Ayurvedic Food & Herb Recommendations for Pitta Dominant Individuals

This chart summarizes suitability based on Ayurvedic principles for a Pitta constitution.

Item	Recommendation Level	Reason for Recommendation
**Ajwain (Carom Seeds)**	Use with caution	Very heating; increases Pitta significantly.
**Almonds**	Recommended (with prep)	Warming, but safe if soaked and peeled.
**Amla (Indian Gooseberry)**	Excellent	Cooling, sweet post-digestive effect; highly pacifying.
**Amchur (Dried Mango Powder)**	Use with caution	Very sour and astringent; increases acidity.
**Anardana (Dried Pomegranate)**	Excellent	Cooling, astringent; beneficial for digestion/acidity.
**Apple**	Very Good	Sweet, cooling, astringent; balances Pitta well.
**Areca Nut (Supari)**	Avoid/Extreme caution	Health risks (cancer); safer alternatives exist.
**Arjuna**	Very Good	Cooling, astringent; excellent heart tonic; pacifies Pitta.
**Asafoetida (Hing)**	Use with caution	Very pungent and heating; use minute quantities.
**Bajra (Pearl Millet)**	Use with caution	Heating and drying; better for winter months.
**Banana**	Very Good	Sweet, cooling, nourishing; use ripe.
**Big Cardamom**	Use in moderation	Warming; less cooling than green cardamom.
**Black Chana (Chickpeas)**	Good	Cooling, astringent; soak and cook well.
**Black Pepper**	Use with caution	Pungent and hot; can cause acidity in excess.
**Blueberries (Dry)**	Use in moderation	Astringent and mildly cooling; fine in small amounts.
**Camphor (Edible)**	Use with caution	Cooling effects but requires precise, minute dosage (edible only).
**Cashews**	Use in moderation	Heating, heavy, and oily; limit intake.
**Cinnamon**	Use in moderation	Slightly warming, but acceptable in small amounts.
**Citrus Fruits**	Use with caution	Predominantly sour/acidic; increases Pitta.
**Cloves**	Use in moderation	Pungent and hot; avoid large doses.
**Coffee**	Avoid/Extreme caution	Highly acidic, heating, and stimulating; major Pitta aggravator.
**Cranberry (Dry)**	Use in moderation	Sour/astringent; limit due to acidity.
**Cucumber**	Excellent	Highly hydrating, sweet, and cooling; best Pitta food.
**Curd (Yogurt)**	Avoid (daily)	Heavy, sour, and heating; buttermilk is better alternative.
**Curry Leaves**	Good	Generally balanced; aids digestion without excess heat.
**Dates**	Very Good	Sweet, cooling, nourishing; eat in moderation.
**Fenugreek Seeds**	Use with caution	Warming; soak or cook with ghee to mitigate heat.
**Figs**	Excellent	Cooling, sweet, and soothing for digestive system.
**Garlic**	Use with caution	Very heating and pungent; use sparingly.
**Giloy (Guduchi)**	Excellent	Cooling (overall effect), bitter; purifies blood and calms Pitta.
**Ginger**	Use in moderation	Heating; use fresh and balance with cooling foods (ghee).
**Gulkand (Rose Jam)**	Excellent	Natural coolant; ideal for acidity and body heat.
**Haritaki (Harad)**	Use with caution	Heating; better used within balanced formulas like Triphala.
**Jaggery**	Use in moderation	Warming, but better than refined sugar; use white jaggery.
**Jamun (Black Plum)**	Excellent	Astringent and cooling; great for blood purification.
**Jalapeño**	Avoid/Extreme caution	Intensely hot and pungent; major Pitta aggravator.
**Jawar (Sorghum)**	Good	Cooling, light, and easy to digest; good alternative grain.
**Jeera (Cumin)**	Excellent	Cooling digestive aid (tridoshic); great for Pitta Agni.
**Lentils (Most types)**	Excellent	Cooling, astringent; Mung dal is best; cook well.
**Lemon**	Use with caution	Sour/acidic; use as flavor enhancer, avoid in excess.
**Limonene**	Use with caution	Compound in acidic citrus fruits; requires caution.
**Maize Flour (Cornmeal)**	Use with caution	Heating and drying; better for cold weather; use moderately.
**Menthol (Peppermint)**	Excellent	Potent cooling effect; great for digestion/acidity.
**Milk**	Excellent	Sweet, cooling, nourishing; best taken warm with cardamom.
**Moringa**	Use in moderation	Tridoshic, but slightly warming; moderate doses are fine.
**Mustard**	Use with caution	Pungent and very heating; limit use.
**Oats**	Excellent	Sweet, cooling, moistening; very pacifying for Pitta.
**Olives**	Use in moderation	Salty/oily; acceptable in small amounts, prefer olive oil.
**Onions**	Use with caution	Heating and stimulating; cook well in ghee to balance.
**Papaya**	Use in moderation	Sweet, aids digestion, slightly warming; use ripe fruit only.
**Peanut**	Use with caution	Warming, heavy, oily; soak or limit intake.
**Pears**	Excellent	Sweet, cooling, light; highly pacifying fruit.
**Peas (Green/White)**	Good	Cooling/neutral; soak and cook dried peas thoroughly.
**Pipli (Long Pepper)**	Avoid/Extreme caution	Very hot potency; strongly increases Pitta.
**Pineapple**	Use with caution	Acidic and slightly heating; eat ripe and in moderation.
**Pistachios**	Use in moderation	Slightly warming; use unsalted and limit quantity.
**Pomegranate**	Excellent	Astringent, cooling; great for managing acidity and liver.
**Potatoes**	Good	Cooling and grounding when baked/steamed; avoid fried.
**Prunes**	Very Good	Cooling, sweet; beneficial for Pitta-related constipation.
**Punarnava**	Use with caution	Warming potency; best used under guidance for specific issues.
**Raisins**	Excellent	Sweet, cooling, hydrating; great when soaked overnight.
**Red Chillies**	Avoid/Extreme caution	Intensely hot and pungent; major Pitta aggravator.
**Retha (Soapnut)**	External use only	Not for internal consumption (toxic).
**Salt**	Use in moderation	Heating and aggravates Pitta; limit intake.
**Saunf (Fennel)**	Excellent	Cooling potency; great for digestion and reducing heat.
**Sesame**	Use with caution	Warming and oily; use sparingly (especially oil) in summer.
**Sugar (Refined)**	Avoid/Limit	Creates toxins (*ama*), inflammatory; choose alternatives like gulkand.
**Sweet Potatoes**	Excellent	Sweet, cooling, nourishing; ideal Pitta food.
**Tea (Caffeinated)**	Use in moderation	Heating and stimulating; prefer cooling herbal teas.
**Tomatoes**	Use with caution	Acidic/sour; best used sparingly and cooked well.
**Triphala**	Excellent	Tridoshic formula; amla helps balance warming haritaki; great detoxifier.
**Tulsi (Holy Basil)**	Use in moderation	Warming herb; balance with cooling herbs like mint.
**Turmeric**	Very Good	Anti-inflammatory and purifying; safe in moderate cooking amounts.
**Walnuts**	Use in moderation	Warming and oily; soak overnight to reduce heating properties.
**Wheat Flour**	Good	Sweet, cooling, grounding; whole wheat is better than refined.
**White Chana (Chickpeas)**	Good	Cooling and astringent; soak and cook well.