In the science of Ayurveda, food is a major factor in our well-being, not only what we eat, but also how we eat and prepare our food. This approach is different than Western thinking, where we typically focus on calories, macro-nutrients (fat, protein, carbohydrates), and micro-nutrients (vitamin and mineral content). In Ayurveda, we use the subtle qualities of foods to bring balance to our bodies and to our minds and energies. If we eat in balance with the seasons and our personal constitutions, or doshas, our bodies will have the ability to digest and assimilate the foods we eat, and we will receive all of the necessary vitamins and minerals from food. Our systems will be able to efficiently eliminate the waste products. When our systems are balanced, we will not crave unhealthy foods or have the urge to overeat.

Ayurveda nutritional guidance is both simple and complicated. It varies from person to person and from season to season. A good place to start, to help provide balance for everyone, is to include the six Ayurveda tastes, or flavors, in each meal. Each taste brings with it certain qualities. If we favor certain tastes, those qualities will have more influence on us than those we do not include. By including all six tastes in our diet, we include all of the properties of those foods, each one providing balance to the others. We add enjoyment and satisfaction through the experience of the different flavors and textures of food, which connect to our experience of the flavors and textures of life.

If you know your personal constitution, or dosha, or you have consulted with an Ayurvedic consultant, you can use the six tastes to create an even more personalized experience of balance by favoring those that balance your dominant dosha and minimizing those that aggravate it.

Begin by exploring and experimenting with the six tastes and notice how they affect you. You may see changes, not only in your appetite and digestion, but also in your state of mind, emotional state, sleep patterns, energy level, and more.

The six tastes are:

Sweet

Benefits: grounding and nourishing
Examples: eggs, rice, milk, root vegetables, all sweet fruits, garbanzo beans, red lentils, mung beans, navy beans, tofu, almonds, cashews, coconut, pumpkin seeds, beef, salmon, pork, all sweeteners, basil, cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, fennel, mint, nutmeg, saffron, tarragon, vanilla

Salty

Benefits: stimulates digestion, adds taste to food, in moderate amounts it balances electrolytes

Examples: added salt, seaweed, fish and seafood, celery, cottage cheese, soy sauce

Sour

Benefits: stimulates appetite, improves digestion, assimilation, and elimination

Examples: tomatoes, lemon, lime, garlic, grapefruit, raisins fermented foods - pickles, sauerkraut, alcohol, vinegar, sour cream, sourdough bread, yogurt

Pungent

Benefits: stimulates appetite and digestion, clears sinuses, stimulates circulation
Examples: buckwheat, spelt, onion, garlic, kohlrabi, radish, turnips, mustard greens, ginger, mustard, chilies, most spices

Bitter

Benefits: drying ,detoxifying to both body and mind, stimulates production of bile, increases metabolism, resets taste buds and reduces food cravings
Examples: bitter melon, burdock root, leafy greens (kale, collards, dandelion greens), eggplant, Jerusalem artichoke, zucchini, olives, sesame seeds & oil, coffee, green and black teas, dark chocolate, cumin, dill, fenugreek, saffron, turmeric

Astringent

Benefits: cooling and drying, dries up mucus, can help emotions to “cool off”
Examples: green grapes, pomegranate, garbanzo beans, parsley, wheat pasta, rye, quinoa, apples, cranberries, avocado, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, green beans, potatoes, most beans, chicken (white meat) caraway, dill, coriander, fennel, marjoram, nutmeg, oregano, parsley, poppy seeds, rosemary, saffron, turmeric, vanilla

*Note: This is not a complete list, and most foods fit into more than one category.

It may seem daunting to try to incorporate all six tastes into your meals. Don’t be intimidated. Even small changes will have an impact. Following are some ideas for how to incorporate the six tastes into your meals:

Start with a favorite recipe. Examine which tastes are already in the recipe. Are there ingredient swaps you can make to bring in some of the other tastes, or can you bring them in with a side dish? Following is an example of how a common recipe can be modified to incorporate the six tastes of Ayurveda. Even though it does not adhere to other Ayurvedic dietary principles, the modifications to include the six tastes make this a more balanced, satisfying, and nourishing meal than the original.

An example: Basic Tacos

Flour tortillas or corn taco shells– (sweet)
Ground beef (sweet)
Shredded cheddar cheese (salty)
Sour cream (salty / sour)
Lettuce (sweet / bitter)
Salsa (pungent / sour)

With just a few modifications to this classic recipe, we can incorporate all six tastes.

Six-Taste Tacos

Flour tortillas or corn taco shells– (sweet)
Add black beans (astringent) instead of the ground beef (sweet)
Cheese (salty) and sour cream (sour)
Replace lettuce with kale, cabbage, and radish slaw
- Thinly sliced kale (bitter), cabbage (astringent), and radishes (pungent)
- Toss with lime juice (sour), cumin (bitter), and chili powder (pungent).
Salsa (pungent/sour)
Diced avocado (astringent)

Build A Six-Tastes Bowl

Choose ingredients from each of the categories below to build your bowl:

Base (sweet): cooked grains or roasted root vegetables (sweet)
- Examples: rice, barley, quinoa, sweet potato, beet, squash, carrot, corn
Plant protein (astringent): beans, legumes, lentils, nuts or seeds
Veggies (bitter): choose brightly colored veggies, leafy greens, or cruciferous vegetables.
Spices (pungent): onion, garlic, fresh or dried spices
Dressing: (choose one from each category)
- olive oil, avocado oil, sesame oil (sweet)
- lemon juice, lime juice, vinegar (sour)
- soy sauce, coconut aminos, salt (salty)
- other spices or seasonings if desired