Astrology’s Take on Veg and Non-veg food

The three types of food

Astrology says that our food habits are related to the planets in our birth chart. Bhagavad Gita classifies food into three kinds - Sattvik, Rajasik and Tamasik. The effect of eating these different types of food is mentioned in the Scriptures. Food consists of sattva, raja and tama components. Sattvic food is juicy, durable and oily. It increases health, purity, strength, longevity and happiness. Rajasic food is sour, salty, hot, bitter and spicy. It gives sorrow, desire and diseases. Tamasic (intoxicating) is food which is left over, stored, dried, decomposed and bad-smelling. It lacks juices and cannot be digested properly.
Vegetarian food is more sattvik than non-vegetarian food, while non-vegetarian food is more tamasik in nature. Vegetarian food makes a person more spiritual while non-vegetarian food tends to obstruct a person’s spiritual practice. The food you eat indicates the weak planet in your birth chart.

Why non-veg food is tamasic

Food reflects one’s nature and thoughts. When we consume vegetarian food it increases one’s sattvik nature and purity which makes it easier to receive divine blessings. 'Sattvik' food reduces anger and creates positive thinking. Eating non-veg food is regarded as sinful in astrology because of the suffering the animal undergoes when it is killed. Vedic astrology holds that every living creature (plant, animal, or human) has been born because of their past karma and they have to perform spiritual practices to clear their karmic debts and get a better life next time or moksha. When we kill them, we shorten their chances to do "sadhana" and gain moksha. This is why non-vegetarian food is not allowed in astrology.

The planets and food

Mars’ nature is hot, red and spicy. It denotes blood and meat. If Mars exerts a negative influence and Moon (Mind) is weak, it creates in one a desire to eat meat. In Vedic Astrology, Jupiter is regarded as an auspicious planet which represents purity and spirituality. Jupiter is the lord of the 9th house representing luck or Bhagya. The person in whose birth chart Jupiter is positive or strong is advised to avoid non-vegetarian food. (Jupiter is considered as a Brahmin).

Astrology books also prohibit people from consuming tamasic food when undertaking certain remedies for malefic planets. For instance, the Lal Kitab, a book on astrology with result-oriented remedies, recommends avoiding non-veg food on such occasions. The basic principle behind this rule is that when performing such remedies, we try to appease planets which have malefic effects. During this time, we should be pure in heart and mind and hence sattvik food is recommended because the food we eat influences our thoughts and deeds.

All our sufferings are said to be the result of past karma, therefore eating sattvic food can improve your karma. This is borne out by logic too as a person who drinks too much may commit indiscretions and wicked acts under the influence of alcohol. Whatever blurs our sense of good and bad will increase our karmic debt which will lead to misfortune, whether in this birth or the next.
Hence, Vedic astrology is more inclined to recommend the consumption of vegetarian (sattvic) food as it is good for our karma which in turn plays a key role in the events that affect our life.