These foods impart extra weight and fat to the body and create a feeling of uneasiness after eating. Food causing a lethargic disposition. Foods, vegetarian or non-vegetarian, that are prepared with excess spices, salts and hot seasonings are Tamasik foods. These foods perpetuate laziness and people eating these are characterized by a rough and intolerant temperament. Foods which are cooked with minimum amount of spices or seasonings and are fresh are sattvik foods.
Yoga recommends such foods.
Non vegetarian food is Tamasik, while vegetarian food is Sattvik. No food by itself is rajasik, tamasik or sattvik. It is the preparation which makes it so. Vegetables such as cabbage, potatoes etc., if cooked with a lot of spices become tamasik while fresh boiled chicken cooked in a simple fashion becomes sattvik. Whole grains, yam, oatmeal, millets, brown rice.