In Jainism, food is based on ahimsa (non‑violence) and minimum harm to living beings.

I’ll keep it simple and divide it into:

1. Foods Jains generally EAT

These are for normal household (shravak) life, not monk level:

1. Vegetarian food only

- All kinds of non‑root vegetables (e.g. lauki, tindora, bhindi, parval, beans, peas, capsicum, etc.) - Fruits (banana, apple, mango, etc.) - Grains & cereals – wheat, rice, bajra, jowar, maize, etc. - Pulses & dals – moong, chana dal, urad, toor, masoor etc. (dry/old; not sprouted). - Nuts & seeds – almonds, cashew, pista, walnut, etc. (clean, insect‑free). - Dairy – milk, curd, ghee, butter, paneer (many modern Jains choose to reduce/avoid dairy due to himsa in dairy industry, but traditionally it is allowed). - Sugar, jaggery, oils (sesame, groundnut, sunflower, etc.) – when vegetarian and clean. - Simple Jain dishes like: - roti, rice, dal, sabzi (without onion‑garlic), - khichdi, upma, poha, etc. (made as per Jain rules).

More detailed explanation:

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2. Foods Jains generally AVOID (everyday)

1. All non‑veg

- No meat, fish, chicken, eggs, egg products.

1. Root / underground vegetables (kand‑mool)

- Potato, onion, garlic, carrot, beet, radish, sweet potato, yam, ginger, turmeric root, etc. - Reason: uprooting the plant kills it and disturbs many tiny lives in soil.

1. Honey

- Taking honey harms and often kills many bees.

1. Fermented / very high micro‑life foods

- Alcohol, wine, beer - Vinegar (most types) - Yeast‑breads, some cheeses - Idli–dosa batter, dhokla, other strongly fermented foods (many Jains avoid or limit).

1. Sprouts and very fresh pulses with “new life”

- Many Jains avoid sprouted grains/beans and very fresh, green pulses because they contain many living beings (anantkay).

1. Food after sunset

- Traditional Jains don’t eat after sunset to avoid killing small insects and due to more micro‑life in food at night.

Nice summary of “what not to eat”:

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3. Extra restrictions during special periods

(You can follow these more strictly in Chaturmas, Paryushan, big vrats, etc.)

• No green leafy vegetables (saag – palak, methi, coriander, etc.).
• No mushrooms, fungi, sprouts, fermented items.
• Very simple, limited items; often only one or two meals, boiled/filtered water only in daytime.

Details for Paryushan/Chaumasa:

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4. Small note on Digambar / Shwetambar differences

• Both accept: pure vegetarian, no eggs/meat/fish, strong focus on ahimsa.
• Both generally avoid root vegetables and honey.
• Differences are usually in strictness:

- In some areas, Shwetambar families are very strict on roots and greens; - Some Digambar families may be slightly different in practice, but the principle of minimum himsa is same.

• Monks of both traditions follow much stricter rules than householders.

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Simple guideline to remember

• If it comes from killing an animal → don’t eat.
• If it is underground/root → generally don’t eat.
• If it has many micro‑lives or fermentation → avoid or be very careful.
• Eat simple, freshly cooked, vegetarian food before sunset, with bhav of ahimsa and gratitude.