Vedic Food, Organic Food, and Processed Food are different varieties of food. People, however, often confuse organic as being Vedic food. Through this article, let’s aim to understand the key difference between Vedic, organic, and processed food and try to figure out which one is best for everyday consumption.
what is vedic food?
Vedic food is a type of diet that is based on the teachings of the Vedas, which are ancient Hindu scriptures. The Vedic diet emphasizes the importance of natural, pure, and unrefined foods, and promotes a vegetarian or plant-based lifestyle.
It also emphasizes the use of certain herbs and spices to enhance the flavour and nutritional value of foods. The Vedic diet is believed to promote good health and well-being and is often considered a holistic approach to nutrition and wellness.
To put it in simple words, the Vedic diet refers to a whole food that is unprocessed, and untouched in all means. Vedic food retains its flavour, taste, and nutrition in its natural form, directly from mother earth.
what is processed food?
Processed food is any food that has been altered from its natural state through various methods such as cooking, freezing, canning, refining, or adding artificial ingredients. This can include packaged, canned, frozen, or instant meals, snacks, and beverages that have been manufactured and processed using industrial techniques to enhance their flavour, texture, shelf life, and mass production.
Processed foods often contain high amounts of salt, sugar, unhealthy fats, additives, and preservatives, and may lack essential nutrients and fiber found in fresh, whole foods or vedic food.
Is Vedic Food the Same as Organic Food?
No, Vedic food refers to the traditional vegetarian cuisine of India based on Ayurvedic principles, which emphasize the balance of flavors, nutrition, and energy in food. Vedic food is said to be full of life. That is it contains microorganisms and gets spoiled in a short span of time.
Organic food, on the other hand, refers to food that is grown or produced without synthetic chemicals, pesticides, fertilizers, or genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Organic food usually undergoes packaging and processing, this often results in alteration in the nutritive value of food. When compared to Vedic food, the shelf life of organic food is more.
While organic food may incorporate Vedic ingredients, once the processing is done it can not be claimed as Vedic.
Difference Between Vedic, Organic, and Processed Food
Vedic Food
organic food
processed food
Inspired by Ayurveda, the food is pure, close to nature, and full of life
The food is fresh as it’s devoid of fertilisers, chemicals, and artificial flavours
The food is neither pure nor fresh as it’s produced using chemicals, fertilisers, pesticides, artificial flavours, etc.
Shelf life is very short as it does not contain preservatives
Shelf life is average as it may or may not contain preservatives
Shelf life is long as it contains preservatives
Usually spoiled by insects, as its nutrient-dense, insects tend to eat such food
Spoiled when expired due to microorganisms
Never eaten by insects as this food has no life and poor nutrition in it. Usually turns rancid when left untouched for a very long time
It changes its physical and chemical properties quickly
It takes time to change its physical and chemical properties
Due to the use of preservatives, it with-holds its chemical and physical properties for a long time
Zero processing involved
Minimal processing involved
Heavy processing involved
Example- Pure turmeric roots in raw form
Example- Turmeric roots in a pre-packed container or bottle
Example- Turmeric spice in plastic bottles, jute bags, cardboard boxes, etc.
Example- Pure Raw Jaggery
Examples- Whole Jaggery Cubes, Fine Jaggery Powder,
Examples- Jaggery Panjiri, Jaggery ladoo, Jaggery Cookies, etc
summing up
The two terms Vedic and Organic are often used interchangeably, but they are different as they refer to different aspects of food production and preparation. Processed food, as the name indicates refers to pre-packed food that contains artificial flavours, colours, and preservatives.
To preserve nature’s fertility and reduce the epidemic of obesity, diabetes, cancer, and thyroid it is important to move towards a sustainable lifestyle. This can be done by avoiding the consumption of processed food, limiting the intake of organic food, and increasing the intake of whole, raw Vedic food.
