Nutrition

 We have briefly touched upon the topic of tastes, as they are related to the seasons. This may seem quite an unusual way to look at the seasons, but nonetheless, a useful one when considering health. To better understand the idea of taste from the Áyurvedic viewpoint, it needs to be examined more deeply. These insights offer an explanation of the role of tastes in healing. Unique to Áyurveda is a scientific breakdown of tastes, discussed accord- ing to energies or energetics. Áyurveda classifies herbs, foods, and drinks into five categories. Each has its own therapeutic effects:

1. Taste
2. Element (property)
3. Heating or cooling effect
4. Post-digestion effect (final taste after digestion)
5. Special properties

Taste: Is considered therapeutic for several rea- sons. The Sanskrit word for taste is “Rasa”. It means delight or essence, both of which are heal- ing. A nerve channel extends from the mouth into the head that brings the essence (one definition of taste) to the brain. This essence stimulates práòa, which in turn stimulates the agni or digestive fires. If the taste of the food is not pleasing, the gastric fires may not digest the food and one will not re- ceive proper nutrition. That is why Áyurvedic cooking is a science unto itself, blending the right amount of herbs for the right taste. In our society, we have mixed our sense of taste with unwhole- some (artificial) objects of food (one of the two fundamental causes of disease).

Element: Six tastes originate from the five ele- ments, transmitting their properties: sweet sour, salty, pungent, bitter, astringent. All tastes essen- tially belong to the water element, having their origin here. No food consists only of one taste; all five elements are contained in all substances. So when it is said that a food has a certain taste (e.g., sweet), it means predominantly that taste. Simi- larly, no illness is caused purely by one doßha.
However, when a doßha predominates, it is said that an illness is caused by that specific doßha.
 

Taste	Element	Food
sweet	earth/water	sugar, starches
sour	earth/fire	fermented, acids
salty	water/fire	salt, alkaline
pungent	fire/air	spicy, acrid, aromatic
bitter	ether/air	herbs
astringent	earth/air*	constricting quality with tannin

 

*Astringents can either aggravate or pacify Kapha due to its earth and air elements, respectively.
All persons need some of each of the six tastes in their daily diet. However, depending on one’s constitution, health condition, and the season, they will take varying amounts of the tastes to balance their doßha. The key is to have a moderate amount of each taste.
The benefits listed on the next page result from ingesting foods that develop these healing mea- sures. However, they relate primarily to the doßha(s) listed. If used by a doßha not listed, they will create excess.

 

 

Taste (Rasa)	Physical Effect	Mental Effect
sweet VP–	builds & strengthens tissues, life sap (ojas), bones complexion	contentment, pleasure
sour VK–	digestiveaid, dispels gas, nourishes, relieves thirst, satiates, helps circulation and elimination, strengthens heart, aids all tissues but reproductive, maintains acidity	wakens mind & senses
salty V–	softening, lubricates tissues, laxative, sedative, digestive aid, promotes sweating, purgative, emetic, softens hard tumors, decongests hard phlegm, maintains mineral balance, holdswater, improves taste	calms nerves, stops anxiety
pungent VK–	heals throat diseases and VK allergic rashes, skin diseases, counters water, grease, and fat; digestive aid, dispels gas, removes edema, improves taste, promotes sweat, improves metabolism and organic functions, breaks up stagnant blood or clots and other hard masses, clears channels, relieves nerve pain and muscle tension	opens mind and senses
bitter PK–	heals anorexia, thirst, skin diseases, fever, nausea, burnng, parasites, and bacteria; blood purifier, cleanses, detoxifies, reduces fat, tissue, and water excesses; antibiotic, antiseptic, digestive aid, cleanses breast milk, digests sugar and fat	clears senses and emotions
astringent PK–	stops bleeding and cleanses blood, sweat, diarrhea, heals skin and mucus membranes, prolapse, and ulcers; expectorant, diuretic, tightens tissues, dries moisture and fat	cools fiery minds and clears senses and emotions removes lethargy

V = Váyu, P = Pitta, K = Kapha, ‘-’ means reduces that doßha

Negative Effects Due To Excess

In the table below are the diseases that result from ingesting foods that create excesses in the doßhas. In excess, eventually any doßha will develop these ailments.

 

Taste (Rasa)	Physical Effect	Mental Effect
sweet K+	excess fat diseases; obesity, diabetes indigestion, malignant tumors, neck gland enlargement	Kapha: lethargy, Váyu: anxiety
sour P+	flabbiness, loss ofstrength, fever, thirst, blindness, itching, pallor, Pitta anemia, herpes, small pox	giddiness, anger, impatience, hot temper
salty PK+	hypertension,baldnes– s, gray hair, skin diseases, wrinkles, thirst, herpes, loss of strength, abscesses	anger, impatience, lethargy
pungent P+	thirst, depletion ofreproductive fluid and strength,f ainting, tremors, waist/back pain	anger, impatience
bitter V+	tissue depletion,Váyu diseases	anxiety, fear, insomnia
astringent V+	undigested foods, heart pain, thirst, emaciation, virilityloss, constipation, blocked channels	anxiety, worry, fear, insomnia

 
 

It is interesting that Áyurveda is not concerned with naming diseases. It determines illness accord- ing to the excesses and deficiencies of the elements or doßhas (air, fire, and water). When doßhas are

balanced, illness does not exist. From this point of view, one can see that by understanding the effects of the six tastes upon the doßhas, nutrition becomes an elemental and effective measure in maintain- ing the balance of health. The charts shown above also reveal how various diseases are seen to be di- rectly related to tastes and doßhas. Thus, by fol- lowing an appropriate food plan for one’s consti- tution, a person may maintain health and prevent future illness.

 

 

 

Energy (Vírya)

This energy causes the activation of tastes. Foods and drinks possess either cool or hot energy (in the body). Each taste has an associated energy.

 

Taste	Energy	Foods
sweet	cold	sugar
sour	acidic*/hot	yogurt, wine, pickles
salty	hot	table salt, seaweed
pungent	hot	hot peppers, chillies, wine
bitter	cold	alum, golden seal, neem
astringent	constricting	alum, oak bark

 

* Yogurt is sour, sweet, and heavy. Pure forms of the tastes will aggravate one’s doßha more easily than complex versions and thus should be used with care.

Aggravating	Pacifying
sugar	complex carbohydrates
table salt	sea weed
hot peppers (e.g., cayenne)	mild spices (e.g., cardamom)
alcohol	yogurt, sour fruit
pure bitters (e.g., goldenseal)	mild bitters (aloe gel)
pure astringents (strong tannins)	mild astringents (e.g., red raspberry)

 

 

Post Digestive (Vipáka)

Tastes may change at the end of the digestive process. This is due to the digestive agni fire juices in the alimentary tract (metabolism). For example, foods or liquids, initially sweet, develop an after– taste. This taste may be any of the six tastes. These after tastes also affect a person’s constitution. Be- low is the general determination of vipáka tastes (however there are always exceptions).

 

6 Tastes	Post-Digestive Taste
sweet, salty	becomes sweet
sour	remains sour
pungent, bitter, astringent	becomes pungent

 

[Throughout this text, the following abbreviations will occur; ‘V’ ‘P’ ‘K’ stands for Váyu, Pitta, and Kapha respectively. ‘-’ stands for reducing a doßha and ‘+’ means increasing a doßha]

 

 

 

Sweet VP- K+ (moist) promotes secretion of Kapha, semen, easy and comfortable gas, and helps the discharge of urine and feces. Produces saliva.

Emotions and Taste

Each of the six tastes produces or enhances a certain emotion when eaten. Thus, emotional dis- orders may be balanced by eating and avoiding foods according to their tastes.

 

Taste	Emotions	Excesses
sweet	desire	Kapha
sour	envy	Pitta
salty	greed	Kapha/Pitta
pungent	anger	Pitta
bitter	grief	Váyu
astringent	fear	Váyu

 

 
Doßhas, Nutrition, and the 6 Tastes

Váyu is balanced by supplementing with moist tastes, sweet, sour, and salty (balancing dryness), and some warm tastes as well. Pitta is balanced by using sweet (moist), and bitter and astringent (cool- ing) tastes. This helps counter heat-related illness (e.g., infection, rash, anger, impatience). Kapha diseases are removed by using sour and pungent tastes (i.e., they heat and burn up water). Bitter tastes, by causing a drying action, also reduce Kapha.

 

Sweet: Generally, food is sweet in taste, neutral in energy, and sweet in its post-digestive effect. It

decreases Váyu and Pitta, and increases Kapha. It nourishes and maintains humors, dhátus (tissues), and malas (wastes).

 

Sour: Examples of sour tastes include sour fruit, tomatoes, and pickled vegetables. All tissues are nourished by sour tastes—except reproductive tis- sue (of the sour tastes, only yogurt nourishes all tissues).

 

Salty: Seafood or condiment. In moderation, salt strengthens all tissues. When used in excess, it depletes tissues.

 

Pungent: Spices and spicy vegetables do not offer much nutrition, but they stimulate digestion.

 

Bitter: Such vegetables offer little nourishment. They are useful in clearing and cleansing diges- tive organs, and in aiding digestion, especially if taken before meals (for Pitta and Kapha doßhas).

 

Astringent: This is mainly a secondary taste. As- tringent foods, like green vegetables or unripe apples, provide minerals but do not build tissue.

 

Energy: Most foods are neutral in heating and cooling effects. To apply hot or cold therapeutics, appropriate spices and foods are eaten cooked or raw.

 

Heavy/Light: Most foods tend to be heavy, though many light foods also exist. Spices can make foods lighter. Oils can make them heavier.

 

Dry/Moist: Foods are also dry or moist. Eating dry foods or toast can increase dryness. Frying foods or adding liquids can increase moistness.

 

Special Properties: (Prabháva)

Herbs also have some subtler, more specific qualities, beyond their traditional rules and defini- tions. For example, basil, although a heating herb, reduces fever. Herbs with similar energies will have different special properties.

Certain external actions affect the herbs’ prabháva; mantras, gems, or just the intention or love imparted by the practitioner alters the herbs beyond the general classifications. For example, ámalakí (embellica officinalis) and barhal (a vari- ety of ficus bengalensis, linn.) both have the same taste, property, energy, and post-digestive taste. Yet ámalakí alleviates the doßhas and barhal aggra- vates the doßhas. Also til (sesame seeds) and madan (randia dumetorum, lamk.) have predominantly sweet, astringent, and bitter tastes. Both are oily and sticky. Yet, madan is an emetic, while sesame is not. Similarly, wearing specific stones like to- paz, ruby, sapphire, etc. can heal different diseases.

 

 

 

Dual Doßhas

It is simply a matter of balance. When doßhas are not in a balanced state, one has to increase the depleted doßha and/or decrease the aggravated doßha. When a person has a dual doßha (e.g., Váyu/ Pitta) they are advised to ingest foods and herbs that increase the third or deficient element (e.g., Kapha). Simultaneously, one reduces the intake of foods and herbs that increase the two excessive doßhas (e.g., Váyu and Pitta).

Foods affect the surface nutrition, while herbs aid the subtle nutrition. There also may be instances when one doßha is greatly excessive, and a second is mildly aggravated. Thus, proper consideration of the degree of derangement is necessary as well.

 

 

 

Tastes and Organs

Each of the six tastes also produces effects on each of the internal organs as well. Again, through ingesting the proper tastes, the health of the or– gans may be maintained.

 

 

 

 

Physiology of the 6 Tastes

Áyurveda says that each taste, when found in excess in the body will adversely affect certain organs in the body. This information is used as a cross-reference to the five-element view of health and balance, stated earlier.

 

Taste	Organ
Sweet	spleen (pancreas)
Sour	liver
Salty	kidneys
Pungent	lungs
Bitter	heart
Astringent	colon

 

 

Thus, Áyurveda offers a unique view of the energetics of taste: six tastes (the initial taste, its hot or cold energy, and its after taste), how tastes are related to the doßhas, organs, diseases, and emotions and their special properties. It is a com- plete science of the mechanics and energies of nutrition. Further, it reveals a causal relationship between food and health; how one feels is greatly decided by what one eats.

As discussed earlier, Áyurveda aims to remove the cause of an illness. Rather than ‘curing’ a spe- cific disease, this science addresses the balance of the whole individual. It always considers the three levels of health: body, mind, and external causes. This chapter has examined the Áyurvedic view of how the tastes and energies of foods play a direct role in creating health or illness.

Life habits (external) are considered another essential Áyurvedic healing measure when life style changes are gradually adapted. In the origi- nal Áyurvedic texts, people are cautioned to gradu- ally change their habits. Starting or stopping hab- its (even healthy ones) too suddenly, causes shock to the system. In the chapter on the seasons, a subtle seven-day transition period between seasons is noted and utilized to help people avoid disease during the shift. In the spiritual texts, we find simi- lar wisdom about the transition points at sunrise, noon, sunset, and midnight. It is suggested that these are points of weakness and that the person is better advised to spend these transitional times in

sádhaná (meditation). [Astrologically, the 1st, 8th,

15th, and 16th days, starting with the new and full moon cycle, are also transitional days best suited for sádhaná —or at least reduced activity.]

Even for a healing science that suggests veg– etarianism to those who are healthy, Áyurveda does not advise giving up meat “cold-turkey “ (no pun intended). Even if a food is bad for one’s constitu- tion (e.g., one’s favorite vegetables or desserts), or good for their doßha, gradual stopping and start- ing of any life habit is advised. Gentleness is the key. Similarly, if one too radically undertakes a detoxification program, one may experience un- comfortable cleansing, like diarrhea or excess tox- ins aggravating the body as they come out. Áyurveda has the unique position of offering a healing process that does not have to make one feel bad before feeling better; one needn’t feel punished for changing to a healthier way of life. Thus, healing becomes enjoyable. It makes life better, simpler, more natural, and it enhances spiri- tual growth as well. It may take some months be- fore a healing effect is felt. Making one or two changes for health, and consistently following them, is better than experimenting here and there without a foundation for growth and healing. The Áyurvedic motto is, “no pain – no pain.”

Also, people often look for quick healing— magic medicine that allows them to continue with their bad habits. In fact, illness is a sign (i.e., a teacher) that life is not being lived in balance. Herbs are a food supplement, not magic pills that instantly remove discomfort. Some people may be impa- tient with this ‘gradual’ lifestyle development, but it is enhanced lifestyle and not a quick, topical cure that Áyurveda achieves.

Chronic indigestion also needs a slow change. One week of kicharí (rice and beans) may be needed for those with severe conditions. Again, some people may be disinclined to make changes, but the alternatives (i.e., illnesses) are less pleas- ant. Eventually one finds a food plan that feels comfortable.

As discussed earlier, food essence rises through the channel to the brain, so it is crucial that whole- some foods are taken for its sattwic (pure) essence. Organic is also very good. Sattwic essence posi-

tively affects the mind. A completely Sattwic mind is the first stage of samádhi (Saibikalpa).