Mitahara

Mitahara (Sanskrit: मिताहार, Mitāhāra) literally means the habit of moderate food. Mitahara is also a concept in Indian philosophy, particularly Yoga, that integrates awareness about food, drink, balanced diet and consumption habits and its effect on one’s body and mind. It is one of the ten yamas in ancient Indian texts.

Mitahara is a Sanskrit combination word, from Mita (मित, moderate) and Ahara (आहार, taking food, diet), which together mean moderate diet. In Yoga and other ancient texts, it represents a concept linking nutrition to the health of one’s body and mind. It is considered a yamas or self-restraint virtue in some schools of Indian traditions, where one refrains from either eating too much or eating too little quantity of food, and where one refrains from either eating too much or too little of certain qualities of food. Mitahara is synonymous with Mātrāśin (मात्राशिन्).

Ancient and medieval era Indian literature on Mitahara are of two categories – one relates to philosophical discussion of moderate diet and proper nutrition, the other category relate to details about Aharatattva (dietetics). The former category include the Upanishads and Sutras that discuss why virtuous self-restraint is appropriate in matters of food, while the latter include Samhitas that discuss what and when certain foods are suitable. A few texts such as Hathayoga Pradipika combine both.

Mitahara is discussed in Śāṇḍilya Upanishad, as well as by Svātmārāma. It is one of the yamas (virtuous self restraints) discussed in ancient Indian texts. The other nine yamas are Ahiṃsā (अहिंसा): Nonviolence, Satya (सत्य): truthfulness, Asteya (अस्तेय): not stealing, Brahmacharya (ब्रह्मचर्य): celibacy and not cheating on one’s spouse, Kṣamā (क्षमा): forgiveness,Dhṛti (धृति): fortitude, Dayā (दया): compassion,Ārjava (आर्जव): sincerity, non-hypocrisy, and Śauca (शौच): purity, cleanliness.

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