India's ancient medicine system, which more of a way of living like yoga, prescribes six tastes which must be part of every meal. Eating the foods associated with each taste, in moderation, ensures the right amount of nourishment for the body, and promotes well-being. A closer look at these six tastes shows the remarkable similarity to food groups promoted today as part of the food plate.
The six tastes are sweet, sour salty, bitter, pungent, and astringent.
Sweet: Includes carbohydrates, sugars, fats, milk dates, pumpkin. Foods in this category are important for sustenance, and nourishment.
Sour: Important to cleanse the tissues and improve absorption of minerals. Fermented foods like yogurt, pickles are part of this taste. So are certain fruits like lemons, berries, grapefruit, tamarind etc.
Salty: Improves taste, lubricates tissues, improves digestion. Salt, and watery vegetables like zucchini, cucumber, tomatoes are saline.
Bitter: Detoxifies the organs, cleanses the liver, tones organs. Turmeric, dark leafy vegetables, lettuce, beets, aloe vera are foods in this category.
Pungent: Stimulates appetite, maintains metabolism and balance for the body. Garlic, ginger, asafoetida, peppers, spices (cardamom, fennel, black pepper) are part of this taste.
Astringent: Absorbds water, and heals by drying out the tissues. Some foods in this category are teas, legumes, green grapes, pomegranate are some foods in this category.
The six tastes are sweet, sour salty, bitter, pungent, and astringent.
Sweet: Includes carbohydrates, sugars, fats, milk dates, pumpkin. Foods in this category are important for sustenance, and nourishment.
Sour: Important to cleanse the tissues and improve absorption of minerals. Fermented foods like yogurt, pickles are part of this taste. So are certain fruits like lemons, berries, grapefruit, tamarind etc.
Salty: Improves taste, lubricates tissues, improves digestion. Salt, and watery vegetables like zucchini, cucumber, tomatoes are saline.
Bitter: Detoxifies the organs, cleanses the liver, tones organs. Turmeric, dark leafy vegetables, lettuce, beets, aloe vera are foods in this category.
Pungent: Stimulates appetite, maintains metabolism and balance for the body. Garlic, ginger, asafoetida, peppers, spices (cardamom, fennel, black pepper) are part of this taste.
Astringent: Absorbds water, and heals by drying out the tissues. Some foods in this category are teas, legumes, green grapes, pomegranate are some foods in this category.
