The Six Tastes vs Macros
In modern nutrition, macros are an emphasized topic in nutrition. A single nutritionist may advise you to follow a certain ratio protocol while another health professional telling you to follow another. You need more fat…. you need more protein…. carbohydrates are most important… there are so many opinions, studies and general confusion on the topic. The constant fluctuation of which macro ratio is best, is caused by the fact the different people need different proportions and these ratios change constantly. One protocol may work for one person because it aligns with their current lifestyle and situation, but can also cause disease in another.
Ayurveda has a different approach that is entirely personalized to the individual based on their prakriti (constitution), lifestyle, geological location, satmya (what they’re habituated to), and imbalances. This approach uses the sadrasatmaka ahara or the six tastes of Ayurveda. These six classifications of tastes are sweet, sour, salty, bitter, astringent, and pungent.
In Ayurveda, rather than addressing diet macros, we understand how each of the six tastes has a profound effect on the body and mind. It is through consuming all six tastes in an appropriate proportion, that we can maintain balance in the mind, body, agni, dhatus and malas. How much of each taste is determined by many factors including; season, prakriti, geographical location, state of agni, state of health, and Satmya. There are some general practices that can be adopted for all people.
Ayurveda’s approach to nutrition refers to the taste of a food rather than the macros.
The action of each taste is due to it’s elemental composition.
There are 4 types of taste buds on the tongue which perceive sweet, sour, salty and bitter tastes. Sweet and salty are perceived at the tip of the tongue, while sour on the sides and bitter at the back of the tongue.
Pungent tastes irritate the mucus membranes and astringent tastes pull on the mucous membranes.
To maintain healthy tissues and a good balance of the doshas, all six tastes must be consumed in the appropriate proportion for each individual.
Sweet taste is what builds most of our tissues, so that should be consumed in the largest quantity.
How the Six Tastes Affect Each Dosha
Vata is increased by Bitter, Astringent and Pungent
Vata is pacified by Sweet, Sour, and Salty
Pitta is increased by Sour, Salty and Pungent
Pitta is pacified by Sweet, Bitter, and Astringent
Kapha is increased by Sweet, Sour, and Salty
Kapha is pacified by Bitter, Pungent, and Astringent.
Sweet Taste
Increases Kapha, and decreases Pitta and Vata
Strengthens all the dhatus (7 major tissues in the body)
Stimulates salivation, improves circulation, strengthens the heart, relieves thirst and heartburn, and increases milk production.
If used in excess, sweet taste can cause weak digestion, obesity, headache, cough and worms to name a few.
Examples of sweet foods: Complex carbs, grains, root vegetables, sweet fruits, sugar, honey, milk, cheese, oil, and meat.
Sour Taste
Increases Pitta and Kapha, decreases Vata
Stimulates acid secretions and hunger.
Helps digestions, circulation, reduces gas, and sharpens the senses.
If used in excess, it can cause vision defects, bleeding diseases, severe thirst, paleness, and itchiness.
Examples of sour foods: Limes, sour fruits, alcohol, vinegar, cheese and yogurt.
Salty Taste
Increases Pitta and Kapha, decreases Vata
Good for Deepana Pacana (strengthens, improves and kindles digestion.
Helps maintain electrolyte balance, a mild laxative, sedative, is calming for vata, and helps alleviate muscle spasms.
If used in excess, it can cause water retention and therefore weakened tissues, increased thirst and salivation, early graying or balding, and a decrease in ojas (the body’s primal vital energy which comes from all 7 tissues being nourished)
Examples of salty foods: All Salts: rock, sea, gypsums and black salts
Pungent Taste
Increases Pitta and Vata, decreases Kapha
Improves metabolism, digestion and absorption of nutrients.
Relieves congestion, relieves pain or muscle tension, increases body temperature, is very cleansing, dried wounds, kills worms, reduces excess fluids, and improves overall circulation.
If used in excess, it can cause excess thirst, fainting, weakness of the body, reduces semen, burning sensation and severe emaciation.
Examples of pungent foods: Jalapenos, ginger, black pepper, pippali, cloves, cayenne pepper, garlic, cloves, wasabi.
Astringent Taste
Reduces Pitta and Kapha, increases Vata
Constricts blood vessels, stops bleeding and flow.
Promotes healing, antidiuretic, antibiotic, antibacterial, haemostatic, constipating, drying, and improves the texture of skin.
If used in excess, it can cause obstruction and degeneration of tissues, gas, constipation, or convulsion.
Examples of astringent foods: The peel of fruit, unripe bananas, turmeric, pomegranate peel, goldenseal, leafy green vegetables, blueberries, cranberries and beans.
Bitter Taste
Reduces Pitta and Kapha, increases Vata
Good for anorexia, as it helps kindle hunger and digestion.
Purifies the blood, detoxifying, antibiotic, antiseptic, antihelmentic (destroys worms), antipyretic (reduces fever). It can also absorb excess fat, open up channels, purify breast milk, reduces body temperature, and sharpens the mind.
If used in excess, it depletes the tissues - especially the reproductive tissues. Bitter taste acts as a liver tonic, so it can also cause weakness or exhaustion if used excessively.
Examples of bitter foods: Goldenseal, leafy vegetables, neem, fenugreek, coffee, bitter melon, myrrh and black tea.
The Exceptions
Most sweet foods increase Kapha, except: old rice, barley, wheat, green gram and honey.
Most sour foods increase pitta except: Indian gooseberry and pomegranate.
Most salts can damage the eyes if consumed in excess except for himalayan pink salt.
Bitter and pungent tastes usually aggravate vata and are non-aphrodesiacs except: Guduci, sponge gourd, pippali, dry ginger and garlic.
Most astringent tastes are cold in potency and cause obstruction, except Haritaki (part of triphala).
In conclusion, understanding which taste an individual needs is influenced by many factors and can change with imbalances, seasonal changes, travel, lifestyle, health history and age.The simplest way to keep the integrity of your health and biological systems is to eat local and seasonal food. The earth provides you with what you need to eat in your environment for each season. One major cause of imbalance in the mind and body is seeking out foods and activities that don’t align with the current season.
