- The righteous who offer food to the Gods in sacrifice and eat the remnants are freed from all sins. But those who cook food to satisfy their own needs, are sinners and verily eat sin. (3.13)
- Beings are born of food, food is produced from rain, rain arises from yajna, yajna is born of action, action arises from Vedas, Vedas are born from the Imperishable Paramatma; therefore know that the Supreme Being is established in the yajna. (3.14 & 3.15)
- As the fire Vaishvānara I enter into the bodies of all living creatures, and mingling with the upward and downward breaths, I digest the four kinds of food. (15.14)
- O Arjuna! Verily, yoga is not for one who eats too much or who does not eat at all, nor for him who sleeps too much or who does not sleep at all. (6.16)
- For him who is moderate in food and recreation, moderate in exertion in all actions, moderate in sleep and wakefulness, yoga destroys all pain and suffering (caused by birth and death). (6.17)
- Even the food that is dear to all is of the three kinds. Likewise are the sacrifices, austerities, and gifts. Hear now the distinctions between them. (17.7)
- Food that promotes longevity, vitality, strength, health, pleasure, appetite, and that is succulent, oleaginous, substantial, and agreeable, is favoured by people endowed with sattva. (17.8)
- Food that is excessively bitter, sour, salty, hot, acrid, dry, and burning is liked by people endowed with rajas. It causes pain, grief, and disease. (17.9)
- And food that is ill cooked, tasteless, putrid, stale, unclean, and left over, is favoured by people endowed with tamas. (17.10)
- And that sacrifice which is not performed according to the scriptural rules, and in which no food is distributed, no hymns are chanted, and no fees paid, and which is devoid of faith, is said to be of the nature of tamas. (17.13)