The Six Tastes
(This is an excerpt from a University Of Metaphysical Sciences course at www.umsonline.org,
please feel free to visit the school website)
Sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter and astringent are the six magical tastes that give us the clues as to what five great elements that exist in the food we eat. According to Ayurveda, nature guides us toward the foods that it wants us to have according to the way things taste. If nature only wanted us to have a little of something it gave the food a bitter taste, like kale. Sweet is easier on the pallet and so those foods are seen as very nurturing foods. All these tastes are made up of a combination of the elements, just as we are, and so have influence on the doshas and their balance within us.
Sweet consists of the elements of earth and water. So, as you might think, sweet tastes increase the kapha dosha in the body. Sweet builds bulk; it’s very nurturing and soothing. It softens and calms. Some sweet foods are meats, fats, bread, pasta, grains, fruit, milk, potatoes and sweeteners (except for honey which is thought of as astringent and aggravating to pitta).
Sour has earth and fire elements and tends to affect both kapha and pitta. Sour increases appetite, stimulating and promoting digestive fire. It is also helpful in decreasing gas in the body. Derived from naturally occurring acids, foods such as yogurt, chutney, tomatoes, vinegar, cabbage, and citrus all have the sour taste.
Salty has water and fire, influencing kapha and pitta as well. It has a laxative and sedative effect. Pickles, chips and any food that contains salt have these influences.
Pungent is fire and air, increasing pitta and vata. These components aid digestion, and warm the body to detoxify and cause excretion. Eating spicy food causes the body to sweat and the nose may run. Carried by essential oils, spices such as pepper, chilies, mustard, clove, ginger, and garlic are all pungent. Radish is a pungent food.
Bitter is air and space, increasing the vata dosha. Thought of as depleting to the system, this taste is recommended for people trying to lose weight and rid the system of toxins. New discoveries are being made in food science supporting the amazing health effects of the alkaloids found in bitter foods. Bitter taste is carried in mostly green leafy vegetables, but also zucchini and eggplant. Bitter herbs such as turmeric and fenugreek are used for detoxification and as anti-inflammatory.
Astringent tastes have air and earth, but are found to increase vata and decrease kapha because the air influence is so strong. Black teas, cranberries, walnuts, cashews, hazelnuts, sprouts, apples, lettuce, pomegranates, berries and legumes are thought of as having compacting effects. They are binding and cause constipation. Often the astringent taste is the result of tannins in the food.
The basic concept of the Ayurveda diet is that we should include each of these tastes in every meal to maintain a balanced system. Although it may seem overwhelming at first, some foods contain more than one flavor. With a little practice it can be very easy to fulfill the need for each taste.
When the doshas are balanced a person should naturally lean toward the flavors that are keeping the health in check. As a result of imbalance, the intellect can tend to make mistakes by following cravings of the irritated dosha, causing even further aggravation. For example, when kapha is aggravated, he or she may crave doughnuts. However, what is really needed is a light, spicy meal. The chart below shows what may pacify or irritate the doshas. Notice that vata and kapha are exact opposites.
Increase/Aggravates, Decrease/Balances
Vata: Pungent, Bitter, Astringent, Sweet, Sour, Salty
Pitta: Pungent, Sour, Salty, Sweet, Bitter, Astringent
Kapha: Sweet, Sour, Salty, Pungent, Bitter, Astringent
What are some of the clues to imbalance? The following information is the body’s way of letting us know what it needs. Although there may be discomfort and cravings, it is important to listen and pay attention to the messages the body sends so we can take the right actions for relief.
Vata gets out of balance with emotional stress. Vata type people tend to be sensitive to distinct changes in sleep, eating, thirst, exercise and sex. A fall, deep injury or fasting diet tends to agitate vata. The signals that vata is out of whack is when someone finds themselves anxious, sleepless, constipated and losing weight. When vata is out of balance they tend to be emotional and indecisive with accompanying symptoms of chills, cramps and pain.
To calm a vata imbalance, keep warm and avoid stimulants. Regain control with daily routine and eat more warm, oily, heavy, sweet, sour, and salty food. Make sure to avoid raw, light, dry, cold, bitter and astringent food. Spices to pacify vata include cumin, fennel, ginger, cardamom, and cinnamon.
Pitta imbalances are observed by anger, sarcasm, bossiness and irritability. Induced by over exposure to the sun, sour food, work, deadlines, lack of food, and frustrating situations, pitta agitation can also be diagnosed by fever, yellowish complexion, skin inflammations, and upset digestion. A person might also feel soreness, heartburn, ulcers and hot flashes with pitta imbalance.
To reduce pitta, use cooling spices and foods such as coriander, fennel, cardamom, asparagus, potatoes, celery, and cucumber. Take time for yourself to have cool baths, eat on time and drink plenty of water. Avoid hot weather and food.
Kapha out of balance is experienced when these normally strong affectionate people have feelings of fullness, loose joints, lack of desire, reoccurring respiratory or sinus problems, and excess weight. A person might complain of joint pain, lethargy, and excess fluids. This aggravation is most often caused by depression, excess sleep and heavy, oily foods.
To pacify the kapha irritation a person should wake before 6 a.m., get moderate exercise, give himself or herself a daily warm massage and eat light, dry, warm, stimulating foods with pungent, bitter and astringent tastes. Kapha is especially balanced with hot spices that flush mucus and detoxify the system such as black pepper, cayenne, cinnamon, clove and ginger.