What's your Dosha type?

Katherine Franck
Jul 6, 2020
2 min read

Almost everything I know about Ayurveda (pronounced aye-your-vay-duh) I learnt from Sahara Rose. In her book Idiot’s Guide to Ayurveda she says you’ve probably been practicing Ayurveda already to some degree without even knowing it.

Ayurveda originated in India thousands of years ago, making it the world’s oldest health system. If you're a yogi you've probably heard of it because it's yoga's "sister science". According to Ayurveda, your version of health depends on your Doshic makeup. So basically, there’s no one-size-fits-all diet. Duh!

There are 3 Doshas (or unique-mind body types): Vata, Pitta and Kapha. Everyone is made up of all 3, they’re just present to different degrees. I like to think of them according to their dominant energies: Vata-dominant types are airy meaning they’re always moving. Pitta-dominant types are fiery meaning they have a tendency to overheat (that's me) and Kapha-dominant types are earthy in that they’re grounded. One of them probably already stands out to you more than the others. This is most likely your dominant Dosha. It’s important to note that you may be one Dosha in mind and another in body.

Here’s a breakdown of each type:

Vata (air)

Mind – Energetic, no shortage of ideas but may find it hard seeing them through, creative, anxious and trouble falling asleep when out of balance

Body – Naturally thin, have a hard time putting on weight, smaller eyes, dry skin and hair, naturally cold so prefer warm weather

Famous Vatas – Jim Carrey, Gwyneth Paltrow

Pitta (fire)

Mind – Driven, goal-oriented, competitive, prone to bursts of anger when out of balance

Body – Naturally athletic, gain muscle easily, oily skin and hair (often with a reddish tint), prone to breakouts, naturally hot so prefer cool weather

Famous Pittas – Britney Spears, Jack Nicholson

Kapha (earth)

Mind – Described as peaceful and good-natured, prone to bouts of depression when out of balance, heavy sleepers

Body – Naturally bigger built, have a hard time losing weight, big eyes,

smooth skin, thick hair

Famous Kaphas – Beyoncé, Ben Affleck

There are foods each Dosha can enjoy, and some they should avoid.

Once you know your primary Dosha, you can find balance, health and happiness by pacifying its negative qualities with your diet and lifestyle.

Vatas can enjoy: hot, heavy and oily foods, e.g. cooked fruits (stewed apples), cooked root vegetables (beetroot and sweet potato), cooked grains (oats and brown rice)

Vatas should avoid: dried fruit, raw vegetables and leafy greens

Pitas can enjoy: sweet fruits (coconuts and dates), cooling vegetables (cauliflower, leafy greens and cucumbers), seeds and legumes (chickpeas and lentils)

Pitas should avoid: sour fruits (lemon), nightshade vegetables (tomatoes and eggplants) and nuts (unless soaked)

Kaphas can enjoy: light fruits (berries), steamed vegetables (leafy greens and cauliflower), dry grains (quinoa) and non-dairy milk

Kaphas should avoid: tropical fruits (coconuts and dates), heavy vegetables (potatoes and pumpkins), heavy grains (breads, pastas and pastries) and dairy

Take Sahara Rose’s Dosha quiz to determine your current dominant Dosha.