Six tastes stimulates consciousness and tastes buds.

Ayurvedic philosophy classifies food into six tastes. The philosophy is not just about stimulating your taste buds...it is about stimulating your consciousness too.

Sweet taste

Sweet taste consequence derived of a combination of earth and water is moist, heavy, as well as cooling by nature. Sugary foods are usually linked with this taste in the west.

Sweet taste can also be found in milk as well as milk products. Other food it is found include grains such as rice, barley and wheat. Legumes such as lentils and beans , sweet fruits like mangoes and bananas as well as certain cooked vegetables (such as sweet potatoes, carrots and beets

Sweet taste typically increases moisture, weight and bulk our the body.

Sour Taste

Sour Taste consists of fire and earth. It is light, hot and also moist by nature. The taste is typically found in citrus type fruits such as limes and lemons, sour milk products such as cheese, sour cream and yogurt in addition to fermented substances which include wine, sauerkraut, vinegar, pickles and soy sauce.

Salty taste

Salty taste is comprised of water and fire and is heavy, hot and moist by nature. It can be found in rock salt and sea salt, kelp and seaweed and kelp.

Pungent taste

Pungent taste comes from Fire and Air elements. It is hot,light and dry. Pungent taste is the hottest taste of all six it can be found in vegetables like chili, onions, peppers, garlic as well as in spices such as black pepper, cayenne and ginger

Bitter taste

Bitter taste comprises of ether and air and is cooling and dry by nature. Bitter taste is found in leafy green vegetables like spinach, green cabbage and kale other vegetables include eggplant and zucchini. Additionally it is in herbs and spices such as fenugreek, turmeric and dandelion root and certain fruits like olives, grapefruits as well as bitter melon.

Astringent taste

Astringent taste is a combination of earth and air and is cooling and dry, cooling as well as heavy by nature.

It is most uncommon of the six tastes additionally it is found in beans and lentils, fruits including pomegranates, cranberries, dried fruit and pears.

Vegetables it is found include turnips, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus and artichoke. Grains it is found in include rye, quinoa and buckwheat, and herbs and spices like turmeric and marjoram.

In my opinion, this six taste philosophy is a good idea that anybody can incorporate into his or her own life.

Regardless if some one as a belief in Ayurvedic practices because all the food combined into our daily food intake makes for a balanced and healthy diet.

Back from six tastes to Ayurvedic medicine

Back to natural healing home page