The Three Gunas of Nature

The Three Gunas are qualities in food which affects the mind and body.

The Three Gunas are: 1. sattva (Balance) 2. Rajas(Movement) 3.Tamas(Inertia)

Sattva quality: It reflects knowledge of an individual. Sattva states includes happiness, joy, peace, love, freedom, friendliness, openness, creativity, fulfilment and inspiration. Sattvic food: freshly prepared food, used within 2-3 hrs. It includes fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, whole grains, oils and non-meat proteins. 

Rajas quality: It represents all actions, movements and activities which happen in the body. Rajasic states includes passion, alertness, determination, self-centeredness, anxiety, restlessness, anger, greed and worry. Rajasic food includes onions, garlic, spiced or salty foods, sugar, chocolate, caffeinated drinks and soft drinks. 

Tamas quality: It is the densest of the three qualities and experienced as inertia, obscuration, inactivity and fear. Tamasic states includes laziness, doubt, sadness, hurt, shame and ignorance. Tamasic food: food kept overnight, junk food and also Meat, fish, poultry, eggs, pastries, bread, fermented foods, sugary foods and alcohol.                                             

Check the five-basic elements of Nature by Three great cosmic Qualities : The Ether  element is predominantly made up of sattva qualities. The Air element is predominantly made up of rajas qualities. The Fire element is predominantly made up of sattva and rajas qualities. The Water element is made up of sattva and tamas qualities. Earth element is made up of tamas qualities. 

Check the three doshas by three qualities: Vata is made up of air and ether elements, with the predominance of air element indicates rajas qualities in it. Pitta is made up of fire and water elements, with the predominance of fire element indicates sattva and rajas qualities in it. Kapha is made up of water and earth elements, with the predominance of water element indicates tamas qualities in it.      

Mind contaminants also contributes towards physical Ailments: As already discussed, physical doshas i.e., vata, pitta and kapha first produce diseases pertaining to body and later affect mind. Similarly, mind doshas i.e., rajas and tamas first produces mental disorders and later afflict body.