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| Using the Six Tastes of Herbs to Determine a Formula - Page 6
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AMOUNTS NEEDED
Sweet significant amounts are needed for all humors, food is predominantly sweet. More sweet taste for P, moderate for V, least for K. Sweet maintains tissue growth and development in V,P and K. This taste is most nutritive. Remember, Sweet is the taste that make us feel nurtured.
Salty small amounts are needed for all humors; more for V, moderate for P and less for K. Provides minerals and helps hold water but not nutritive in itself.
Sour moderate amounts are needed for each humor; more for V, moderate for K and less for P. Moderately nutritive.
Pungent needed in moderation for VPK; more for K, moderate for V and less for P. Slightly nutritive in some spicy vegetables like onions but is generally depleting.
Bitter small quantities are needed for each humor; more for P, moderate for K and less for V. Least nutritive or tasty.
Astringent moderate amounts are needed for VPK as a secondary food taste; more for P, moderate for K, and less for V. Some nutritive properties especially for the minerals such as in green vegetables which have astringent taste.
MEDICINAL USES OF THE TASTES
Bitter and astringent are commonly used for sever fevers, infections and traumatic injury. (goldenseal)
Pungent is used for stimulating our defensive reactions and breaking stagnation. (ginger)
Sour, salty and sweet have less medicinal values and are used for more long term tonification and slower therapies.
I hope this information gives you some ideas about how to use the whole "personality" of the plants in your formulas. The tastes have been used for thousands of years in Ayurvedic and Chinese herbal systems. I think it can find a value in the Modern Western herbalist's way of thinking as well.
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