An Ayurvedic Perspective on Coffee "5 Minutes with Dr. Svoboda"

Dr. Svoboda discusses coffee in the context of Ayurveda, a philosophy in which anything can be food, medicine or poison. He proposes that we must be in tune with ourselves in order to understand when and whether coffee is a good substance for us.
Dr. Robert Svoboda is the first Westerner ever to graduate from a college of Ayurveda and be licensed to practice Ayurveda in India. During and after his formal Ayurvedic training he was tutored in Ayurveda, Yoga, Jyotish, Tantra and other forms of classical Indian lore by his mentor, the Aghori Vimalananda. He is the author of over a dozen books and has served as Adjunct Faculty at the Ayurvedic Institute in Albuquerque, NM, and at Bastyr University in Kenmore, WA.
You can find out more about Dr. Svoboda's work at www.drsvoboda.com and follow him on Facebook at / drrobertsvoboda

[@sunvedawellness5059]

Important takeaway for us all is beyond coffee/no coffee or putting things in the "Good" column and the "Bad" column. It's all about what creates harmony for each of us individually. We all know when we take something in that does not agree with us. I love Dr. Robert's reminder that if it doesn't taste good to YOU, then it probably will not serve you. Also, if you have guilt or misgivings about something you are taking in, those qualities become part of the energetics of the substance, right? As far as any substance goes, being aware of need for or dependence on it is an obvious clue as to whether it's constructive for you or not. If coffee is helpful for you, enjoy it and be present with it! Thanks, Dr. Robert! p.s. Cardamom (tiny pinch) is a nice addition to lower acidity and tastes very nice!

[@viadolorosaBG]

Thanks for this video, dear Mr. Svoboda! I´ve started to drink Coffee three years ago..(I´m 50 now). I felt very gilty first, because I was sure the Coffee could spoil my yoga practice.. And may be it did! But I´ve descovered several very positive effects of Coffee: 1. The drinking of small cup of Coffee makes me very happy; 2. It helps in the struggle with my constipation; 3. It removes immediatly my migrema headache... So!

[@daivashakti]

Śrī Robert, you are a genius. Your videos are great and your books are simply wonderful! Always learning from you. Praṇām and namaste. Please, stay bessed!

[@DKMKartha108]

Thank you for your advise / ideas on coffee consumption. I discovered it, so to speak, only 12 years ago, and I have been drinking two cups a week (every third day) with FANTASTIC enjoyment and specially ENERGETIC concentrated, creative work on the days I drink it! I know I am not addicted because occasionally I do not drink it on the third day, and nothing happens -- no withdrawal symptoms such as lethargy or headaches! I drink it with a bit of honey and milk and a slight garnishing by the following: a pinch of saffron / cardamom / nutmeg / cinnamon. I drink only one cup. One special thing that I have noticed: on my coffee day, I am so full of energy and I do not need my customary 45 minute afternoon nap. But the next day, I. do have to compensate for that "lost" nap. My deduction: the coffee makes the body forget / postpone its need for the nap, but then the body catches up the next day and re-claims that lost time of detoxification, relaxation, whatever. Based on my experience, I highly recommend moderate consumption of coffee as a mind-body stimulant. By the way, I use organically grown, freshly ground, light roasted coffee. (Source name not revealed to avoid being suspected of product endorsement.)

[@kristindamstetter]

Thanks Dr Svoboda! Lauren shared this with me and I already feel better about my relationship with coffee :) cheers!

[@jennifergalardi]

YES!!!! Thank you Dr. Robert. :) I take a little half caf in the morning with some warm non dairy milk, ghee or grass fed butter and coconut oil. For years I felt it was a 'bad thing' and I 'should be' off of it. But now, as you mentioned, I have come to learn it can actually be of benefit to me and is part of a calming, centering, and grounding morning ritual. Thank you for bringing a tantric perspective to something often vilified!

[@shivabreathes]

As a daily coffee drinker it is great to hear your opinions on the subject. I (guiltily) consume it with milk and sugar, but generally limit myself to one a day and only ever drink it in the mornings. I find drinking it in the afternoon or later gives me negative effects. All things in moderation... Namaste 🙏

[@TheyBenefit]

I can't focus on things I'm studying without coffee. I'm pitta-vata and I get heartburn and indigestion from nearly everything, so coffee has been reduced a lot in my diet. I'm way behind without it in my physical and mental development. If I push through it, I just feel like I'm gonna collapse from exhaustion or brain fog. I'm Cuban if it helps

[@arunjindal3045]

Well explained! Thank you for sharing..

[@cynthiacrumlish4683]

Also a big fan of the aero press and have one cup in the morning with ghee and cardamom. Delicious! I am wondering if the four week abstinence is done all at once or a week here, a week there. Cheers!

[@satchittaanand709]

Good Morning Dr.Robert....Thanks

[@iamleon777]

Thank you! 🙏

[@sooryaksugunan4177]

Dear sir you explained it very well . I have a question. Coffee is kashaya rasa and kashaya rasa is stambhana and if we add ghee or oil into that will it cause leena dosha or ama ?

[@narasimhabharadwaj9552]

According to ayurveda those whose body is vata & pitta should never touch coffee because they will have a drastic symptoms. Kapha people can drink coffee as the high ph levels in coffee balances the cough & phlegm in their body.

[@watchcitydog]

I found myself addicted to Coca-Cola and coffee as a substitute about 30 years ago. I dropped them both and never looked back. Then I had a similar relationship with Chai. I stopped Chai as well however I miss the Chai not the other 2. I was taught that coffee (caffeine) blocks nadis.

[@maryannc.4102]

Same here I was taught the same about the nadis..I have stomach problems so coffee is not in my diet anymore ..when i drink it I have that bitter bad feeling inside my gut..anyway I would like to know if coffe really affects the nadis as meat ad other intoxicants

[@jasonroberts2249]

I have to work hard to keep my vata under control, and coffee just wrecks me after a month or two of consuming it daily. Not to mention I become extremely addicted to it. For me I just need to avoid it period.

[@komyo8602]

I would love to see a five minutes about amaroli too , Sir .

[@RippleDrop.]

Could you do one tea?

[@dhunisacredfire1310]

Great video!!! I've been off coffee for over 5 months now due to a recommendation from my (western) doctor, because I suffer terribly from haemorrhoids! Dr. Robert, if you could shed some light on how Ayurveda views/deals with piles (and afflictions associated with piles, like fissures, abscesses, fistulas, all of which I suffer from) I would be so grateful!! My doctor wants me to get surgery to fix the fistula and piles in the next few months. I've already had (anal)abscess surgery. It's a mess down there! I'm a yoga practitioner and teacher of 20 years. I've read all your books and have gone to see you speak a few times. God bless...

[@ankontini]

Dhuni: Sacred Fire have you tried garlic? google ...

[@dhunisacredfire1310]

Garlic won't fix my problem. It's really bad/chronic! Piles gone wild!

[@vbnandu867]

Do you take curd rice? Curd (might be called yogurt in your parts) helps tummy with good bacteria to break down food properly. I could help you if you shared your daily diet here.

[@DrRobertSvoboda]

If you have access to any practitioner near you who can perform Kshara Sutra (or Kshar Sutra) therapy for your fistula, I would encourage you to go to him/her as that gives better results than surgery & is much less invasive. Sadly I do not personally know of any practitioners of this technique that I can suggest to you. May your nether parts quickly heal!

[@dhunisacredfire1310]

Thanks Dr. Robert! I've heard of this procedure. I live in British Columbia. Not sure if there's anyone out here providing this. And I'm guessing it's very expensive. I'll have a look around of course and give you an update when the opportunity comes. Jai Vimilananda!

[@sjonb2]

What's the point in using decaf, or beer without alcohol? It won't do what it's supposed to. I prefer fruitjuice or tea.

[@vedavrata]

Thank you, ji !

[@reedjones6739]

Well said.

[@letitflowkaren]

Coffee is definitely poison for me. I get irritated, I feel my heart beating faster and my stomach pains after a few days.

[@meikanprado6395]

Would honey be the same? I can drink coffee black but I find it more nourishing with some honey and oat milk. I'm tridoshic. Kapha imbalance.

[@Shanti_devi19]

Dear Meikan as per Ayurveda, heating honey is not recommended as it create toxins.

[@chrismelendez1082]

Have you ever tried coffee fruit (berries)?

[@chrismelendez1082]

Smells like prunes. Pleasant taste

[@palamol]

coffee is acidic to me , start symptoms of gerd but i started taking that in tablet with theanine , is it ok ????

[@samrata9551]

How to control kam asakti extreme kam veg

[@ngatihine6072]

Can a kapha body get slim?

[@sathya999]

Thank you for the valuable information, as usual. My Ayurvedic constitution is vata-pitta, and I was advised in India not to drink coffee (ever) and to even take a year off from tea. What can you say about those of us who are in a predominately vata state to consume coffee? I know you are saying we need to find out for ourselves, but it seems to me that vatas should not consume coffee. Thanks

[@DrRobertSvoboda]

Anyone who is in a predominately vata state should go off caffeine & all similar stimulants until a state of relative balance is first achieved and then held for several months. Thereafter, those who feel inspired to do so may wish to experiment with a small amount of coffee or tea (or mate or whatever), to discover whether any of those substances offer any good effects. If so, then there may be value in determining how much to consume at one time, and how often to do so (more than once a day is rarely beneficial; and any habit created should be regularly broken). Each individual will have a different response; I personally find tea (Camellia sinensis) to be more aggravating to my system than coffee, as (to my tongue) tea is more astringent and coffee more pungent, and I can handle the pungent taste better than the astringent ...

[@venkatathota9725]

I drink mine as first thing in the morning after 1.5 L water . with Whole milk (natural fats) , little cinnamon ( insulin sensitivity) , little turmeric (anti-inflammatory) . This gives time for stretches , getting ready. Break fast 1-2 hrs after coffee. Trying to avoid the 2nd coffee for that day. 2nd coffee seems like poisonous for me .

[@badboy46528]

Ring, my friend I said you'd call Doctor Robert :)

[@ciaran6309]

It's a stimulant, drains u of energy.

[@gurvinderjitsingh3575]

Ram

[@superfunkmonker]

svobodno druze

[@ciaran6309]

Coffee is toxic for me