The Six tastes and ayurvedic herbalism
by Greta Kent-Stoll via The Herbal Academy
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AN AYURVEDIC FOUNDATION
Ayurveda is a complete holistic system of traditional healing. Its essential aim is to bring your body back into a state of natural balance so that your ability to self-heal is optimized. Ayurveda, literally translated as “knowledge of life,” is perhaps the oldest form of medicine still in practice today. It predates even Traditional Chinese Medicine, and systems such as Traditional Chinese Medicine and Tibetan medicine were certainly influenced by Ayurveda.
Those who practice Ayurveda understand that balance is a relative word. Each individual possesses a unique state of inherent balance. Some people naturally run warm; others naturally run cool. Some body types are a little heavier and fuller; some lighter and leaner. What is ideal and harmonious for one person may not be ideal and harmonious for another. The foods, herbs, and lifestyle practices that bring one person into harmony may drive another into a state of illness and vice versa.
The essential approach in Ayurvedic medicine is to invoke the opposite. Herbs, foods, sensory therapies, body therapies, and lifestyle practices are recommended in order to reduce imbalances and bring the individual back into a state of natural health and well-being.
ASPECTS OF TASTE: RASA, VIRYA, AND VIPAKA
One of the key tools used in Ayurveda to help clients regain balance is to work with rasa (taste). Specific foods, recipes, and herbs possess tastes that can have a balancing effect on an individual. Taste involves the effect that a food or herb has on the body after consumption. There are three essential parts to taste: rasa (the initial taste), virya (warm vs. cool) and vipaka (the post-digestive effect). Every food and herb can be described in terms of rasa, virya, and vipaka. As Dr. Vasant Lad states, “The concept of taste (rasa), action (virya) and post-digestive effect (vipaka) will further one’s understanding of the basic principles of Ayurvedic cooking and healing” (2009, p. 34).
The Caraka Samhita, one of Ayurveda’s classical texts, states: “There are six rasas (tastes): sweet, sour, saline, pungent, bitter, and astringent. When employed properly, they maintain the body and their incorrect utilization results in the vitiation of the dosas” (Dash & Sharma, 2014, p. 113). Put simply, a taste can be balancing or harmful depending on the effect it has on one’s Ayurvedicdosha (one’s constitutional type). According to Ayurvedic teachings, the effects of rasa are far-reaching. They are both physical and subtle.
An obvious example of virya is cayenne, which has a pungent (hot) rasa and a hot virya. The overall effect of cayenne is that it is heating and stimulating. This is helpful for those whose circulation and digestion need a boost. Conversely, red clover has both a bitter and sweet rasa and a cool virya. A cool virya is desirable for those who run warm or who have heated conditions such as rashes, acne, and anger. Conversely, the cool herbs may aggravate those who naturally have a cooler body temperature or who suffer depletion or lethargy. However, a cool herb can be combined with a warm herb in some cases to counterbalance any undesirable influence on temperature.
Vipaka is a slightly more complex concept. The literal translation is the “post-digestive effect,” but how it translates in practical terms is whether a substance is tonifying or purifying. Tonifying herbs are strengthening and fortifying. They help to build and regenerate bodily tissues. Purifying herbs reduce tissues and in some cases assist in removing pathogens.
There are three types of vipaka: sweet, sour, and pungent. Herbs with a tonifying nature have a sweet vipaka. This means that their post-digestive effect is nourishing. Herbs that are purifying or reducing have a pungent vipaka. The sour vipaka is somewhere in between. It has a somewhat nourishing effect, but not as much as the sweet vipaka.
The table below outlines the six rasas and their typical corresponding virya and vipaka. It is important to note, however, that particularly in herbalism these relationships are not fixed. For instance, there are sweet herbs that possess a warm virya. The table below represents the typical relationships.
Rasa Virya Vipaka
sweet cool sweet
salty warm sweet
sour warm sour
astringent cool pungent
pungent warm pungent
bitter cool pungent
Ayurveda teaches that in order for a practitioner to be successful, he or she must understand the nature of the person being assessed, the nature of the health imbalance, and the nature of the herb. One must understand the rasa, virya, and vipaka of the herb as well as the qualities of the individual taking the herb. Understanding rasa, virya, and vipaka furthers our understanding of herbalism as well as Ayurvedic cooking and healing. Most importantly, knowing the rasa, virya, and vipaka of an herb enhances the practitioner’s ability to fine tune herbal therapies to more effectively support an individual (Halpern, 2012).
THE SWEET TASTE (MADHURA)
The sweet taste is the heaviest and densest taste. It is said to be comprised of earth and water. The sweet taste is found in foods such as ghee, milk, honey, dates, and grains. “Sweet taste is building and strengthening to all body tissues. It harmonizes the mind and promotes a sense of contentment” (Frawley, 2000, p. 23). The sweet herbs are nourishing, strengthening, and heavy. On a subtle level they increase contentment.
In Ayurvedic herbalism, sweet herbs are typically found in the following categories: rasayanas (rejuvenating herbs), nervine tonics (nervous system strengtheners), demulcents (moist herbs), and vulneraries (herbs that support physical healing as in the case of cuts or wounds). Sweet herbs include ashwagandha, shatavari, licorice, sandalwood, saw palmetto, and kapikacchu to name a few. When we speak of the sweet taste we are speaking of both rasa and vipaka. Many herbs have more than one rasa. However, herbs with a predominantly sweet rasa will also have a sweet vipaka.
Due to their grounding and nourishing nature, the sweeter herbs are typically employed to pacify a frayed nervous system, to rejuvenate tired organs, and to assist in overall strength, moisture, and stability of the bodily systems. Furthermore, individuals with a tendency toward excessive heat and intensity are apt to develop their own form of depletion. This normally manifests as burnout. The sweeter herbs can be administered to those individuals in order to assist them in regaining energy lost by overwork.
One classic example of an herb possessing the sweet taste is shatavari (Asparagus racemosus). Shatavari means “one hundred roots.” However, being that it is a powerful rejuvenative to the female reproductive system, its common nickname is “the woman who has a hundred husbands.” According to Ayurvedic herbalist Sebastion Pole, shatavari has both a sweet and bitter rasa, a cool virya, and a sweet vipaka (2013). Its sweet post-digestive effect gives it an overall tonifying quality. It is one of Ayurveda’s favorite rasayanas (rejuvenating herbs) with a special ability to regulate and rejuvenate the female reproductive system.
A lesser known sweet herb is kapikacchu (Mucuna pruriens). Similarly to shatavari, it has both a sweet and bitter rasa and a sweet vipaka. However, unlike the coolness of shatavari it has a warm virya. Again, its primarily sweet rasa and sweet vipakamake it a tonifying herb. However, due to its warm nature, it would be best taken by those who run cool. Kapikacchu’s traditional applications reflect its nourishing nature. Some of the herbs traditionally ascribed benefits include: enhances the intellect, aphrodisiac, promotes energy, and improves sexual vitality (Pole, 2013).
Kapkicacchu is a particularly interesting rejuvenative and nervine tonic in that its chemical makeup includes a substance that is similar to L-Dopa, which is an important precursor to dopamine. For this reason it is one of the herbs suggested for those suffering from Parkinson’s, as the disease involves a depletion of dopamine production from the basal ganglia (Pole, 2013).
Another example of a sweet herb is licorice. Licorice has a sweet rasa, cool virya, and sweet vipaka. In fact, licorice is so sweet that it is often used in herbal formulas to mask the flavor of less pleasant tasting herbs. Like other sweet herbs, licorice has renowned powers of rejuvenation. It is also cooling and moistening, and thus it is beneficial in cases of dryness, depletion, and exhaustion.
Licorice has been traditionally used to support those suffering from a wide array of ailments, including coughs, colds, hyperacidity, urinary tract infections, fatigue, adrenal exhaustion, and abdominal pain. It is an herb that is widely used across diverse herbal traditions. Licorice can be combined with the famous Ayurvedic herbal compound, triphala, to address constipation. To rebuild strength and energy, it combines well with other rejuvenatives such as ashwagandha or shatavari (Dass, 2013). It may also be used in formulas to restore deficient moisture in the respiratory and urinary tracts, thus soothing excessive dryness and irritation.
The subtle effects of the sweet taste are clearly reflected in the overall effects of licorice: “The sweet taste of licorice is thought to awaken positive cellular memory and bring satisfaction and contentment to the mind” (Dass, 2013, p. 240). As is the case with all herbs, the true power of the herb lies beyond its influence on the physical body.
THE SALTY TASTE (LAVANA)
Unlike the sweet taste, the salty taste is not found abundantly in herbs. It is perhaps the rarest taste in Ayurvedic herbalism. There are few herbs characterized by the salty taste, and those that are usually belong to the seaweed family. The salty taste is comprised of water and fire. It is typically warming and has a nourishing and sinking quality, though it is not as nourishing as the sweet taste.
Proper dosage is very important when dealing with the salty taste. As Ayurvedic herbalist Sebastian Pole points out, “In correct quantities [the salty taste] is vital to our very existence and is as essential to our health as water and food…In contrast to this a sprinkle too much will cause an ulcer and aggravate stomach acidity” (Pole, 2013, p. 64). On a subtle level the salty taste increases courage. However, in excess it can create greed, water retention, and high blood pressure.
Some examples of salty herbs include shilajit, kelp, Irish moss, and Icelandic moss. Shilajit is a fascinating herb and highly revered in Ayurvedic herbalism. It has a pungent, bitter, salty, and astringent rasa, a warm virya, and a pungent vipaka. Shilajit is interesting in that it is actually a mineral pitch that oozes from the rocks of the Himalayas and other mountainous regions. It has both a purifying and rejuvenating effect on the bodily systems. Its purifying action is unusual for an herb possessing the salty taste. Shilajit acts as a channel clearer, reducing waste and excess so that the bodily organs can function maximally. Its traditional applications include treatment for diabetes, urinary stones, and both male and female infertility (Pole, 2013).
Irish moss is a more typical salty herb. It has a salty, astringent, and sweet rasa, a heating virya, and a sweet vipaka. It increases the water element in the body and boosts the plasma, bodily fluids, and hormones, particularly in the case of thyroid insufficiency. The fluid-boosting effect of Irish moss is to be expected with the salty taste. The effects of kelp are similar. In general, the salty taste increases the bodily fluids and has a nourishing effect.
THE SOUR TASTE (AMLA)
The sour taste is composed of the earth and fire elements. It is heating, liquid, light, and stimulates the appetite (O’Donnell, 2015). It is a useful taste for those with a low appetite. Sour foods include lemons, vinegars, pickles, yogurt, and fermented foods. Sour herbs include amalaki, tamarind, and rose hips. Like the salty taste, the sour taste is less common in herbs.
Amalaki (Emblica officinalis), also called amla, is a chief ingredient in the famous Ayurvedic herbal jelly, Chyawanprash. It is also one member of the fabulous trifecta in the renowned classical Ayurvedic formula, triphala. Amalaki possesses all the rasas other than salty, but it is primarily sour. Though the sour rasa is generally associated with warmth, amalaki is cool and has a sweet vipaka. It is an incredibly rich source of vitamin C, with 3000 mg per fruit. Some of its traditional uses include strengthening the appetite, bones, blood, liver, and heart (Lad, 2001, p. 158). Amalaki is a powerful rejuvenative. As mentioned earlier, it is the basis for Chyawanprash, an herbal jelly containing numerous Ayurvedic herbs that is used as an all around tonic in Ayurvedic medicine. If you put a little amalaki powder on your finger and lick it off, you will appreciate its sour taste. This Ayurvedic rejuvenative may make your mouth pucker and you will taste the vitamin C!
Another sour herb that is generally better known in the West, is rose hips (Rosaceae). It’s easy to taste why rose hips is classified as having a sour rasa. Like amalaki, a little rose hips on the tongue will make your mouth pucker. Rose hips is also a great source of vitamin C, and is used to fend off cold viruses as well as to assist in cases of deficient Kidney energy, i.e., diarrhea, frequent urination, spermatorrhea, and leucorrhea (Tierra, 1988). Similarly to amalaki, rose hips has an overall rejuvenating effect. Though the sour herbs may not be quite as heavy and nourishing as the sweet herbs such as ashwagandha and shatavari, they do have the capacity to breathe new life into tired organs and lackluster appetites.
THE ASTRINGENT TASTE (KASHAYA)
The astringent taste is comprised of air and earth and is generally dry, heavy, and cool. Astringent foods include beans, pomegranate, tea, cranberries, and red wine. Astringent foods and herbs contract bodily tissues. Although the astringent taste is generally more purifying, due to its ability to tighten and tone tissue, it can be tonifying in some cases (O’Donnell, 2015).
One example of an astringent herb with tonifying properties is Haritaki. Also, atypically of the astringent taste, haritaki is heating. It is another member of the fabulous triphala trifecta previously mentioned. Haritaki’s astringent nature makes it an excellent tonic for the gastro-intestinal tract. It is commonly used to restore normal bowel function, to raise prolapsed organs, and to prevent and heal hemorrhoids. Haritaki can also be of assistance any time there is excess discharge of bodily fluid, as in the case of urinary incontinence (Dass, 2013).
Witch hazel (Hamemelis virginiana) is a more predictable astringent herb in that it is cooling and purifying. It is well-known for its usage in skin care products, as it has the ability to tighten and tone skin tissue. The bark and leaf can be made into an ointment and applied externally in order to relieve hemorrhoids, again illustrating the toning and astringent capacities of witch hazel. Some of witch hazel’s other common uses include relief for diarrhea, dysentery, hemorrhages, and excess mucous. Applied as an alcoholic tincture, it can be used to relieve strains, sprains, and swellings (Tierra, 1988).
In general, when you are looking to tighten and tone, reaching for an astringent herb is a great first line of action.
THE PUNGENT TASTE (KATU)
The pungent taste is made of fire and air and is hot and spicy. Pungent foods and herbs stimulate circulation, clear blockages, increase passion and perception, and improve digestion and absorption (Lad, 2009, p. 36). Some examples of foods with the pungent taste are ginger, cayenne, black pepper, radish, garlic, mustard, and asafoetida. Pungent herbs and foods have a warm virya and usually a pungent vipaka. They are stimulating and purifying.
Chitrak (Plumbago zeylanica) is the quintessential example of a pungent herb. Its rasa is both pungent and bitter, its virya is hot, and its vipaka is pungent. According to Ayurvedic practitioner Vishnu Dass, “Chitrak is one of the best herbs to kindle jathara agni, the gastric fire, and bhuta agni, the digestive fire in the liver” (Dass, 2013, p. 180). Chitrak is used in Ayurveda for enkindling the digestive fire, clearing ama (toxins), ridding the body of parasites, and for assisting in the body’s ability to burn fat. In Ayurveda, chitrak’s “fat-scraping” capacities are well-recognized. It is a classic example of the purifying, clearing, and stimulating benefits of the pungent taste. Some other examples of pungent herbs include pippali, ajwan, lemon balm, nutmeg, and paprika.
Asafoetida (Ferula asafoetida) is another pungent herb. It is actually a resin and is commonly used in Ayurvedic cooking. Like chitrak, asafoetida enkindles digestion, removes blockages, and is used to rid the body of parasites. However, it has a heavier and more “sinking” nature as compared to chitrak. For this reason, asafoetida is helpful for those who suffer a nervous stomach and who need both digestive stimulation and grounding. Asafoetida is helpful in relieving gas, so is the perfect addition when cooking lentils, beans, and any hard to digest foods. It also combines well with other spices and enhances the flavor of food in a similar way as garlic and onion. It is one of the main ingredients in the classical Ayurvedic formula, hingwastika churna, which is used for gas, nervous stomach, and to expel worms and parasites.
To summarize, the pungent herbs and spices are most useful when digestion or circulation are sluggish and when the body needs a little stimulation and purification.
THE BITTER TASTE (TIKTA)
The bitter taste is made of air and ether. It is light, cool, dry, and purifying. Renowned Ayurvedic practitioner and teacher, Dr. Vasant Lad, says, “Bitter is better,” as the bitter taste closes the channels that need closing and opens the channels that need opening. A small amount of the bitter taste stimulates the liver and gallbladder to release bile, which helps your body to digest fats. However, too much of the bitter taste taken over long periods of time can weaken digestion and cause overall depletion (Frawley & Lad, 2001). Some examples of bitter herbs are aloe, barberry, gentian, goldenseal, and dandelion (Frawley & Lad, 2001).
Those who already have a tendency toward lightness and dryness and who experience symptoms such as underweight, dry skin, constipation, and anxiety should use caution with the bitter taste. Conversely, the bitter taste is invaluable to those who run hot, suffer skin rashes, and who carry excess weight. On a subtle level, the bitter taste enhances spiritual growth. However, too much bitter taste can cause anxiety, fear, and excessive introversion.
Neem (Azadiracta indica) is the quintessential example of a bitter herb. It has a solely bitter rasa, cool virya, and pungent vipaka. It is a powerful alterative, meaning that it removes toxins from the blood. For this reason neem is indicated in cases of acne, skin rashes, and eczema. Neem is also used to reduce excesses and pathogens in the body, such as in cases of obesity, diabetes, fevers, parasites and tumors (Frawley & Lad, 2001).
Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri) is a more unusual bitter herb. It has a combination of the bitter, sweet, and astringent rasas, a cool virya, and a sweet vipaka. For those familiar with the Ayurvedic doshas, it is pacifying to all three doshas: vata, pitta, and kapha. Brahmi means “what gives knowledge of Brahman or Supreme Reality” (Frawley & Lad, 2001, p. 239). As a practitioner, it is one of the first herbs that I reach for when working with mental exhaustion.
“Brahmi is perhaps the most important nervine herb used in Ayurvedic medicine. It revitalizes the brain cells, removing toxins and blockages within the nervous system, while at the same time having a nurturing effect.” (Frawley & Lad, 2001, p. 240). Brahmi is indicated in cases of anxiety, anger, insomnia, nerve pain, nervous debility, and weak immunity. The dual purifying-tonifying action of brahmi is surprising for a bitter herb. Perhaps it is Brahmi’s combination of the sweet, astringent, and bitter rasas that allows it to have this broad and diverse effect. It is both cleansing and strengthening. It removes obstruction, yet nourishes and builds.
There is a saying in Ayurveda that “everything is right for someone but nothing is right for everyone.” This certainly holds true when it comes to Ayurvedic herbalism. Understanding an herb’s rasa, virya, and vipaka give the practitioner vital clues about the appropriate application of an herb. By understanding the nuanced qualities of an herb and how they intermingle with the attributes of the person imbibing, we become more skilled as practitioners and more able to select herbs with precision and wisdom.
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