It's another late-night run to the kitchen for a snack. What is it this time? A chocolate chip cookie? A couple (or a lot) of potato chips? According to Ayurveda, what we crave coincides with what is going on in our consciousness. In simple terms, the ego has a craving, and we try to satisfy it with our taste buds.
The six specific tastes are sweet, salty, sour, pungent, bitter and astringent. The sanskrit names for the tastes are in parenthases.
Sweet (madura)= love
Included in this category are alchoholic beverages and narcotics, as a concetrated sweetness.
In moderation, it gives tissues the chance to be built.
In excess, sweetness leads to dullness and greed.
Salty (labina)=greed
The body holds onto salt, which adds excess water. It is easy to see the connection.
In moderation, it aids by increasing the digestive fire.
In excess, it leads to hastened aging, irritability, and a dehydrated body, yet holding excess water.
Sour (amla)= jealousy
Sour flavors provide alertness and give a refreshed feeling.
In moderation, it adds minerals to the body, and also aids with digestion.
In excess, it leads to increased envy, jealousy, and can cause irritability.
Pungent (katu)= anger
Coffee is a popular pungent staple of many diets. Pungent flavors stimulate awareness.
In moderation, it increases digestion and circulation, and helps to decrease weight.
In excess, it increases aggression and anger, and is known to dry vata and anger pitta.
Bitter (tikta)= sorrow
Common Ayurvedic examples are neem and dandelion. It is known as one of the best purifiers.
In moderation, it brings balance, decreases desire for and balances out sweets, and purifies the liver.
In excess, it has an over-cooling effect that can cause grief or depression.
Astringent (cashaya)= fear
Astringent flavors such as black tea, sprouts and cranberry can be very purifying.
In moderation, it acts as an anti-inflammitory, and decreases fear.
In excess, it causes fear and dryness.
If all of this was a little much to try and keep track of, stick with a few good tips to try and implement:
1. Sweet + Bitter = great combination. They help to balance each other out.
2. Bitter + Pungent = cleanses ama from the body. Ama is the cause of all sickness.
3. Bitter + Astringent = best for purifying the body.
and the hard one for me to follow...
4. Salty + Sweet = no good. The body creates different enzymes to digest food, and when two opposite ones are created, so they are counteracting themselves according to Ayurveda.
Most importantly, all of these flavors are needed in the body, in balance and moderation. The best Ayurvedic meals incorporate all six flavors in every meal. Listening to your body and seeing how it feels can often give clues as to what to add or subtract from your diet.
The six specific tastes are sweet, salty, sour, pungent, bitter and astringent. The sanskrit names for the tastes are in parenthases.
Sweet (madura)= love
Included in this category are alchoholic beverages and narcotics, as a concetrated sweetness.
In moderation, it gives tissues the chance to be built.
In excess, sweetness leads to dullness and greed.
Salty (labina)=greed
The body holds onto salt, which adds excess water. It is easy to see the connection.
In moderation, it aids by increasing the digestive fire.
In excess, it leads to hastened aging, irritability, and a dehydrated body, yet holding excess water.
Sour (amla)= jealousy
Sour flavors provide alertness and give a refreshed feeling.
In moderation, it adds minerals to the body, and also aids with digestion.
In excess, it leads to increased envy, jealousy, and can cause irritability.
Pungent (katu)= anger
Coffee is a popular pungent staple of many diets. Pungent flavors stimulate awareness.
In moderation, it increases digestion and circulation, and helps to decrease weight.
In excess, it increases aggression and anger, and is known to dry vata and anger pitta.
Bitter (tikta)= sorrow
Common Ayurvedic examples are neem and dandelion. It is known as one of the best purifiers.
In moderation, it brings balance, decreases desire for and balances out sweets, and purifies the liver.
In excess, it has an over-cooling effect that can cause grief or depression.
Astringent (cashaya)= fear
Astringent flavors such as black tea, sprouts and cranberry can be very purifying.
In moderation, it acts as an anti-inflammitory, and decreases fear.
In excess, it causes fear and dryness.
If all of this was a little much to try and keep track of, stick with a few good tips to try and implement:
1. Sweet + Bitter = great combination. They help to balance each other out.
2. Bitter + Pungent = cleanses ama from the body. Ama is the cause of all sickness.
3. Bitter + Astringent = best for purifying the body.
and the hard one for me to follow...
4. Salty + Sweet = no good. The body creates different enzymes to digest food, and when two opposite ones are created, so they are counteracting themselves according to Ayurveda.
Most importantly, all of these flavors are needed in the body, in balance and moderation. The best Ayurvedic meals incorporate all six flavors in every meal. Listening to your body and seeing how it feels can often give clues as to what to add or subtract from your diet.
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