Eating a small quantity of soaked channa or almonds in the morning can be a nourishing way to fuel your day. From an Ayurvedic perspective, they feed the body with needed proteins and healthy fats. However, engaging in exercise immediately after, while tempting, could interfere with the body’s digestion of those nutrients. Ideally, after having soaked peas or almonds, you should wait at least 30 minutes before starting your exercise routine. The reason for this is to support the agni, or digestive fire, allowing it to process and assimilate the food properly. Digestion is a vital process, particularly in the morning when our body’s capacity to digest is gradually increasing.
As for eating other foods like almonds after having soaked black peas, a similar principle applies. You should consider waiting 20-30 minutes before adding another type of food, especially if they vary in nature. This time gap helps in preventing digestive disturbances and helps your stomach adjust. Ayurveda emphasizes taking another meal only after the previous one is sufficiently digested. It’s also recommended to listen to your body and see how it uniquely reacts.
Remember, your exercise routine is also a factor. If it’s high-intensity, then keeping this gap is more important. Conversely, if it’s light, like yoga, you might manage without that much of delay. Balancing between the food intake and physical activity is crucial for maintaining healthy balance in your body’s Vata, Pitta, and Kapha energies. The principle you follow should be aligned with your personal prakriti (constitution) and current lifestyle. So, take this into consideration as you experiment with timing and observe what makes you feel most energetic and vibrant after your morning meal.


