Beef Benefits (According to Ayurveda)

Metabolic Nature of Beef

See a complete list of all biocharacteristics.

METABOLIC NATURE

Metabolic Nature

Ayurveda assesses metabolic imbalances through 20 main biocharacteristics (gunas). Aggravating them weakens your body and causes imbalance. By knowing which biocharacteristics are habitually imbalanced in your body, you will be able to identify and correct metabolic imbalances before you get sick. Every biocharacteristic has an opposite which balances it (i.e. hot balances cold). You restore balance by favoring diet and lifestyle choices that increase the opposite biocharacteristic.
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HEAVY

ABOUT HEAVY BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Heavy is identified by sedation, sluggishness, or increased weight.

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DIFFICULT

ABOUT DIFFICULT BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Difficult refers to anything that is difficult to digest, or takes a long time to digest.

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GOOEY

ABOUT GOOEY BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Gooey is identified by anything gelatinous (such as oatmeal), or by mucus congestion.

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OILY

ABOUT OILY BIOCHARACTERISTIC

In Ayurveda, oily refers to anything moistening. More specifically, oily refers to building substances that increases fat, or are themselves fatty. For example, sugar is Oily.

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HOT

ABOUT HOT BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Hot is identified by increased body temperature, metabolism, or inflammation.

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TASTES

The 6 Tastes

Taste is used to sense the most basic properties and effects of food. Each taste has a specific medicinal effect on your body. Cravings for food with certain tastes indicate your body is craving specific medicinal results from food. Taste is experienced on the tongue and represents your body's reaction to foods. Sweet taste causes physical satisfaction and attraction whereas bitter taste causes discomfort and aversion. Kapha should use less sweet taste while Vata and Pitta would benefit from using more sweet taste. One of the first signs of illness is that your taste and appetite for food changes. The six tastes are sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent. Do you crave foods with any of the tastes below?
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SWEET

ABOUT SWEET BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Sweet refers to anything builds tissue, including macronutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins and fats.

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DOSHAS

The Three Doshas / Body Types

Ayurveda is a metabolic theory of medicine that explains individual health, tendencies, and disease patterns through the concept of doshas, which can be understood as your metabolic patterns and tendencies.
Each dosha reflects a distinct metabolic nature and describes strengths & weaknesses in bodily function, and how these affect energy levels, digestion, susceptibility to disease, and many other tendencies.
Your metabolic nature not only affects your physical characteristics, but also influences your mental thought patterns, confidence, and enthusiasm.
Ayurveda balances these metabolic strengths & weaknesses to support your body's vitality and prevent recurrent disease cycles. This support is a critical aid, especially in chronic or incurable disease conditions.
The 3 metabolic body types (doshas), are Catabolic (Vata), Metabolic (Pitta), and Anabolic (Kapha).
Through dosha, Ayurveda empowers people to identify metabolic imbalances early, break repetitive patterns of disease, and cultivate habits that support long-term vitality and well-being.
Ultimately, these metabolic patterns also provide a framework for understanding yourself, including body, mind, and spiritual tendencies.
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PACIFIES

AGGRAVATES

GREEK MEDICINE / TEMPERAMENTS

The Four Temperaments / Humors

Ayurveda & Greek Medicine were the dominant form of medicine along the Silk Road from England to China and South Asia. They work by assessing your metabolic type, patterns, and nature. Greek medicine recognizes 4 metabolic temperaments, Melancholic, Choleric, Sanguine, and Phlegmatic.
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PACIFIES

MELANCHOLIC

ABOUT MELANCHOLIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Cold and dry metabolic nature. Colicky, tense. Withdrawn, pensive, anxious, and hesitant.

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AGGRAVATES

CHOLERIC

ABOUT CHOLERIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Has a hot and dry metabolic nature. Enthusiastic, vibrant and bright. In excess burns up fluids and ojas, irritable. Corresponds to high bilirubin in the blood that irritates and heats up the body and liver.

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PHLEGMATIC

ABOUT PHLEGMATIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Wet & cold. When out of balance becomes congested, stagnant, and overweight. Loving, trusting, and patient.

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SANGUINE

ABOUT SANGUINE BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Hot & moist. Full-blooded, vigorous. Vivacious, social, and epicurean. Bullish.

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Other

Tissue (dhatu):

Fat

FAT

Fat tissue (Meda Dhatu) includes adipose tissue and sebum (skin oil).

SEE ALL 'FAT' FOODS / HERBS

Muscle

MUSCLE

Muscle tissue (Mamsa Dhatu) includes muscles and ligaments.

SEE ALL 'MUSCLE' FOODS / HERBS

Red Blood

RED-BLOOD

Red blood (Rakta Dhatu) includes red blood cells and blood vessels.

SEE ALL 'RED-BLOOD' FOODS / HERBS

Affinity:

Digestion,

Energy Vitality

ENERGY-VITALITY

Includes vitality improving foods, herbs, and exercises by dosha.

SEE ALL 'ENERGY-VITALITY' FOODS / HERBS

, Liver Gallbladder, Muscle Health

Family:

Bovidae

Medicinal Benefits, Uses & Herbal Actions of Beef
Experiences are Personal
Experiences vary according to the person and constitution. Individual results may vary. The list of herbal-actions below has not be approved by the FDA and should not be used to treat a medical condition.

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Digestion:

Warms Abdomen

WARMS-ABDOMEN

Warms the muscles and organs of the abdomen, stimulating digestion and metabolism.

SEE ALL 'WARMS-ABDOMEN' FOODS / HERBS

Mind, Stress & Sleep:

Makes You Tired

MAKES-YOU-TIRED

Induces drowsiness and promotes sound sleep.

SEE ALL 'MAKES-YOU-TIRED' FOODS / HERBS

Nerve Relaxant Grounding

NERVE-RELAXANT-GROUNDING

Encourages feelings of stability and heaviness. Makes you feel settled, mentally relaxed. Mildly sedates the nervous system to ease stress. Can bring a spacey or anxious person back to earth. Reduces agitation, irritation, stress and racing thoughts.

SEE ALL 'NERVE-RELAXANT-GROUNDING' FOODS / HERBS

Energy Vitality:

Satisfies Stomach

STRONG SATISFIES-STOMACH

Provides a sense of gratification and fullness in the stomach.

SEE ALL 'SATISFIES-STOMACH' FOODS / HERBS

Nutritive

NUTRITIVE

An herb that is strengthening and nourishing.

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Tonic

TONIC

A tonic herb restores function through strengthening tissue. This can happen through a combination of nourishing the tissue, and invigorating tissue metabolism. The tonic should not be withering, as in caffeine.

SEE ALL 'TONIC' FOODS / HERBS

Respiratory-Health:

Warms Chest

WARMS-CHEST

Warms the chest and lungs, clearing mucus and allowing for clear breathing. Often these herbs are hot, aromatic, and pungent.

SEE ALL 'WARMS-CHEST' FOODS / HERBS

Heart & Circulation:

Warms Ears

WARMS-EARS

Stimulates peripheral circulation to warm extremities, including the ears.

SEE ALL 'WARMS-EARS' FOODS / HERBS

Blood Tonic

STRONG BLOOD-TONIC

An herb that produces more blood cells in the body, or otherwise improves blood cell quality or hemoglobin content. Helpful for anemia and other types of deficiency.

SEE ALL 'BLOOD-TONIC' FOODS / HERBS

Liver & Gallbladder:

Livotonic

LIVOTONIC

An herb that strengthens the liver. It is helpful for people with a history of substance abuse, chronic liver issues from hepatitis and hemolytic anemias. Generally, liver tonics are oily, cool, sweet, mildly sour, or contain beta-carotene.

SEE ALL 'LIVOTONIC' FOODS / HERBS

Strength, Muscle Health:

Muscle Tonic

MUSCLE-TONIC

Herbs that strengthen and tone muscle tissue. Helpful for people recovering from long term illness and debility, or after a sprain.

SEE ALL 'MUSCLE-TONIC' FOODS / HERBS

Constituents:

Betaine

STRONG BETAINE

Used to reduce homocysteine in the blood, which supports proper liver function and prevents fatigue and blood clots. Improves muscle stamina and weight loss.

SEE ALL 'BETAINE' FOODS / HERBS

, Fats,

Inositol

INOSITOL

Inositol is an alcohol sugar made naturally in the human body from glucose. It is lipotropic (aiding fat metabilism in the liver). It affects a variety of hormones, neurotransmitters, steroid, growth factors and water.

SEE ALL 'INOSITOL' FOODS / HERBS

Iron

IRON

Iron is necessary for the transport of oxygen in red blood cells.

SEE ALL 'IRON' FOODS / HERBS

, Phosphorous, Potassium, Protein, Zinc

Beef Research & Clinical Trials

In each clinical research trial below, students from the Joyful Belly College of Ayurveda ate the selected food for 3 days and reported the pharmacological effects. See other clinical research trials for diet & herbs at Joyful Belly.