Vata, Pitta and Kapha – the traditional concepts of Ayurveda

by Vasant Lad, Excerpt from The Ayurvedic Cookbook

The three body or constitutional types Vata, Pitta and Kapha form the foundation of Ayurvedic dietary theory. They correspond to the active and changeable elements air, fire and water, which are present in each person in differing proportions. They determine how optimal health can be achieved through individually tailored diet and lifestyle.

Characteristics of the Vata person

The Sanskrit term Vata derives from the verb "va" and means to carry or move. Thus Vata is the principle of mobility that governs every activity in the body, whether it is how many thoughts one may have in a minute or how efficiently food moves through the intestine. The Vata quality is responsible for joy, happiness, creativity, speech, sneezing and elimination, to name just a few functions. Vata is responsible for the indispensable life essence, that is oxygen or Prana. When Vata leaves the body, life ends.

Vata has the qualities or attributes dry, light, cold, rough, subtle, mobile and clear, with an astringent taste. How these qualities manifest in the constitution of a Vata person is shown in the table below:

This combination of qualities can account for both physical characteristics and behavioural patterns in Vata people. Physically they have a light, flexible body, large protruding teeth and may have sucked their thumb or fingers as a child. They have small, deep-set, dry eyes. Vata people have an irregular appetite and thirst and often suffer from digestive and malabsorption problems. They tend to have fragile health and therefore often few or no children.

In their behaviour, Vata individuals are easily excited. Indeed they are alert and act quickly without much thought. They may give a wrong answer but with great confidence. They have a good imagination and enjoy daydreaming. They are very loving people but may love someone out of fear or loneliness. Fear of the dark, heights and confined spaces is not uncommon in Vata people. Their faith is flexible and changeable, although change does not necessarily last long. Vatas love change. Therefore they often change furniture, apartment or place of residence so they do not become bored. They do not like to sit idle but prefer constant action. Having nothing to do is a punishment for them. Due to their active nature they earn enough money, but they spend it on trifles and have difficulty saving.

Characteristics of the Pitta person

The word Pitta comes from the Sanskrit word "tapa", which means to heat. Pitta represents the fire principle in the body. Truly everything that enters the body must be digested or "cooked", from the sight of the new moon to a wild strawberry put into the mouth. Some foods, like rice, must first be cooked externally before the body's fire can begin the process of digestion. In addition to the stomach fire, Pitta includes the enzymes and amino acids that play an important role in metabolism.

Pitta is, among other things, responsible for regulating body heat by the chemical transformation of food and provides appetite, vitality, learning and understanding in humans. When Pitta is out of balance it can provoke anger, hatred and criticism.

Pitta is hot, sharp, light, oily, liquid and by nature spreading. It has a sour, pungent and bitter taste and a meaty odour. It is associated with the colours red and yellow. These qualities manifest in the body of the Pitta person, as shown in the table.

Because of the properties listed on the right in the table, Pitta people have a moderately sensitive body with a medium build and weight. They rarely gain or lose much weight. They may have sharp, yellowish teeth with soft, sometimes bleeding gums. Their eyes are bright but often light-sensitive. Usually Pittas have a strong appetite and thirst and therefore tend to prefer spicy and flavourful food.

Pitta individuals can excel at learning, understanding and concentration. They are highly disciplined and excellent leaders. These people are blessed with wisdom, which sometimes manifests as baldness. (So much wisdom, in fact, that it "burns" their hair!) Pitta people never deviate even slightly from their principles, which can make them fanatical. Indeed they can be biased, critical and perfectionistic and tend to become easily agitated.

They like respected professions and often earn a great deal of money, which they spend on luxury goods. They like perfume and jewellery. Their sexual drive may not be overly strong. Overall, the Pitta constitution has moderate strength, average spiritual and material knowledge, average prosperity and a medium life span.

Characteristics of the Kapha person

The term Kapha derives from two Sanskrit roots: "ka" means water and "pha" means to flourish. The nature of Kapha is also that of earth, so the qualities of Kapha are defined by earth and water. Kapha comprises all our cells, tissues and organs. Kapha molecules tend to clump together to form dense masses, giving the body a rounded shape. The water function of Kapha includes lubrication of the joints and organs, strong muscles and bones, cellular secretions and memory capacity.

Water and earth give Kapha the qualities heavy, slow, cool, oily, liquid, mucous, dense, soft, static, sticky, dull, hard and gross. It has a white colour and possesses a sweet and salty taste. The listing of these qualities for the Kapha constitution is shown in the table.

These qualities give people with a Kapha constitution a strong and large build, large eyes, strong teeth and thick, curly hair. They have thick, smooth, oily and hairy skin. Kapha people have a steady appetite and thirst, but rather slow digestion and a slow metabolism. These traits often lead to weight gain, making it difficult to lose weight. Sometimes cravings for sweet and salty foods lead to water retention. They enjoy eating, sitting, doing nothing and sleeping for long periods.

Kapha people are blessed with deep, stable faith, love and compassion and a calm, steady mind. They have a good memory, a deep melodic voice and a monotonous speech pattern. A Kapha person makes and saves money. It is extravagant for them to spend a little more on cheese, sweets and cakes. When Kapha is out of balance, they suffer from greed, attachment, possessiveness and laziness. Overall, the Kapha person, thanks to a strong constitution, enjoys excellent strength, knowledge, peace, love and a long life.

Vasant Lad