The Ayurveda Experience Blog
There are six Tastes or Rasas in AYURVEDA: Sweet, Sour, Salty, Pungent, Bitter & Astringent.
Ayurveda has a unique approach to break down tastes scientifically, each having its own therapeutic effects and changing impacts on your Body; from the first taste to entering the body to being absorbed.
These Tastes originate from the five elements and transmit their properties. For a balanced diet Ayurveda recommends getting All of these flavors with every meal and adjust the amounts of each to your personal constitution.
Flavor to Keep your DOSHA in Balance –
VATA: PITTA: KAPHA:
– Sweet – Sweet – Bitter
– Sour – Astringent – Pungent
– Salty – Bitter – Astringent
– Warm food – Cool foods (not cold) – Warm, light foods
FOR KAPHA:
The tastes that are best for YOU are pungent, bitter, & astringent. Foods with these tastes can keep you balanced, uplifted & confident.
Pungent foods like onion, ginger, garlic, black pepper & mustard, stimulate the appetite, improve digestion & can help maintain a Healthy Body Weight.
Bitter foods, like rhubarb, melon, romaine lettuce, spinach & chard, turmeric root & fenugreek are considered to have properties which can promote Good Digestion & reduce Toxins.
Astringent foods, like cranberries, pomegranate, okra, parsley, saffron & basil are can remove excess water in the body, reduce swelling & promote general Healing of the Body
FOR PITTA:
The tastes that are best for you are sweet, bitter & astringent. Foods with these tastes can keep you balanced, cool & calm.
Sweet foods like peaches, sweet plums, grapes, melons, sweet potatoes, carrots & beets; milk & ghee; rice & wheat bread, basil & licorice root, are all cooling.
Bitter foods, like rhubarb, melon, romaine & radicchio lettuce, kale, chard, turmeric root & fenugreek, are considered to have properties which can reduce burning sensations in the body, cleanse the blood & Reduce Toxins.
Astringent foods, like cranberries, pomegranate, okra, parsley, saffron & basil can reduce fever, stop diarrhea & are considered to have anti inflammatory properties
FOR VATA:
The tastes that are best for you are sweet, sour & salty. Foods with these tastes can keep you balanced, grounded.
Sweet foods like peaches, sweet plums, grapes, melons, sweet potatoes, carrots & beets; milk, ghee, rice & wheat bread; basil & licorice root are cooling, but they contain water & earth qualities, so they can ground & moisturize dry, airy Vata.
Sour foods, like yogurt, sour cream, green grapes, lemon, hibiscus, rose hips, caraway, coriander & cloves are heating, but they also contain the earth element, which also helps ground Vata.
Salty foods, for example, sea salt, rock salt, & sea vegetables, are heating & must be used in moderation for All Body Types.
I try to keep vata pitta and kapha in balance but still sometimes get vulnerable to diseases.
Hi Ram, It may be possible that the third dosha Vata might be getting aggravated when you experience a ill health. Vat a is the strongest and can involve Kapha and Pitta also ina disease process. Next time please see an Ayurvedic practitioner near you to get a on spot assessment of dosha imbalance. Thanks for sharing with us and we hope you would keep us posted.