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Diet Planning Role of Taste It is as important to realise that every food's unique combination of attributes will influence its taste and the action it causes in the body. With every taste having a different action – as detailed below. Astanga Hrdayam clearly describes the characteristics of each of the six tastes and problems that might be experienced from its habitual over-consumption. Most foods being a combination of two or more of these tastes e.g. coffee is bitter and pungent. Sour
Sweet
Salt
Pungent
Bitter
Air & earth increases vata and mitigates increased pitta and kapha. It cleans the blood and causes healing of ulcers. Like bitter, it too dries up moisture from fat. It absorbs water, causing constipation and hindering digestion of undigested food. Its excess use causes stasis of food without digestion, flatulance, pain in the cardiac region, emaciation, loss of virility, obstruction of channels and constipation. Introduction
| Choice of Food | Uneasy
Combinations
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Comprised
of the elements earth & fire, it increases pitta
and kapha and is good
for heart and digestion. Stimulates agni, moves inactive
Vata energy down the
pelvic cavity, sets the teeth on edge and increases salivation.
Excess use may cause looseness and flabbiness, loss of strength,
giddiness, itching, irritation, a whitish yellow pallor, herpetiform
lesions, swelling thirsts and fever, and diseases arising from excess
pitta and kapha.
Related
to earth & water, it mitigates pitta
and vata, producing greater
strength in the tissues and of value to the aged, wounded, emaciated
and children. Universally liked, it often adheres to the inside
of the mouth, giving a feeling of pleasure, contentment and comfort.
Good for the complexion, hair, senses and ojas, it also increases
breast milk and helps unite broke parts like bones. By its virtue
it prolongs life and helps life activities. In excess however it
may cause diseases arising from fat and excess kapha
e.g. obesity, dyspepsia, unconsciousness, diabetes, enlargement
of neck glands or malignant tumors.
The
water & fire in salty taste increases pitta
and kapha. It clears
obstruction of channels and pores and increases the digestive activity
and salivation. Also responsible for lubrication and sweating, it
penetrates the tissues. An excess of it may cause baldness and graying
of the hair, wrinkles, thirst, skin diseases, blood disorders, herpetiform
leisons and loss of body strength
Fire
& air in pungent increases vata
and pitta and mitigates
kapha. Increases hunger,
is digestive, causes irritation, brings secretion from the eyes,
nose & mouth, and gives a burning sensation to the mouth. Dilating
the channels and breaking up the hard masses. But an excess use
of it may cause thirst, depletion of reproductive tissue and strength,
fainting, contracture, tremors, pain in the waist and back, and
other disorders related to excess of pitta
and kapha.
Air
& space being its elements, it mitigates pitta
and kapha. Drying up
moisture from fat, muscles, faeces and urine. It cleans the mouth
and destroys the perception of taste. It is said to cure anorexia,
worms, bacteria, parasites, thirst, skin diseases, loss of consciousness,
fever, nausea, burning sensation. But in excess, it increases vata,
causing diseases of vata
origin and depletion of tissues.
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