The 6 Flavours of Ayurveda

In Ayurveda, there are six tastes: Sweet, Sour, Salty, Pungent, Bitter and Astringent. Each of these tastes has a distinct effect on the body.

Depending on your constitution and the season, these effects can either contribute to or disturb your state of balance. Too much or too little of these foods can cause impurities in the body which can lead to poor health. Ayurvedic food focuses on the combination of flavours and foods so that we enjoy greater satisfaction and energy.

Ayurvedic 6 Tastes

An Ayurvedic Sample Platter:

Each taste of the six with examples and benefits.

TASTE	EXAMPLE OF FOOD	EFFECT
SWEET	Grains, Starch, Sugar, Honey, Fruit	Cooling, grounding, nourishing,strengthens, promotes longevity, great for gaining weight
SOUR	Berries, Citrus, Vinegar, Cheese, Yoghurt	Warming, Stimulates appetite, Grounding, Improves digestion, Improves elimination
SALTY	Soy Sauce, Table Salt, Sea Salt, Kelp, Seaweed	Grounding, Moistening, Promotes warmth, weight gain, water retention, Promotes proper electrolyte balance
PUNGENT	Chillies, Pepper, Cayenne	​Improves appetite, clears sinus, stimulates blood circulations, awakens the senses
BITTER	Kale, Romaine Lettuce, Beetroot, Broccoli, Brussell Sprouts	Cooling, calming, drying, cleanses the body
ASTRINGENT	Grapes, Green Apples, Dried Beans, Lentils, Figs, Tea	​Cools, slows digestion, drying, lightens body

How Taste Affects Type:

Depending on your constitution, each of these tastes - in sufficient quantity, can lead you to balance or imbalance. We’ve probably all noticed how different foods impact different people. The Ayurvedic diet is one of the few approaches to nutrition that goes into WHY different foods impact people in a variety of ways. It gives each constitution type an approach to modify their diet for their best health.

If you aren’t sure of your constitution, it’s a great idea to book an appointment with me so we can determine your Prakruti - or body constitution. Once you know your Dosha, you can reflect on your lifestyle, characteristics, and habits to gain some insight into your Ayurvedic constitution.

VATA:

Tastes to emphasize: sweet, sour, salty Tastes to include in moderation: astringent, bitter, pungent

PITTA:

Tastes to emphasize: sweet, bitter, astringent Tastes to include in moderation: sour, salty, pungent

KAPHA:

Tastes to emphasize: pungent, bitter, astringent Tastes to include in moderation: sweet, sour, salty

Beyond Counting Calories - Involving all Six Flavours:

Have you ever eaten a healthy meal only to feel completely unsatisfied at the end? How about a heavy meal that left you feeling tired and bloated?

Part of the idea behind balancing the six flavours is that it will help our brain process food in such a way that we’ll eat just the right amount.

When we eat, our brain is constantly working on the biological and mental processes. When we are hungry, our brain sends a message to our body. As we eat, the taste buds inform the brain what type of foods we’re eating.

When we don’t eat all six flavours, our brain thinks that we haven’t received an adequate amount of nutrition—most likely because we haven’t!

Eating Dinner

If your brain doesn’t think you have enough types of food, it signals your body to continue eating. If you are only eating one type of food, this will result in you eating more and more of it until you are gorged. Due to the fact the meal is not well-balanced, when you are finished, you won’t feel satisfied.

By eating all the six flavours, your body will signal you to eat the right amounts and you will actually feel full and satisfied.

It cannot be understated how important it is to actually combine all six flavours. Not only does this help signal our body to not overeat, but it also helps to ensure we’re getting a wide variety of foods in our diet. Given the differences in the nutritional makeup of all foods, the higher variety we have in our diets, the better our health.

Easy and Quick Sample Menus with a Twist:

With Ayurvedic food, incorporating all six flavours is a lot simpler than you may think. While you may need to put a little more thought into meal planning at first, you will see that a lot of staples naturally have all six flavours. Here are two sample menus - a Lunch and a Dinner with a Mediterranean twist, to give you an idea of what a meal with all six flavours looks like:

Lunch: Basil, Mozzarella & Tomato Sandwich

Sweet: Whole Grain Bread

Sour: Tomato

Salty: Mustard Pungent: Cheese Astringent: Sprouts, Basil

Bitter: Lettuce

Dinner: Pasta with Tomato Sauce

Sweet: Pasta Sour: Marinara Sauce

Salty: Table Salt

Pungent: Peppers Astringent: Basil and Bay Leaf Bitter: Spinach

Now that you have a general idea of how

Ayurveda approaches the six flavours, you’re well on your way to healthier, more satisfying meals. Do some research, book an appointment if you're not sure, and we go through things together.

Namaste

Anji