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| Using the Six Tastes of Herbs to Determine a Formula - Page 3
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PUNGENT - The pungent taste is found in hot spices such as ginger or cayenne and contains abundant amounts of the elements fire and air. The pungent taste is heating, drying, stimulating, increases the metabolism, counteracts cold sensations and aids in digestion. Kaphas can use a generous amount of spices in their diets because they experience conditions that are generally damp, cool, and stagnant. The spicy taste can increase the metabolism up to 25%. Vatas can use some spice as it will warm them up, but they must use it with some caution because it is also drying. Vatas can best use spices with foods that are liquid, warm and oily such as soups or stews. Pittas are usually warm enough and may have problems with burning sensations so they do not need much pungent taste as it may aggravate them. People who are suffering from pitta conditions such as rashes or inflammation should not have the pungent taste as well.
SOUR - The sour taste contains the elements of earth and fire. The sour taste is thirst relieving, nourishing, dispels gas, and increases the bodily tissues. Sour is good for Vatas as it will warm, moisten and ground them. The sour taste is found in fermented foods and acidic fruits. Fermented foods are yogurt, miso, pickles, buttermilk and some sour fruits are lemons and sour grapes. Kaphas should not eat much of the sour taste as it will make them damper and pittas may become over heated or have burning sensations in the stomach and intestines by eating too much sour. It should be noted that bananas may taste sweet in the mouth but they have a post-digestive sour taste and thus may create burning sensations or aggravate ulcers which are a pitta condition.
BITTER - The bitter taste contains the elements of air and space. It is found in such herbs as gentian or goldenseal and foods such as dandelion greens and chard. The bitter taste is cooling, drying, detoxifying, reduces all bodily tissues, and creates lightness in the body and the mind. This taste will help kapha because it will lighten and dry up the bulk and water in the system. It is also good for the pitta dosha as it cools off the heat especially in their liver plus allays inflammation such as fevers. A vata person or a person with a vata condition should not have very many bitters in the diet because it will be too reducing and drying.
ASTRINGENT - The astringent taste is drying, stops excess discharges such as sweating and diarrhea, promotes the healing of tissues and makes the cells of the body firmer. The astringent taste is composed of the elements of air and earth. The drying effect of an astringent food or herb is similar to squeezing out a sponge. Let's say the sponge is bulky, wet and takes up a lot of room. When we squeeze it is dryer, more solid and takes up less area thus creating more space around it. The astringent taste is good for Kaphas because it will squeeze them out like the sponge. It is also good for Pittas because it will dry up excess acids and moisture. (Remember pitta is made up of the elements fire and water). The astringent herbs are good for healing wounds as well. Some foods with the astringent taste are cranberries, apples, and pomegranates. Some astringent herbs are oak bark, witch hazel and raspberry leaves.
As an exercise for understanding the six tastes, purchase some of the foods and herbs listed for each of the tastes. Experience the sensation of each of the tastes.
When I make up a formula I am looking at the whole person; their constitution, the imbalances that are occurring, the season of their life, and so forth. I am continually looking at the "qualities" that are being displayed. For example, is the person cold or hot, is the condition dry or damp , is the person deficient nutritionally or are there excesses? When the person eats their food are they eating while driving? Do they chew the food or just rush through the meal? Are they eating and working at the same time? After extensive questioning, listening and observing, I then make a formula based the whole pattern that has displayed itself, not just a single symptom.
I will choose my herbs based on the properties, tastes and thermal nature of the plants. These are my artist pallet. For the cold, dry, anxious person, the herbs that I will pick will have a sweet, grounding nourishing quality as well as work specifically as nervines, tonics, and demulcents. The salty taste may be added such as sea vegetables and possibly small amounts of the sour and pungent tastes as well. The sweet taste helps to nourish the deficient condition and add some earth / water to the person and the sour, salty will warm and moisten them. This formulation comes from an analytical as well as intuitive basis which is where the art of herbology comes in. Let's now take a look at some of the qualities that we will see in different people and what tastes will best harmonize them.
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