How Food Becomes You: Understanding the 7 Dhatus in Ayurveda
TL;DR
Ayurveda understands the body as being built in seven tissue layers, called the dhatus.
These tissues are formed one after the other, starting with hydration and nourishment and ending with reproduction and immunity.
Digestion (Agni) is what transforms food into tissues — strong digestion supports all seven dhatus.
The food you eat today takes about 35 days to fully nourish all tissues.
Each dhatu has specific qualities, foods and lifestyle practices that support it.
When a tissue is undernourished, symptoms arise — not as a failure, but as feedback.
Supporting the right dhatu helps restore balance, resilience and long-term health.
As in yoga, Ayurveda works in layers.
Just when you think you understand the doshas, another level opens up underneath.
Many people stop at Vata, Pitta and Kapha — but Ayurveda goes much deeper than that.
Today, I want to introduce you to the dhatus — the seven tissue layers that quite literally build your body.
Why does this matter?
Because your energy, strength, immunity, hormones and resilience all depend on how well these tissues are nourished.
In Ayurveda, health isn’t about fixing symptoms. It’s about building strong foundations — layer by layer.
Which Dhatus are there?
The dhatus are formed one after the other, starting with nourishment and hydration, and ending with reproduction and immunity. Each layer depends on the quality of the one before it.
Let's have a look at the different dhatus:
Rasa – or blood plasma
Rakta – blood the red blood cells
Mamsa – muscle tissue
Meda – fat tissue
Asthi – bone tissue
Majja – nerve tissue
Shukra – reproductive tissue
The tissue layer is in the above order, from the most superficial towards the deepest reproductive tissue.
If you know the doshas and are wondering what the dhatus are about — and why they matter — this distinction brings clarity:
The doshas are dynamic forces — they move and govern function.
The dhatus are structural tissues — they form and sustain the body.
In other words, the doshas govern how the body functions, while the dhatus describe what the body is built from.
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The Dhatus and our Digestion
Wherever you look in terms of health in Ayurveda, it all hinges on our digestion.
The dhatus are built and nourished by our digestion. Our food must be digested so well that all dhatus are supplied equally. All dhatus are sustained in the above order.
As soon as nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream, they nourish rasa dhatu or blood plasma. We talk about blood in general, but Ayurveda distinguishes between two tissues:
rasa dhatu – the white translucent nourishing liquid, together with the lymph fluids
rakta dhatu – the red (rakta translates as red) blood cells.
Dhatu Agni - How Food becomes Your Body
Nourishment of all the dhatus is the job of the digestive fire or Agni (read more in the Agni blog post; find the link at the end of this post).
Each dhatu has its own Agni. It nourishes the dhatu and sends the leftovers, so to speak, on to the next dhatu. You can imagine how finely your food needs to be broken down so that every tissue receives the needed vital nutrients.
The food you eat today takes about 35 days to reach shukra dhatu, or your reproductive tissue, the last dhatu. Approximately five days are needed for each dhatu Agni to transform the absorbed nutrients within the dhatu, after which the precursor to the next dhatu is formed.
So, it takes rasa (white translucent blood tissue and lymph) Agni five days to create and nourish rasa dhatu and send the leftovers to rakta Agni so that rakta Agni can transform them into rakta dhatu, the red blood tissue, and so forth. One tissue after the other.
And when all tissues are nourished, what is left over after feeding shukra dhatu is our immunity! Quite precious, right?
This also illustrates the importance of a strong and healthy digestion and the impact if that's not the case, namely, leaving tissues undernourished or depleted and our immune system weak.
But it also demonstrates that the impact of the food that you eat today, nourishing or damaging, is felt in its whole in about five weeks.
Would you have thought that?
Let's have a look at which foods the Dhatus like.
Certain foods nourish all the dhatus, such as ghee, milk, almonds, dates, and the Ayurvedic nourishing jam Chyavanprash.
There are also specific foods which nourish each of the dhatus.
Rasa Dhatu — Blood Plasma · Hydration, nourishment and immunity
Its main job is to nourish and keep up our immunity. Rasa dhatu hydrates the body with its heavy, oily and cool nature. You might recognise these qualities from Kapha dosha. Therefore, rasa dhatu has an affinity with Kapha dosha.
You might remember that we must apply the opposite quality to stay balanced. We must use the same quality when we want to nourish and build. For example, rasa dhatu is heavy, oily and cool. To nourish, we need to eat food with the same quality. All foods with sweet and salty tastes are excellent for keeping rasa dhatu healthy and strong.
The ghee mentioned above and avocado, coconut oil, milk and yoghurt nourish the oily quality.
Root vegetables, grains, meat and nuts nourish the heavy quality.
Juicy sweet fruits, coconut water, seaweed, and salt maintain hydration.
Dehydration depletes rasa dhatu and its functions.
Excellent herbs for rasa dhatu are liquorice and Shatavari (Indian asparagus), but always check with an Ayurvedic practitioner before self-medicating 😊
Beneficial activities for rasa dhatu are:
Sufficient rest (a good start for any activity).
Oil self-massage (abhyanga).
Walking in nature and being out in the moonlight.
Rakta Dhatu — Red Blood Cells · Oxygen transport and vitality
The red blood cell part of the blood. Its function is to keep us alive by transporting oxygen to all the cells in the body.
The above process needs iron; hence, iron-rich food nourishes rakta dhatu, such as red meat, beetroot, red cabbage, raisins, currants, and cranberry juice. Remember, dates and Chyavanprash are also iron-rich.
Rakta dhatu's qualities are hot, sharp, and spicy, creating an affinity with Pitta dosha.
Hot, sharp, and intense stimulate the circulation and the oxygen supply. These qualities also promote the digestive fire of the liver, which is connected to the production of red blood cells.
Nourishing foods for rakta dhatu are chicken liver, beetroot, all leafy greens, dandelion leaves in particular, because of their bitter taste, but also the sour taste of lemons, limes, and grapefruits and fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi and kombucha.
Black pepper helps the pungency.
Beneficial herbs (again, check with an Ayurvedic practitioner) are trikatu, Amalaki, Guduchi and manjistha.
Suitable activities for rakta dhatu are walking in nature, Salute to the Sun, and gentle stretches and twists.
Mamsa Dhatu — Muscle Tissue · Strength, movement and stability
Our muscle tissue puts the meat on the bone, so to speak. Its function is to give physical strength and coordinate our movements.
Mamsa dhatu is heavy, stable and dense with an affinity to Kapha dosha because of the red colour also to Pitta dosha.
Good quality rakta dhatu energises the muscles and helps to build them. The best foods for mamsa dhatu are red meat, eggs, sesame seeds, almonds, and nuts.
Sweet food like sugar, wheat, milk, and ghee helps nourish mamsa dhatu but lacks the warm qualities of sesame seeds and almonds. You can add warming spices to make them beneficial for the muscle tissue. Without the spices, they will nourish the next one, meda, fat, tissue.
Beneficial herbs are rosemary, thyme, cloves and mint, as they support blood circulation and oxygen to the muscles.
Activities to nourish mamsa dhatu are all exercises which stimulate circulation. Salute to the Sun, Yoga, brisk walking, dancing, and cycling are great ways to build muscles, just enough to break a sweat. That's Ayurveda's gauge for sufficient exercise. Exhaustion and vigorous exercise can strain the muscles.
Mamsa dhatu loves warm oil massages!
Supporting herbs for mamsa dhatu are Bala (known for being a muscle tonic), and Ashwagandha also helps build muscle tissue. Both are more heating in nature, though, so if you already have excess heat in the body, Vidari, taken together with turmeric, might be a better option.
Meda Dhatu — Fat Tissue · Lubrication, insulation and resilience
The job of the fat tissue is to nourish, lubricate, and insulate your body. Your body needs fat; it is of utmost importance. If you have too much, though, it can create several health risks. So, you need to strike a balance here.
Meda's qualities are heavy, oily and dense, another tissue which has an affinity to Kapha dosha.
Like rasa dhatu ghee, coconut oil, avocado nourishes meda and oily fish, nuts and almonds. Avoid cheap oils and fried food, though, as they won't contribute to good quality meda dhatu.
Heavy foods like wheat, dairy and sugar nourish the heavy quality.
Bitter and sour tastes are also needed to cleanse the liver, which controls your fat metabolism. Foods like raw beets, dandelion leaves, lemon, lime, grapefruit and vinegar stimulate the release of bile and support healthy liver function.
In Ayurveda, meda dhatu has a close relationship to the adrenals. They share the same pathways. Stress can deplete meda dhatu, which in turn impacts other systems. Remember that the function of the fat tissue is lubrication and insulation. Those functions suffer if meda dhatu gets depleted by stress.
Herbs can be beneficial in this case. Ashwagandha, Shatavari and liquorice help nourish meda dhatu. Bitter herbs such as Guduchi and aloe vera are excellent.
So does gentle, restorative Yoga and walks in nature and good hydration. Fat tissue stores toxins. Yoga twists help to wring these toxins out of the liver, keeping the tissue healthy.
Asthi Dhatu — Bone Tissue · Structure, protection and support
Bones support the body and protect the organs. For example, your ribcage supports your vital organs, heart and lungs, and your skull protects your brain.
The qualities of asthi dhatu are heavy, stable, gross and dense. It has an affinity with both Kapha dosha because of the heavy, stable and gross attributes and Vata dosha, as the bones are porous and filled with space.
Mineral-rich foods and herbs are great for building asthi because the integrity of your bones depends on their mineral density. Your bones are your body's storehouse of calcium, phosphorus and magnesium minerals. 99% of the body's calcium is in the bones. So, salty seaweed, bone broth, milk, ghee, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, almonds, and dark leafy greens are good.
Heavy grains, such as wheat, rice, and root vegetables (also good sources of minerals), are bone-building.
Supportive herbs are Ashwagandha and Triphala.
Activities to support the bones are weight-bearing exercises, standing Yoga postures, walking, and good posture.
Majja Dhatu — Nerve Tissue · Communication, perception and coordination
The function of majja dhatu is all communication in the body, sensory perception, memory, learning, and movement coordination. Its movement-based nature gives affinity to Vata dosha.
Majja dhatu is nourished by sweat and salty taste. As mentioned above, ghee, almonds, dates, raisins, root vegetables, hot milk, sesame seeds, and walnuts are excellent for majja dhatu.
Spices like nutmeg and cardamom.
Try hot milk with ghee and garlic, yes, garlic. Heat up the milk, add ghee and a whole garlic clove. This is particularly soothing and helps you to a good night's sleep.
Staying warm calms the nervous system; this relates to your environment, food and drinks.
Self-oil massage (abhyanga) with warm sesame oil is an excellent nourishment for majja dhatu. The oil nourishes the myelin sheath, which insulates the nerves. With the skin being your largest organ and full of nerve endings, massages with warm oil are like a big, warm hug.
Nervine herbs such as Ashwagandha and Brahmi calm the nerves and encourage a deep sleep.
As majja dhatu connects to the senses, overestimation by excess screen use, particularly in the evening, makes falling asleep harder. Instead, doing some journaling, having a bath, reading a light-hearted book, and reflecting on the day is much more conducive to sleep.
Believe it or not, underusing your senses is equally misbalancing and weakens the tissue. Underusing would be being on autopilot with a lack of focus and attention.
The nerves are also soothed and nurtured by following a regular daily routine and by familiar surroundings, catching up with an old friend or a long walk with your favourite four-legged companion.
Shukra Dhatu — Reproductive Tissue · Rejuvenation, vitality and reproduction
The last tissue is called shukra dhatu. Shukra dhatus is the male reproductive tissue often used as a general umbrella word. The female reproductive tissue is called atarva dhatu.
It is nourished by sweet and salty tastes. Hence, whatever nourishes majja dhatu is also beneficial for shukra dhatu.
In particular, almonds support sperm building.
The mineral zinc is crucial for a healthy reproductive function. Good sources of zinc are seafood (oysters in particular), beef, eggs, pumpkin seeds, and nuts.
Ghee, coconut and olive oil ensure good quality hormones.
Stress challenges your reproductive health. When stress becomes chronic, the body prioritises survival over reproduction. In that case, they start borrowing sex hormones and transform them into stress hormones. Survival outranks reproduction.
Changes in the menstrual cycle are a warning sign to slow down and reassess your priorities.
Supporting herbs are Ashwagandha, renowned for helping the male reproductive system by rejuvenating shukra dhatu and increasing sperm count and motility.
The go-to herb for the female reproductive tissue is Shatavari. It helps to rebalance the menstrual cycle, helps with cramps and has estrogenic properties, which makes it handy during menopause. Shatavari grounds and calms the mind. Shatavari is excellent during breastfeeding.
Shatavari is not advised to use in case of fibroids, endometriosis and tumours, particularly related to atarva dhatu.
Liquorice is also beneficial in increasing semen count and general vitality.
Aloe vera contributes to atarva dhatu health and helps with heavy bleeding by taking heat from rakta dhatu (the red blood tissue). The cool and unctuous properties of aloe balance the hot and dry symptoms of menopause.
Final Thoughts
Knowing about the tissues enables you to identify which layer needs nourishment right now.
If you experience, for example, anaemia, you need to nourish rakta dhatu with the appropriate food items and activities.
If you feel all unsettled, you know how to calm and nourish majja dhatu.
Think of your body like a perfectly synchronised orchestra, where every section (or dhatu) plays a crucial role in creating a harmonious melody. Sometimes, these sections might need a bit of adjustment to maintain that harmony.
Pay attention and get familiar with your body’s orchestra. Recognise when a section (or aspect of your health) is off-key. A few intentional adjustments can bring it back into harmony.
Further Reading & Resources
If you'd like to go deeper into the Ayurvedic principles behind winter immunity, these posts are a great next step:
Understanding Agni (Digestive Fire)
Why digestion is the foundation of immunity — and how to strengthen it naturally.
Read here →
Ayurvedic Winter Immunity: Digestion, Rhythm and the Microbiome
How your body transforms food into tissues, energy and ultimately Ojas — your immune essence.
Read here →
Ayurvedic Eating with Anu Paavola
The conversation that inspired this post — exploring soil, the microbiome, local food, and joyful nourishment.
Listen or read →
5 Ayurvedic Tips & Home Remedies for Coughs, Colds & Immunity
Practical winter supports: spiced teas, herbal steams, warm drinks, and simple kitchen remedies to soothe symptoms and boost resilience.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the dhatus in Ayurveda?
The dhatus are the seven tissue layers that build and sustain the body according to Ayurveda. They are:
Rasa (plasma), Rakta (blood), Mamsa (muscle), Meda (fat), Asthi (bone), Majja (nerves) and Shukra (reproductive tissue).
How are the dhatus different from the doshas?
The doshas (Vata, Pitta and Kapha) are dynamic forces that govern how the body functions.
The dhatus are structural tissues — they describe what the body is physically built from.
Both are essential, but they describe different aspects of health.
Why does digestion matter so much for the dhatus?
Because all tissues are formed from digested food.
If digestion is weak or irregular, nutrients can’t be properly transformed and distributed, leaving tissues undernourished — even if the diet looks “healthy” on paper.
In Ayurveda, digestion is the foundation of tissue health and immunity.
How long does it take food to nourish the dhatus?
According to Ayurveda, it takes about 35 days for food to fully nourish all seven dhatus — roughly five days per tissue layer.
This means today’s food choices influence your health weeks from now, not just tomorrow.
Can one dhatu be weak while others are strong?
Yes — very often.
For example, someone may have strong muscles (mamsa dhatu) but a sensitive nervous system (majja dhatu), or good bone structure (asthi dhatu) but low immunity (rasa dhatu).
Ayurveda looks at which layer needs support right now, rather than treating everything the same way.
Do I need to memorise all the foods for each dhatu?
No — and you don’t need to.
This post is meant to give you orientation and understanding, not a checklist to follow perfectly.
You can always return to the written post when you want to look something up more closely.
Is this information relevant if I’m new to Ayurveda?
Absolutely.
Even if you’re just beginning, understanding the dhatus helps you see health as something that is built over time, not fixed quickly.
You don’t need to “do” anything perfectly — awareness alone is already supportive.
Do you find know the dhatus interesting? Maybe can relate to one or more of the dhatus already. Let me know. You can leave a message on Instagram, Facebook or even good old email.
I love hearing from you!
Katja x
P.S. Did you know that healthy eating habits also support the health of your dhatus?
