By Laura Loma and Liberty Elliot
Are you familiar with Rasa (Six Tastes) in Ayurveda?
In Ayurveda, Rasa is translated as tastes. Each rasa is made of two of the five elements known as Mahabhutas. These consist of Ether, Air, Fire, Water and Earth.
The six Rasas and their elements are:
● Sweet made up of Earth and Water
● Sour made up of Earth and Fire
● Salty made up of Water and Fire
● Pungent made up of Fire and Air
● Astringent made up of Air and Earth
● Bitter is made up of Air and water
Why is this Important to Know?
Ayurveda recommends a nourishing whole food diet such as fruits and vegetables that are full of Prana (life force energy) however, not all foods may be benefiting you, and perhaps they may be slowing down your Agni (digestive fire).
Your digestion is the best indicator in knowing what foods and their rasas are healing you or harming you. So ask yourself, do you find your digestion sluggish and dull? Or perhaps it’s sharp and explosive? Or is your digestion irregular and you tend towards constipation? Consuming the Rasa rich Foods best suited for you is key to a balanced digestion and overall health. Ayurveda recommends meals to offer the six tastes, this is called Shad Rasa which is most important to balance the digestive system. Considering any present digestive imbalance, you would consume more of some rasas than others.
Are You Aware of Rasa’s Additional Beneficial Properties?
Each taste offers impressive health benefits listed below:
Sweet Rasa consists of natural sweets offerings from Mother Earth. Such foods like whole wheat grains and rice. Fruit such as mango, banana, dates. Dairy such as buttermilk, yogurt and cream. Grounding root vegetables such as carrots, yams and sweet potatoes are known to build tissues, calms nerves, improves semen and nourishes sense of organs.
Hello my healthy minded friends! This is Liberty, sharing ways that we can create healthy habits in our diet and lifestyles that can bring balance into our lives and encourage a state of optimum health.
We have learned about the 5 great Elements- Ether, Air, Fire, Water and Earth and how everything we touch taste and see, including the foods we eat are made up of a unique composition and combination of these 5 Elements.
Today we dive deeper into this concept by exploring the 6 tastes, or Rasas as they are known in Ayurvedic vocabulary. They are- Sweet, Sour, Salty, Pungent, Bitter and Astringent. The six tastes relate to the Elements and they have specific effects on the bodily functions and tissues.
Sweet- this Rasa is made up of Earth and Water Elements. Sweet is calming for Vata and Pitta types, but may aggravate Kapha. Foods like natural sugars, Fruits such as mango6, ripe banana, dates and grains and carbohydrates as well as some dairy, milk and butter are sweet. Sweet foods have the ability to build and restore tissues in th body and they tend to have a calming effect.
Sour- this Rasa is made up of Earth and Fire Elements. It is balancing for Vata and may imbalance Kapha and Pitta types. Fruits like Citrus, fermented foods like yogurt and pickles and vinegar are sour. Sour flavored foods are have a cleansing effect on the body's tissue and enhance the ability to absorb minerals.
Salty- this flavor is made up of Fire and Water elements. Foods like Salt, minerals, Seaweed and salted snacks like nuts and chips are salty. Salty foods improve the taste of other foods and act as a natural lubricant bringing water element into the body's tissues.
Pungent- this Rasa is made up of Fire and Air elements. It is balancing for Kapha and may imbalance Vata and Pitta types. Spicy foods like Chili Peppers, Garlic, Cayenne and Black Pepper are pungent. Pungent foods stimulate digestive and metabolic functions in the body.
Bitter- this flavor or Rasa is made up of Space and Air elements. Bitter has a balancing effect for Kapha and Pitta but imbalances Vata type. Foods like dark leafy greens, Kale and Dandelion and some spices like Turmeric are bitter. Bitter flavored foods have a detoxifying effect and tend to lighten the body's tissues.
Astringent- this Rasa is a combination of Air and Earth elements. It is balancing for Pitta and Kapha and may aggravate Vata type. Vegetables such as legumes and some fruits like Pomegranate and Cranberries are astringent flavor. Astringent foods have natural diuretic properties, removing water from the body's tissues and drying out fats in the body.
In a healthy and balanced diet, all of the 6 flavors will be represented. By understanding the qualities of the 6 Rasa and and elements which they relate to, we can make proper food choices according to our individual Dosha type and current condition that can help us restore balance and maintain a state of optimum health.