Introduction to The Six Tastes Shad Rasa

Taste, or rasa, is a highly regarded and influential characteristic in Ayurveda. In fact, the six tastes inform the basis for understanding Ayurvedic Nutrition and Herbology. Sweet, Sour, Salty, Bitter, Pungent, and Astringent are made of specific elements and impress upon us unique qualities, biomedical actions, and mental and emotional effects. Water gives us our capacity to taste. It’s the direct contact with our taste buds via saliva that makes taste possible. Since our bodies are primarily composed of water, taste dissolved in saliva spreads throughout the body and is experienced systemically.

Since taste dissolves into our water element through saliva, the effect of taste is almost immediate. Taste instantaneously communicates with the brain, which uses the taste information to decipher which substances the body ingested, namely which combination of elements or fat, protein, carbohydrate, etc. This information then causes corresponding chemical reactions and directs the secretion of specific “juices” or acids, enzymes, mucous, etc. necessary to complete the task at hand. It really is a fantastic process and affirms the suggestion that one should always remember to thoroughly taste and chew their food for proper digestion. This also means that one cannot negate the ill effects of sweets simply by using artificial sweeteners. A body which engages its mechanisms for sugar digestion can go hypoglycemic without any sugars or carbohydrates present.

Water is also the element most associated with feelings, therefore it’s not surprising how impactful taste can be on our thoughts, feelings and emotions. A ‘salty dog’ or ‘bitter taste’ carry worthwhile symbology. As Dr. Lad most appropriately says, “You call the one you love ‘sweetie’ or ‘honey,’ but never 'chili pepper’!” Granted, we may have an acquaintance who could appropriately carry the title ‘chili pepper,’ but never the one we truly love. Love is the sweetest of all feelings, so it makes sense that sweet words intuitively come to one’s tongue. Similarly, it’s no surprise that one craving love to no avail can find themselves overindulging in love’s material disguise, sweets.

Taste exists as an avenue for health and medicine, as well as a doorway to poison and abuse. As ‘fast’ and ‘junk’ food have become not only readily available, but also heavily marketed, modern food and eating habits often become a form of substance abuse. Any taste consumed in excess creates deleterious effects. Salt improves our digestion in moderation, but excess salt can lead to water retention, high BP, and excessive desire. Similarly, sugar offers contentment, nourishment, and satisfaction in moderation, but when one regularly becomes ‘over-satisfied’ diabetes may soon follow. Even if one eats the right proportions of healthy foods, certain tastes and food combinations still may not digest well together. These improper food combinations can also poison and strain our bodies. The world of taste can be a nest of troubles. You can’t ignore its dark side.

These dangers don’t solely apply to Taste. Anything can be a medicine or a poison depending on how and when it is used. Even a salad, a hug, or a promotion could be received as a poison to the body under ‘improper’ circumstances. Still, there are few influences that are more impactful than taste to one’s overall health since most of us consume food and drink numerous times each and every day. Every time one consumes (or chooses not to) is an opportunity to affirm or decay our mind and body.

Gaining consciousness surrounding the implications of our diets allows us to appreciate all the things we are constantly consenting to through our consumption, both knowingly and unknowingly. Action and reaction always act in consort. Taste is by no means the exception. It is the gold standard.

Next we will begin decoding the six tastes individually, starting with Sweet.