Tastes & Their Contributions
Tastes numbering six in total (sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter and astringent) are originated from water during the formation of substances which are accrued from earth, water, air, fire and ether. All the tastes or rasas are present in substances, but in varied degrees. The more present is detectable, while others are not. The tongue detects dominant or active taste quickly and easily. Organ of the taste in the tongue senses the taste. The influence of the tastes on the body depends on dominating constituent elements.
Sweetness
Sweetness is body-friendly and spreads in the mouth quickly. It does function in multi-ways. Builds blood, muscle, fat, marrow, semen; prolongs life span; pacifies perturbed pitta and vata; settles toxic reactions; generates strength and color; pleases sense organs; nourishes; promotes bulk; stimulates healing; supports skin, hair and throat. Excess or lonely use causes kapha triggered diseases such as obesity, inertia, lack of appetite, cough, fever with shivering, abdominal distention, goiter, swelling in the leg and neck, eye disease, shortness of breath, sleepiness, slimy deposit in the blood vessel, bladder, throat etc. The characteristic of sweetness is lubricant, cold and heavy.
Sourness
The characteristic of sourness is light, hot and lubricant. It is an element of appetizer. It generates salivation, sweating and creates burning sensation in the mouth and throat; sensitizes the teeth; sharpens digestive power; energizes the body; alters the mind; protects the heart; stimulates sense organs; improves digestion and provides easiness. Excess or lonely use results in thirst enhancement, over-sensitization to the teeth, blood disorders, heat in the muscles, flaccidity of the body, gooseflesh, melting of kapha, aggravation of pitta and suppuration; in factures, bites, wounds etc.
Saltiness
The characteristics of saltiness are mild lubricant, mild hot and not too heavy. It dissolves quickly, causes watering and softens in the oral cavity. Rational use helps enhance appetite and digestion, relieves stiffness and vata related complaints, improves expectoration, liquefies kapha, opens up body channels, makes body supple and overshadows other tastes. Independent or excess use creates many drawbacks such as baldness, grey hair, wrinkles, impairment to potency, heat, ruptures, inflammatory swellings, aggravation to skin diseases, worsening the effect of poison, internal bleeding, cellulites etc.
Pungency
Pungency is light, hot and rough. It produces irritation and piercing pain in the tongue and generates burning and secretion from the eyes and nose. It alerts sense organs, reduces obesity, swelling and blocking of body channels; makes lubrication and fomentation; improves appetite; causes ulcers and itching, stimulates muscles, destroys organisms, removes blood clotting and balance the kapha. Excess or lonely use results in drawbacks which include causation of depression, giddiness, thirst, fainting, debility, impairment to sexual potency and strength and engineers many other vata related disorders, severe radiating pain and tremors.
Bitterness
Bitterness spreads instantly on the tongue and removes all other taste sensations. It produces dryness in the mouth and a strange feeling of cheerfulness. The beneficial effects include destruction of poisons and worms, relieving of itching. Also imparts firmness to the skin and muscles, reduces fever, improves appetite and digestion. It is a fine slimming agent as it can mop up fat, marrow, moisture, puss, lymph, seat, urine, feces, pitta and kapha. Lonely or excess use results in undesired effects such as obstruction in the body channels; giddiness and mental confusion; bad effect on blood, fat, marrow, muscle, bone and semen and many other vata related disorders.
Astringent
The characteristics of astringent are cold, rough and not light. Congestion in the throat, lack of mobility, coldness and non-slipperiness in the tongue and depression are the manifest of astringent. It can unite, heal, restrain, mop or compress the effect of disturbed kapaha, pitta and blood. Lonely or excess use is harmful in many ways. It causes dryness in the mouth, headache, obstruction of voice, flatulence, impotence, impaired flow through body channels, blackish discoloration, obstruction to the flow of urine, feces, flatus and semen, thirst and many vata related diseases like paralysis of one side of the body or one side of the face etc.
