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FIVE FLAVORS
AND YOUR HEALTH
Article by herbalist Dave
Hawkins, MH, CNC
In traditional based systems
of natural medicine, the taste
of the foods or herbs you use have numerous effects on the
body. When I first began studying Ayurveda and Chinese
herbal medicine, the concept of taste was very fascinating
to me; and I wanted to share this with you. It is a known
fact that when you put food in your mouth, the sensation of
taste is then relayed to the brain. This in turn helps to
begin the digestive process and how your body will react.
The tongue is the organ that
allows this to happen. There are literally thousands of
receptors called taste buds on the surface of the tongue.
These receptors recognize the basic flavors of Sweet,
Salty, Bitter, and Sour.
These four tastes are
located in specific parts of the tongue. The front provides
the sweet taste, the sides near the front provide the sour
taste, the sides further back provide the salty taste, and
the back of the tongue or the root provides the bitter
taste.
In the West we usually only refer to the four
flavors, but in the Chinese system there are five flavors
(the extra taste being Pungent). The
Ayurvedic system recognizes six flavors (the extra
tastes include Pungent and Astringent). Let’s take a closer
look at the flavors and how they apply to better health.
Let’s begin
with our most favorite -- "Sweet."
This flavor is
attributed to the spleen, pancreas, and stomach. "Sweet" is
considered to be tonifying and
strengthening with cleansing properties. It is an energizer
and a relaxer at the same time.
Complex carbohydrates from whole grains are the center of
most traditional diets, and they provide a nutritive sweet
taste especially when chewed well. It is beneficial for the
nerves and the brain. This flavor aids the spleen and
stomach channels by enhancing digestion, improves mood, and
is said to be appropriate for the liver since it soothes
the excess liver emotions of anger and impatience.
Of course,
the
sweet taste can be over-used by too much refined sugars or
fruits without proper balance. Excess sweet can lead to
heartburn, gas, and stomach disorders. Some
beneficial
foods would be honey, rice syrup, whole grains, and root
vegetables (carrots, winter squash, and legumes).
"Salty" flavor
is attributed to the kidneys and bladder. This
flavor has a
centering effect, moistens excess dryness, improves
digestion, detoxifies the body, and has shown to soften
hardened lumps and stiffness. It has been used for
constipation, sore throat, and pyorrhea. It is associated
with the water element in Chinese theory, which is
attributed to kidney functions.
It is said to
fortify a weak heart, mind and improve concentration. Salt
helps to maintain proper fluid balance, and it nourishes
the adrenal glands. Of course, we know that excess salt has
negative effects on the body. Elevated blood pressure can
result as well as water retention. The quality of salt is
important. Be sure to use sea salt or use seaweed for your
daily salt requirement.
"Sour" is
attributed to the liver and gall bladder.The Sour flavor
is most active in the liver. It counteracts the excess use
of greasy foods and functions as a solvent by breaking fat
and protein down. It helps to dissolve minerals and
strengthens weak lungs. Sour is also an astringent in that
it tightens tissues and firms them.
Sour herbs and foods
help diarrhea and can stop bleeding.
Black and green
tea is considered sour because they are astringent. Of
course, lemons, limes, and vinegar are our predominant sour
substances. Sour is very beneficial for eliminating excess
mucus. Unripe fruits and foods like pickles and sauerkraut
fall into this category.
"Bitter" is
attributed to the heart and small intestines. The
Bitter
flavor is cooling, drying, detoxifying, and
anti-inflammatory. It stimulates digestion and bile release
from the liver, thus aiding in constipation. It helps
protect us from bacteria and parasites and aids in
cholesterol management. It is said to strengthen the heart,
can lower fevers, and help eliminate mucus accumulations.
Bitters have
been used by many cultures, especially after a meal because
they aid digestion. These consist of extracts of dandelion
root, artichoke, gentian root, chamomile, and a variety of
others. Bitter foods would include romaine lettuce,
alfalfa, turnips, and mustard.
"Pungent or
Spicy" is attributed to the lungs and large intestines.
This flavor stimulates digestion, disperses mucus
especially during a cold or flu, helps to bring the blood
to the surface of the skin, and causes sweating. It has the
ability to disperse stagnant blood, increases energy and
aids the lungs by clearing mucus. Some of the foods and
herbs used would include: Cayenne pepper, black pepper,
ginger, cinnamon, horseradish, onions, caraway, coriander,
cumin, basil, oregano, and mints.
In the
traditional systems mentioned above, they state it is
important to get each flavor every day to maintain a
healthy balance. Of course, each flavor has an excess
quality if we overdue them. These are just some basic
guidelines to help you pay more attention to what you are
eating. When one suffers from a specifichealth
condition, certain flavors can be beneficial to that
condition.
It is important
that you do more in depth research if this approach is
appealing to you. There are numerous sources for study. The
following sources are two good choices and will give you
more detail than this article:
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