Rasa · Guna	Katu · Laghu, snigdha, tikshna
Virya · Vipaka	Ushna · Katu
Dosha effect	Pacifies Vata & Kapha
Per 100 g (raw)	300 kcal · protein 10 g · fat 8 g · carbs 50 g · fibre 25 g
In this kitchen	Every pulse dish; replaces onion–garlic depth
Caution	Pinch only; Pitta-aggravating in excess

Saffron Kumkuma

Rasa · Guna	Katu, tikta · Snigdha
Virya · Vipaka	Ushna · Katu
Dosha effect	Tridoshic
Per 100 g (raw)	300 kcal · protein 10 g · fat 8 g · carbs 50 g · fibre 25 g
In this kitchen	Kheer, milk, festive rice
Caution	Use a trusted source (adulteration is common)

Dates Kharjura

Rasa · Guna	Madhura · Guru, snigdha
Virya · Vipaka	Shita · Madhura
Dosha effect	Pacifies Vata & Pitta
Per 100 g (raw)	277 kcal · protein 1.8 g · fat 0.2 g · carbs 75 g · fibre 6.7 g
In this kitchen	Natural sweetener in halwa, kheer, milk
Caution	Count as sugar for diabetics

Bottle gourd Alabu / tumbi

Rasa · Guna	Madhura · Laghu, snigdha
Virya · Vipaka	Shita · Madhura
Dosha effect	Pacifies Pitta & Vata
Per 100 g (raw)	14 kcal · protein 0.6 g · fat 0.1 g · carbs 3.2 g · fibre 0.5 g
In this kitchen	Dal, kofta, raita, soup, kheer
Caution	Never drink bitter-tasting lauki juice (toxic)