Kitchari is a traditional Ayurvedic “sattvic” cleansing food that’s easily digestible & highly nutritious. The basic recipe contains just two main ingredients: rice & mung beans. A mono-diet like this resets the digestive system & paired with adequate hydration allows for toxins & undigested foods to be dispelled. This diet with daily oleation helps nourish good gut bacteria & rid the bad bacteria, which is essential for digestive & overall health. This cleanse helps mentally & spiritually as well, promoting clarity of mind as stimulants & rajasic foods are cut out. And as fat burns, the ‘issues that live in our tissues’, the stagnant emotions living in fat cells are released. It’s also a great way to cut back on your food budget, though does get monotonous after a few days.
“From time immemorial practicing yogis have eaten this simple diet to enhance their spiritual practice. It provides a perfect balance of easily digested proteins & carbohydrates that sustain the body while allowing deep meditation & detoxification. Whether you choose kicheree as a tasty meal or use it as a cleansing mono diet, it is as close as you can get to the perfect food.” – Kirpal Singh
To begin a kitchari cleanse, it is suggested to take 3-5 days both pre & post cleanse to nourish yourself with a non-allergenic, mostly plant-based diet. This means avoiding: nuts, eggs, dairy, shellfish, soy, corn products, gluten, processed foods, sugar/sweeteners, alcohol, caffeine, heavy oils, fried food, fermented food, and red meat/pork.
Focus on what you CAN enjoy: fresh, seasonal, organic produce (lots of apples & beets, lemons, dark leafy greens, broccoli, asparagus, green beans…), whole grains (quinoa, rice, gf oats, millet, buckwheat), legumes (lentils, beans, split mung beans), seeds (pumpkin, hemp, chia, sunflower), wild game & lean meats if needed, light use of sunflower/olive/coconut oil, herbs, spices & superfoods!
It’s best to eat three meals a day, around the same time if possible & snack only if you still feel hungry after drinking water or are experiencing a blood sugar crash. Fasting for longer periods between meals allows for fat burning to occur, an essential process for detoxing physically & emotionally. For optimal hydration, it’s recommended to sip at least 100oz of hot water throughout the day.
Here is a simple guide for a pre/post cleanse eating schedule:
upon waking – 16-32oz warm lemon water
breakfast – green soup/smoothie or porridge
lunch – (biggest meal) balance bowl/superfood salad – steamed or raw veg, grains, seeds, lean meats
dinner – soup & gf crackers/rice cakes
snacks – apples, pumpkin seed butter, rice cakes, energy balls, avocado, plant-based dips
Interested in whole body cleansing & gaining access to over 20 plant-based recipes and 6-weeks of daily cleansing practices, journal prompts, live support and more? Click here to learn about the BodyMindSoul Cleanse beginning March 15!
KITCHARI
Commit 5-7 days to experience a total reset. You can go full out & eat only plain kitchari for the deepest cleanse or choose to incorporate veggies for more flavor/texture & (in my experience) easier bowel movements. Listen to your body & honor your needs.
This is what your cleanse eating schedule will look like:
upon waking – oleation: melted grass-fed ghee (plain or medicated) *see note below
breakfast – kitchari (spiced prune & raisin)
lunch – kitchari (veggie)
dinner – kitchari (basic)
before meals – recommended dose of triphala
* start with 2 tsp & if you feel your body wants more, incrementally increase each day up to 7 tbsp. This helps flush out toxins as well as keep you satisfied throughout the day. If you don’t have a gallbladder, sub coconut oil & limit to lowest amount. Vegan options include coconut or flaxseed oil.*
To reap the most of this cleanse, pair with it a daily routine of meditation, yoga, walking, journaling, massage, ceremony or other self-care practices. The BodyMindSoul Cleanse includes all of the above, plus so much more!
Basic Kitchari
1 cup white basmati rice, rinsed
1/2 cup split yellow mung dahl beans, rinsed
6-8 cups water
1-2 tsp each spices: turmeric, pepper, cumin, coriander, fennel
Spiced Prune & Raisin Kitchari
1 cup white basmati rice, rinsed
1/2 cup split yellow mung dahl beans, rinsed
6-8 cups water
5 prunes, halved (best if constipated – omit if already having loose stools)
handful sugar-free raisins
1 tbsp fresh grated ginger
1 tsp each spices: cinnamon, cardamom, clove
Veggie Kitchari
1 cup white basmati rice, rinsed
1/2 cup split yellow mung dahl beans, rinsed
2-3 cups total veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, onion, garlic, ginger, carrot, sweet potatoes or zucchini)
8-10 cups water
1-2 tsp each spices: turmeric, chili flakes, coriander, cumin, oregano, basil, dill
Directions:
For all kitchari recipes – in a stock pot, lightly toast spices & grind if using any seeds.
add rinsed rice & beans, water & stir well. Bring water to a boil & reduce heat to simmer.
Cover & let cook undisturbed 35-45 minutes, or until water is absorbed & beans are softened.
For veggie kitchari – add veggies like carrot, onion, potato, ginger & garlic at start & broccoli, cauli, and zucchini for last 5-10 minutes of cook time.
Stir & serve immediately.
For extra flavor – top with bragg’s liquid amino & fresh chopped herbs like cilantro or parsley.
DETOX
Last but not least… the big flush! You’ll do this on the last day of your kitchari cleanse, 1-2 hours after dinner. Take a hot bath or shower & gently massage belly to relax & increase circulation.
flush options include:
1. drink 1 cup of Smooth Move tea or prune juice (esp if you have gallbladder issues or loose stools)
2. dissolve 1 tbsp epsom salt in 1 cup warm water. Mix in 1 tbsp olive/castor oil & juice of 1/2 lemon.
Increase amounts of oil & lemon juice to 2 tsp each if you experienced hard stools.
Laxative effects will kick in at some point in the night or early morning. Keep hydrated & fast until you feel like you are done using the bathroom.
Continue with post-cleanse eating protocol for 3-5 days.
Integrating back to a regular diet can be tricky without intention. Since your body will be super clean & likely sensitive, be gentle as you start to incorporate non-cleanse foods back in. If you think you might have food sensitivities or allergies, it can be helpful to add in one of those foods at a time & see how you feel for a couple days before adding anything else. Sensitivity or allergy symptoms might include upset stomach, gas/bloating, runny nose… If these occur, consider omitting this food from your diet for an extended period of time. Another factor is the binging you might want to indulge in. I know I can’t wait to start eating “real” food again & tend to overwhelm myself with flavor & texture of all the foods I’ve missed the past two weeks. It’s okay if you do, just see if you can find a middle ground here.
And just one more mention of the upcoming BodyMindSoul Cleanse! This transformative program is intended to align you with whole body well-being. You’ll learn how to intuitively nourish & cleanse your physical, mental, and energetic bodies with water, nourishment, plant medicines, movement, awareness, expression, ceremony & more! Visit the Offerings page to see video, course curriculum, and what’s included in this 6-week course.
*NOTES*
– These recipes make about 4-6 servings. It’s best to eat kitchari fresh or made the same day, so if you are cleansing alone, try cutting the recipe in half if it’s making way too much.
– It’s important to use yellow split mung dahl beans, as the whole (green) variety are not as easy to cook or digest. It is possible to soak, sprout & peel the whole beans if it’s all you can find, but from my experience is definitely not the preferred option.
– You may notice you start to eat less as the week progresses. Listen to your body & eat when/how much you need. Do not starve yourself & try not to overdo it.
– Detox symptoms are real & to be expected. Headaches, irritability & flu-like symptoms are common. You may have less energy than normal, if so – rest as needed. I find as the cleanse progresses I start feeling better & more energetic, vital, and happy toward the end. If nausea or body discomfort doesn’t subside, decrease ghee intake.
– This cleanse isn’t recommended for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. Consult your doctor first if you have any health conditions that might interact negatively with a cleanse or detox.
– This cleansing protocol is largely based on multiple experiences following John Douillard’s “Colorado Cleanse”. He incorporates a whole slew of herbal supplements that aid in the detoxification process, which I have left out. See his site for more info.
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