Dietary Guidelines in Ayurveda and Modern Nutrition: Clinical Relevance, Public Health Implications, Challenges, and Future Prospects

Diet and nutrition play an essential role in maintaining health and preventing disease. Ayurveda regards Ahara (diet) as the foremost pillar of life, emphasizing qualitative principles such as digestive strength (Agni), seasonal variation (Ritu), and constitution (Prakriti). Modern nutrition, in contrast, is a science of quantitative adequacy defined through energy and nutrient requirements. This review examines the independent frameworks of dietary regulation in both Ayurveda and modern nutrition, focusing on their clinical relevance, public health implications, challenges, and future prospects. Ayurvedic dietetics highlights preventive health through behavioral and contextual dietary conduct, while modern guidelines emphasize standardized, evidence-based nutrient balance for populations. Despite distinct methodologies, both systems underline diet as the foundation of health promotion and disease prevention. Strengthening documentation, public awareness, and regulatory recognition may enhance the effectiveness of both traditions within their respective paradigms