6 Essential Tastes in Ayurveda

Introduction

Six tastes are recognized in the practice of Ayurveda, each of which plays a vital role in our health, physiology and overall well-being. In Ayurveda, the six tastes are the key to understanding your Dosha Type (prakrti) and in understanding rasa or taste, you will be able to be your own healer– you’ll know how to eat for current imbalances (vikrti) as well as for the season (ritu).

The sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter and astringent tastes combine to create the diversity of flavours which we encounter on a daily basis

What is Ayurveda?

The practice of Ayurveda dates back thousands of years and is an ever-evolving, dynamic technique aimed at achieving total equilibrium, or balance, in the body, mind and soul.

What are the benefits of Ayurveda

The natural remedies, treatments and techniques used in ayurveda are all targeted at repairing the imbalances in the Doshas. The practice of ayurveda believes that once the three doshas are balanced, only then will you reach your optimal health.

When these 3 doshas are out of balance, the six tastes identified in ayurveda are known to aid in the reparation and restoration of the doshas– thus balancing them and restoring your overall health.

Ayurveda advises you to include each of these six tastes in your diet.

These six tastes will bring you into contact with the five elements, which is what the human body is composed of and these elements make up the entirety of mother nature as well.

6 Essential Tastes in Ayurveda     

1. Madhura (sweet)

Madhura, or the sweet taste we find in foods, consist of two elements: Earth and Water, which act on the thyroid and lungs.

The qualities of this taste are heavy, cooling and oily.

Madhura pacifies and balances the vata and pitta, but increases the kapha dosha.

This sweet taste is best sourced from naturally sweet foods such as figs, peaches, pears, apples and berries.

Foods such as honey, dates, maple syrup and licorice are too sweet for our doshas.

However, milk, rice and wheat are mildly sweet and may be incorporated in moderate quantities.

Ayurveda believes that sweet taste enhances Ojas, the vital essence of life. It nourishes all bodily tissues due to its anabolic properties.

If used properly, madhura can encourage the senses, is a source of strength, improves complexion, promotes healthy skin and hair and improves the melody of your voice. It also relieves thirst and burning sensations. It helps us emotionally by being grounding and comforting.

Too much of this taste can aggravate the kapha dosha, resulting in a cold, cough, congestion, heaviness, loss of appetite, laziness and obesity.

Over-indulgence may diminish the body’s healing capacity since madhura is the best medium for bacteria, fungi and parasites to grow.

2. Amla (sour)

The sour taste, amla, consists of Earth and Fire elements and acts on the lungs. Its qualities are liquid, light, heating and oily and thus, helps pacify vata and aggravates pitta and kapha.

Amla can be found in foods like sour cream, yoghurt, vinegar, cheese, citric fruits, kiwi, unripened mango, green grapes and fermented foods.

This sour taste aids in stimulating salivation, appetite and digestive juices, thus improving digestion. It enhances the senses and contains antispasmodic and antiflatulent properties

If consumed in large doses, amla creates inflammation, indigestion and skin rashes. It may even turn toxic in the blood and cause burning sensations, diarrhea, edema and dampened lungs.

In excess, it encourages judgement, criticism, jealousy and hate.

3. Lavana (salty)

Lavana consists of water and fire elements and this salty taste acts on the kidneys.

It has heating, heavy and oily properties. It is also hydrophilic in nature, pacifying and decreasing vata and increasing pitta and kapha.

Lavana can be found naturally in table salt, sea salt, rock salt, sesame salt, seaweed and tamari.

This taste has laxative, as well as antispasmodic and digestive properties– aiding in salivation, absorption and the elimination of waste. Its antiflatulent quality helps in removing gas from the colon.

Mineral rock salt (pink salt) is the least heating and most balancing because of its minerals.

When taken in moderation, it promotes growth, gives energy and maintains the electrolyte balance.  Salt improves the flavour of all foods.

In excess, lavana causes retention, thickening of the blood, narrowing of blood vessels, producing hypertension or high blood pressure. Too much salt can create edema, swelling, heat sensations, wrinkles, hair loss, ulcers, bleeding disorders and hyperacidity.

4. Katu (pungent)

Katu taste consists of air and fire elements and acts on the heart and stomach. It possesses light, drying and heating qualities. It aids in pacifying kapha, but aggravates pitta and vata.

Vata benefits from a moderate amount of katu, however, too much is ultimately drying to this dosha.

Foods such as hot peppers, cayenne, chilli pepper, black pepper, mustard, ginger, onion, radish and garlic all possess this pungent taste.

When used in moderation, it activates agni, improves digestion, absorption and cleanses the mouth. It helps in clearing the sinuses, liquifying the kapha dosha.

It promotes circulation, breaking up any blockages, scrapes fat and helps with elimination of waste.

It brings clarity, enthusiasm, vitality and vigour.  It helps the mind become sharp and focused.

When used excessively in our daily diet, it can kill sperm and ova, cause burning, fainting, hiccoughs and fatigue.  It aggravates pitta–causing diarrhea, heartburn and nausea.  It may even lead to peptic ulcers, colitis and skin conditions.  Too much pungent taste can lead to anger, violence, irritability, envy, jealousy and aggression. 

5. Tikta (bitter)

Tikta consists of air and ether elements and acts on the spleen, liver and pancreas

It possesses cool, light and airy qualities and calms pitta and kapha, but can also aggravate vata.

This bitter can be found in coffee, dark chocolate, dandelion root and leaves, turmeric, aloe vera, fenugreek, neem and bitter melon.

Tikta enhances all other tastes.

It is cooling, anti-inflammatory, anti-toxic, kills germs, laxative and is cleansing to the liver.  It stimulates digestion, relieves gas, and scrapes fat and toxins. It promotes detachment from temptation.

If consumed excessively, tikta can cause dryness, roughness, emaciation and can deplete the tissues in the body. It also inhibits sexual energy– which is beneficial to those practicing celibacy.

Too much bitter taste makes a person cynical and boring; leading to separation, isolation and loneliness.

6. Kshaya (astringent)

Kshaya consists of air and earth elements and acts on the colon. Its qualities are cool, dry and heavy–and pacifies pitta and kapha, but aggravates vata.

Foods that have a drying taste sensation are astringent – unripened banana, pomegranate, chickpeas and lentils, okra, turmeric, lotus seed, alfalfa sprouts and most raw vegetables.

Astringent taste improves absorption and binds the stool.  It is anti-inflammatory, a decongestant and anti-diarrheal.  It scrapes fat, promotes clotting and aids in healing ulcers. It is supportive and grounding, helping the mind to collect itself and organise.

In excess, it causes constipation, dryness, spasms and stagnation in circulation of the blood.  Too much of the astringent taste can cause the mind to be scattered– leading to insomnia, anxiety and nervousness.  There is also a rigid, fixed quality which can cause harshness.

Conclusion               

It is important to include these 6 tastes in our daily diet and routine–however, one must learn to enjoy these tastes in moderation and maintain the right balance to preserve the optimal function of the doshas.