CHAPTER
15

Taste Is Everything

In This Chapter

Many people believe they have to deprive themselves of flavor and taste to eat healthy, but Ayurveda states we must embrace them. Unlike modern diets that eliminate certain tastes, particularly sweet ones, the Ayurvedic diet calls for all six tastes in order to be nutritionally balanced.

Taste is much more than a delicious sensation in the mouth. The taste of a food tells you about its qualities, from the way it affects your body to how it impacts your mind. Sweet foods comfort while spicy pungent foods make you hot.

In this chapter, I explain what each of the six tastes are, the healthy and unhealthy foods you can find them in, and their effects on your mind and body.

How Taste Determines Nutrition

Ayurveda states that digestion begins the moment you put food in your mouth. Your mouth, including your tongue, lips, cheeks, roof of mouth, and even throat contains taste receptors, which signal to your body what enzymes are needed to break down your food. Just by tasting a food, your body knows what qualities the meal has. Genius, isn’t it?

Most of us probably can only think of three or four tastes off the top of our heads, but Ayurveda classifies six tastes. Can you guess what they are? Think of all the tastes you are familiar with.

Most people immediately guess sweet, then maybe salty or sour. Savory is another common guess, but it’s not actually a taste. Rather it’s just a term that means “full of flavor.” Likewise, spicy is not a taste but rather a flavor. Those who are more food savvy will guess bitter. In the Western world, people are taught that there are four tastes: sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. In fact, Plato and Aristotle both classified these four tastes, and modern scientists have agreed since. The Japanese have a fifth taste called umami, which is meaty and related to the amino acid L-glutamate.

In Ayurveda, the six tastes are called rasas: madhura (sweet), amla (sour), lavana (salty), tikta (bitter), katu (pungent), and kashaya (astringent).

Definition

The Sanskrit word rasa means “taste” as well as “juice,” “flavor,” “sap,” “essence,” “plasma,” and “experience” because a taste is all those things. A rasa is your very first experience ingesting a substance, the flavor inside your mouth.

Madhura (Sweet)

The sweet taste, called madhura, is delicious, nurturing, and as you’ve surely experienced, highly addictive. Eating something sweet can feel like coming home, which is why sweets are so comforting and fulfilling. The sweet taste is high in Kapha Dosha, related to earth and water elements. In small amounts, sweet foods make you satiated and calm, but if you eat too much, you’ll be left feeling heavy and uncomfortable.

Sweet foods are more than just sugar. Carbohydrates, including grains, fruit, bread, pasta, and starchy vegetables, are all considered sweet foods because they’re still digested as sugar in the body. Milk and cheese are in the sweet category as well because they promote the same building qualities in your body.

Sweet foods include the following:

  • Sweet fruits (bananas, mangoes, dates, figs, grapes, dried fruit)
  • Starchy vegetables (sweet potatoes, squash, beets, carrots)
  • Grains (rice, oats, couscous, barley)
  • Wheat products (breads, pastas, pastries)
  • Some dairy products (milks and cheeses)
  • Sweeteners (honey, maple syrup, sugar)

Sweet foods build your seven bodily tissues, or dhatus, (remember those from Chapter 14?)—plasma, bones, muscles, fat, nervous system, and reproductive system. However, too much can result in excess of the least favorite bodily tissue, fat. The sweet taste is necessary for energy, organ production, endurance, and sustenance.

Children are naturally attracted to sweet foods because they’re in the building Kapha stages of their lives, growing the bodies that will last them for their lifetime. Children gravitate toward candy, cake, and bread because their little bodies know they need something sweet to help them grow, even though simple carbs are not the best sources. Instead, they should consume naturally sweet foods like sweet potatoes and grains.

Wisdom of the Ages

Ever wondered how kids can live off sugar and still survive? It’s because they are in the Kapha building stages of their lives and their bodies naturally crave sweet foods. Instead of feeding them candy, give them nature’s candy: fruit.

Even though you are no longer in the building Kapha stage of your life, you need sweet foods in your diet, just in smaller amounts. The sweet taste is often vilified, but it actually has a lot of benefits. It increases moisture within your body, preventing dehydration and constipation. It soothes mucous membranes, balances hormones, relieves thirst, and increases saliva production. It’s also necessary for beautiful skin and hair and even your voice.

Vatas need sweet foods the most to add structure to their frail bodies and balance their low hormonal levels. They may feel foggy-headed without enough healthy carbs in their diets. Vatas don’t put on weight easily, requiring them to eat more sweet foods than the other Doshas to ensure they’re getting the calories and energy they require. They need to pay particular attention to maintaining enough fat and muscle to protect their structures from injury and bone disease.

Pittas also benefit from sweet foods because they are highly active and their bodies require a great deal of energy. Sweet foods, particularly fruit, hydrate their bodies and cool them down. The sweet taste also is calming—something Pittas could really benefit from. They should avoid refined sugar and stick to more natural sources.

Kaphas need the least amount of sweet foods, even though they often love them the most. According to Ayurveda, like increases like and the sweet taste further imbalances already sweet Kaphas. Sweet foods unfortunately attribute to weight gain, lethargy, diabetes, and heart disease in excess. If you are overweight, constantly tired or congested, it is best to lower your intake of sweet foods, even fruit, and include more of the other tastes.

Ayurvedic Alert

Got a sweet tooth? You need more of the other tastes! Consuming more bitter, pungent, sour, astringent, and salty foods helps counterbalance the craving. For example, if you eat a sweet breakfast every day, try a savory one instead. It may reduce your cravings for the rest of the day.

Each taste affects your mind, as well as your body. The sweet taste, in moderation, is good for your soul. When you eat sweet foods, you feel happy. When you deny yourself of anything sweet for long periods of time, you might feel lifeless. This is why many people on highly restrictive diets are left feeling bitter—it may be all the bitter foods in their diet!

A little bit of sweet goes a long way, promoting compassion, love, and joy. Too much sweet food, however, can lead to qualities of laziness, greed, possessiveness, or attachment. That is why when you eat sweets every day, it’s hard to let go—you literally have become attached to the substance!

To provide your body with its preferred source of energy, eat sweet foods every day from the right ingredients, like root vegetables, fresh fruit, and wholesome grains. That way, you don’t crave refined sugar, which provides your body with the least beneficial source of sweetness.

Amla (Sour)

The sour taste, also called amla, increases your earth and fire elements—a bit of Kapha and a bit of Pitta. This makes it the best choice for Vatas, who could benefit from both. In fact, they often crave it. Sour foods increase stomach acid, improve digestion, and reduce flatulence, all things Vatas could really use. They also nourish your organs, blood, and other bodily tissues.

Sour foods include the following:

Think of a lemon. Imagine biting into its sour juiciness. Now notice your mouth. Have you begun salivating? Just thinking about sour foods is enough to increase your saliva production.

Digestion begins in the mouth, and the more lubricated your mouth, the more easily your body can digest your food. The acidic quality in sour foods helps break down foods, making them easier for Vatas to digest. Sour foods are energizing, invigorating, and often high in vitamin C with antioxidant qualities, particularly citrus fruits. They improve circulation and help your body extract minerals from your food, such as iron.

Wisdom of the Ages

Your body naturally craves the foods that are good for you, which is why Vatas crave sour foods. Sour foods moisten the mouth, stimulate saliva flow, increase stomach acid, enhance digestion, reduce flatulence, and clear dryness from the body.

Sour tastes bring out Pitta qualities. On the positive side, they increase alertness, sharpness, and attention span. However, excess sour can result in judgment, criticism, jealousy, and hatred.

Pittas should avoid eating sour foods if they have excess heat or itching in the body. Also avoid eating sour foods in hot, damp Pitta weather. Limes, pomegranates, and amalaki (an Indian fruit), are sour foods that are fine for Pittas because they have cooling and anti-inflammatory properties. Pittas should avoid fermented foods because they can lead to an acidic pH and heartburn. Too much sour food causes acne, hyperacidity, excess thirst, fever, diarrhea, eczema, itching, psoriasis, and ulcers in Pittas.

Kaphas can eat sour foods in small amounts. Apple cider vinegar is the best option for them because it promotes weight loss. A bit of lemon, lime, or grapefruit should be fine, too. Kaphas should avoid sour dairy products, which causes imbalances. A bit of sour foods may help reduce congestion, but excess will dry their mucous membranes and actually cause more congestion and dampness in the lungs. This is why Ayurveda is all about finding your own unique balance.

Lavana (Salty)

Salty is the third Ayurvedic taste and another favorite of many. Salty, or lavana, is comprised of water and fire energy, making it particularly high in Pitta energy as well as some Kapha. It’s heat-inducing, oily, and heavy in nature. You require some salty tastes in your diet because it provides minerals, but too much can make you retain water.

Salty tastes include the following:

  • Salt, of course (sea salt, rock salt, table salt)
  • Seaweed
  • Tamari
  • Soy sauce
  • Miso
  • Celery (naturally high in sodium)

Salty foods are highly addictive because they enhance a food’s flavor. However, too much salt overpowers every other flavor, making the food unpalatable. It also can lead to water retention, bloat, and dehydration.

The salty taste is energizing, promoting digestion, absorption, nutrient assimilation, and elimination, all qualities of Pitta. A bit of salt is also good for the body, encouraging muscle growth, preventing stiffness, and moistening the body. Salt encourages electrolyte balance and provides essential minerals. Salt soothes the nervous system and combats depression and a lack of creativity. It liquefies mucus and enhances skin glow.

However, the salt found in packaged foods, restaurant meals, frozen dinners, and canned soups is table salt, which is void of these great properties. Table salt contains high amounts of sodium without any nutritional value, leading to blood thickening, narrowed blood vessels, and high blood pressure (hypertension). This is why people must reduce their salt intake as they age.

Wisdom of the Ages

The salty taste isn’t just in salt. Sea vegetables contain natural salts and minerals from the ocean. Fermented foods like tamari, soy sauce and miso are also high in salt content. Celery is a vegetable that is naturally sodium-rich.

Excess sodium also contributes to water retention, swelling, and puffiness, all qualities of Kapha. If you notice that your weight fluctuates greatly from the beginning to end of the day or your rings and jewelry are significantly tighter at night, try reducing your salt intake.

The reason you retain water with salt consumption is because salt actually dehydrates you. This causes your body to hold on to whatever water it can, making you heavier and puffier. You essentially turn into a walking water bottle!

The dehydration caused by excess salt is also a beauty disaster, attributing to wrinkles, baldness, gray hair, and dull skin. Excess salt wreaks havoc on your gastrointestinal tract, causing intestinal inflammation, ulcers, bleeding disorders, vomiting, and hyperacidity.

When it comes to salt, balance is key. It’s important you consume high-quality salt in your diet to ensure you’re getting the benefits. Try pink Himalayan sea salt, for example. Avoid table salt and packaged or frozen foods with excess sodium.

Wisdom of the Ages

A great way to be sure you get the salty taste without overdoing sodium is to eat foods naturally high in salt, such as sea vegetables, tamari, miso, and celery. These foods provide the minerals salt contains without the hypertension and swelling.

Katu (Pungent)

We don’t use the word pungent as much in the English language, but we still often consume pungent foods without knowing it. Spicy foods, onion, garlic, and radish are all pungent.

The pungent taste, called katu, is heating, sharp, drying, and light, containing fire and air elements, a combination of Pitta and Vata. The taste is best for Kaphas because it contains the two elements they lack. A bit of pungent food can be good for Vatas because it’s heating, but too much dries them out. Pittas should stay away from excess pungent foods because it overheats them.

Pungent foods include the following:

  • Onions
  • Garlic
  • Chiles
  • Radishes
  • Mustard
  • Black pepper, chili powder, cayenne
  • Ginger

If you’ve ever bit into a chile pepper and started sweating, that’s due to its pungency. Pungent foods promote sweating, detoxifying the system, and clearing out sinuses—another reason they’re great for Kaphas.

Pungent foods stimulate the digestive fire, promoting digestion, assimilation, circulation, nutrient absorption, and detoxification. It’s very common for cleanses to contain cayenne because of its metabolism-boosting qualities. Similarly, Ayurveda recommends spices for those seeking to lose weight, particularly Kaphas. Garlic is another great pungent ingredient to reduce candida yeast overgrowth and kill parasites.

The pungent taste brings out your Pitta qualities, both in a negative and positive way. If you are low in fire, pungent foods will make you sharper and more energized. However, if you have excess fire in your system, consuming pungent foods can make you irritable or angry. They also can cause physical Pitta imbalance symptoms such as hyperacidity, irritability, diarrhea, nausea, and ulcers. If you are high in Pitta energy already, it’s best to consume small amounts of pungent foods, such as ginger or a bit of garlic in your cooking, and steer clear of super-spicy dishes.

Tikta (Bitter)

This is a taste that few people love but more of us need. Bitter, or tikta, is comprised of air and ether elements, high in Vata qualities. Bitter foods are detoxifying, anti-inflammatory, and cleansing. They also cause lekhana, a scraping of fat and toxins from your body.

Bitter tastes include the following:

  • Leafy greens (kale, collard greens, dandelion greens)
  • Brussels sprouts
  • Zucchini
  • Eggplant
  • Bitter herbs (fenugreek, dill, neem)
  • Turmeric
  • Coffee
  • Cacao

Bitter foods are extremely beneficial for digestion, which is why many people consume digestive bitters to aid in the breakdown of their meals. Bitter foods cleanse the liver and are antibiotic, antiparasitic, and antiseptic. Bitter bites also reduce intestinal gas and water retention, making them ideal for detox.

All three Doshas benefit from bitter foods, but Vatas should be careful not to overdo them because they may be too cleansing. Bitter vegetables are great for Vatas if they’re paired with warming spices and oils, but extremely bitter herbs like neem and stimulants like coffee and cacao are not recommended for Vatas at all. Overconsumption of bitter tastes for already weak Vatas can reduce bone marrow and make them at risk for osteoporosis. Excess bitter tastes also can reduce sperm production. In fact, Indian yogis often consume bitter neem to promote celibacy, both from sex and material possessions.

Pittas benefit from certain bitter foods, such as leafy greens and vegetables, but not others like coffee and cacao. Bitter foods stimulate the digestive fire but are still dry and light enough for Pittas with low digestive fire. Pittas are most susceptible to toxicities, which bitter ingredients can resolve. They also relieve burning sensations and nausea. Bitter foods reduce congestion and promote weight loss, making them a great option for Kaphas as well.

Kaphas benefit most from the bitter taste and are the only Dosha who can handle small amounts of coffee. Bitter vegetables and herbs are particularly medicinal for Kapha types because they alleviate thirst, reduce swelling, and promote weight loss. Bitter foods are energizing and detoxifying, promoting lekhana in heavy Kapha types.

Wisdom of the Ages

Has a fight left you feeling bitter? You may actually taste it in your mouth. You might taste a bitter residue in your mouth when you feel particularly lonely, isolated, or rejected. That’s why you may crave sweets to help you get over it.

Kashaya (Astringent)

The last and least known of the six tastes is astringent. More than a taste, it’s an effect on the tongue. If you’ve ever eaten something that left a dry taste in your mouth or caused you to pucker, that’s astringent. The astringent taste, called kashaya, is used to describe dry, raw foods.

Astringent foods include the following:

  • Raw broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, brussels sprouts
  • Artichokes
  • Turnips
  • Green beans
  • Some legumes (chickpeas, yellow split peas)
  • Pomegranates
  • Cranberries
  • Unripe bananas
  • Turmeric (both bitter and astringent)

The astringent taste is cooling, drying, and heavy, comprised of air and earth elements, a bit of Vata and a bit of Kapha. Astringent foods are especially great for Pittas because they’re so cooling and grounding. Astringent foods help bind the stool and combat diarrhea. They also are anti-inflammatory and heal ulcers and blood clots, exactly what Pittas need.

The astringent taste is healing for Kaphas in moderation because it helps scrape fat from the system (lekhana). Because astringent foods are drying, they can help combat water retention and swelling as well as tighten tissues. If you’re a Kapha, just be sure you don’t overdo it, because astringent foods are still cool and heavy, which are two characteristics Kaphas already have.

Vatas should minimize astringent foods because they are extremely cooling and airy, which may be difficult for Vatas’ weak digestive systems to break down. Vatas do not do well with raw foods and have low blood pressure as it is, so excess astringent foods can make them weak and dizzy. However, small amounts of the astringent taste, especially turmeric and cooked astringent vegetables, are extremely healing. Include more astringent foods during the warm Pitta months, and reduce them in the colder Vata months.

Taste Chart

What Should You Eat?

You should try to consume all six tastes every day to maintain balance, but you also should eat less of the tastes that imbalance your Doshic constitution.

If your Vata is out of balance, causing bloating, gas, and constipation, reduce foods that increase Vata (bitter, pungent, and astringent) and consume more foods that decrease it (sweet, sour, and salty).

If your Pitta is out of balance, causing heartburn, overheating, and high blood pressure, reduce foods that increase Pitta (sour, salty, and pungent) and increase foods that reduce it (sweet, bitter, and astringent).

If your Kapha is out of balance, causing weight gain, mucus, and lethargy, reduce foods that further increase your Kapha (sweet, sour, and salty) and increase foods that reduce it (bitter, pungent, and astringent).

The six tastes allow you to understand the nutritional qualities of your food without worrying about calories or nutrients. It’s much easier to think about incorporating various tastes in your dishes than wondering whether you’ve gotten enough vitamin C or iodine in your meals. Tastes provide a delicious framework for healing your body that anyone can maintain.

The Least You Need to Know

  • Ayurveda recognizes six tastes: madhura (sweet), amla (sour), lavana (salty), tikta (bitter), katu (pungent), and kashaya (astringent).
  • Each taste has unique physical and mental effects on your body and your Dosha.
  • To be healthy, you must include all six tastes in your diet but in varying amounts depending on what your Dosha needs.
  • Vatas should favor sweet, sour, and salty foods and decrease pungent, bitter, and astringent tastes.
  • Pittas should favor sweet, bitter, and astringent tastes and reduce sour, salty, and pungent foods.
  • Kaphas should increase bitter, pungent, and astringent tastes and reduce sweet, sour, and salty ones.