Kitchari is a traditional Ayurvedic food used for cleansing the body. The main constituents are:
- Rice
- Mung Daal
- Ghee
- Kitchari Spice Mix
Kitchari contains everything that the body needs in order to stay healthy. The rice and mung daal combination have all the amino acids in order to form a complete protein, the rice also provides the body with carbohydrates, the ghee is a healthy fat, and the kitchari spice (mustard seed, turmeric, mineral salt, cumin seeds, ginger, asafoetida, fenugreek) is excellent for the immune system and fights inflammation. You can also add veggies to the mix- I added broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots. Toppings can include cilantro or tahini.
Why Use it for a Cleanse?
When most people think of a cleanse, they automatically think of things like fasting, drinking nothing but juice, drinking nothing but tea, taking a bunch of supplements, eating nothing but green veggies, etc. Also, people expect during a cleanse to feel weak and hungry, with little to no energy. A kitchari cleanse is very different, though. It does not involve deprivation of any kind. You eat kitchari for every meal of the day, including a special breakfast kitchari. In this cleanse you are allowed to eat as much as you would like until you are full and satisfied. Kitchari is very gentle on the digestive system, and easily digested. Since it is good for the immune system it is often given to people who are sick or weak. It improves agni (the ayurvedic term for digestive fire), immune system function, it draws toxins out of the body, and it is tridoshic (sutiable for every body type).
How to do it
An ideal day on a kitchari cleanse looks something like this:
- Wake up a little before dawn
- Drink an 8oz cup of warm water with lemon
- Perform a gentle movement exercise, such as yoga
- Eat breakfast kitchari (ideally between 7-8am)
- Eat enough to where you don’t feel compelled to snack between meals
- Eat lunch around 12pm
- Eat dinner around 6pm
- Do not eat after 7pm
- Get plenty of sleep!
My Experience
A kitchari cleanse can last anywhere from 3-7 days. I didn’t have any set plans as to how long I would do it for. I ended up doing it for 3 days. The first day was super easy for me. I ate kitchari for every meal and didn’t feel deprived, weak or hungry, and I was able to work out as normal. I did have a lot more energy than I normally have. I actually had trouble falling asleep because I was so hyped up. The second day was a little more challenging. I ate my breakfast kitchari, then my lunch, but my body felt like it needed a little something extra. I ate a little more, but still didn’t feel satisfied, so I drank an organic protein shake with almond milk. I instantly felt satisfied. The evening was a little difficult. Since I’ve been married, I’ve developed the habit of snacking in the evening. I never did this when I lived alone, but my husband does, and seeing him do it makes me hungry too! 🙂 I was fine for the first five minutes of watching him snack, then my body felt like it NEEDED a snack! I’m sure this was 90% mental, but I finally broken down and had one (ok, two) of these. :-X The third day was like the first day, easy. I didn’t feel deprived during the day, had plenty of energy, and worked out as normal. I did get a little hungry in the evening, but I ended up having a golden milk (this one) with almond milk, and I felt fine. Overall my digestive system felt lighter and more efficient, I had more energy and my thoughts seemed clearer. I would love to try it again sometime soon, and would recommend it for anyone!
The Recipe
While I was doing my cleanse, I used this recipe. However, the basic recipe for kitchari is:
- 1 cup of Basmati Rice
- 1/2 Mung Daal
- 3 tbsp Kitchari Spice
- 2 tbsp Ghee
- 6 cups of water
- Any add-ins such as cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, spinach, etc
Add the ghee to a large saucepan and heat on medium heat. Add in kitchari spice and sauté for 2 minutes. Add in the rice and mung daal and sauté for another 2 minutes. Add in water, bring to boil. Reduce heat to simmer, cover, and set timer for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, stir in any add-ins you wish (except for any leafy greens). Cook for another 15-20 minutes. Add in leafy greens about 5 minutes before it is finished.
You can buy all the ingredients (except for add-ins) for a kitchari cleanse here.
Happy cleansing!
