Shad Rasas – Ayurveda Insight of 6 Tastes

Shad rasa are the six different tastes that are known to your taste buds viz. sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent, and astringent. In Ayurveda text, these are mentioned as Madhur, Amal, Lavana, Tikta, Katu and Kshaya Rasas. But it is less known fact that these 6 Rasas not only render the differentiation of tastes but also provide a good contribution to your basic health. Therefore for having sound health, it is also equally important that your daily diet contains all the six tastes or the Shad Rasas.

Effect of Shad Rasas on Health

1. Madhur Rasa or Sweet Taste

The sweet taste is believed to increase the general body resistance against disease. As per Ayurvedic text, this specific taste helps to increase the body tissues and as a consequence, it enhances the ‘Ojas’ or the vital energy reserve of the body and mind. This taste therefore aids in increasing not only immunity, but also the general health of an individual and keeps aging at a distance.

2. Amal Rasa or the Sour Taste

Sour taste is believed to enhance the strength of the body by providing nutrition to the body tissues. Also, it increases the taste for food and promotes salivation.

3. Lavana Rasa or the Salty Taste

The salty taste imparts a relish for the food and provides softness to the body parts. At the same time, it causes a decrease in the body strength of an individual and increases weakness and lethargy.

4. Katu Rasa or the Pungent Taste

The Pungent taste is believed to cause demolition of body tissues and obesity. It is also anti toxic in nature; and thus destroys intestinal parasites and aids in curing skin ailments.

5. Tikta Rasa or the Bitter Taste

Bitter taste is a blood purifier and helps in creating a good appetite. Also, it has a nature of drying the body tissue mainly mucous, fat and pus.

Astringent taste causes dryness of the body tissues and lessens the secretion from mucous membranes.

 Ayurvedic Significance of the 6 Tastes or Shad Rasas

For a virtuous and sustained healthy living, it is important to cultivate the habit of using all the six tastes in our daily diet. The knowledge of their actions on the body systems can prove helpful so as to supplement the desired taste, in accordance to the body requirements. And the timely curb on the tastes more extensively used, can help to keep the disease at a distance.
A balanced intake of all the six tastes ensures good health. Whereas, these ‘Rasas’ or tastes when taken in disproportion results into distortion in either of the three ‘Doshas’ or body humors viz. air, heat and phlegm, and this results into production of a disease.

Ayurveda Significance of Shad Rasas

Ayurveda believes that as we put food in our mouth, we can immediately sense the taste or the Rasa. This is the working of a type of Kapha dosha ie. Bodhaka Kapha by the virtue of which we are instantly able to differentiate between the six different tastes. Eventually, the sense of taste is perceived by Vata dosha, mainly the Prana Vayu which on its part sends signals to the brain. This signal is then passed on from the brain to the stomach and alimentary canal which stimulates release of digestive enzymes so as to commence the process of digestion. Thus, in the Science of Ayurveda, mindful eating with consciousness to tasting every single morsel is regarded to be vital component of healthy eating.

Excessive Intake of Shad Rasas

Shad Rasas or the 6 tastes are though beneficial for the body, yet excess intake can cause more harm than good.

Excess of Sweet Taste

This can lead to obesity, lethargy, and anorexia and over-sleep. Due to an increase in the ‘Kapha’ or phlegm body humor, the ailments like cough, cold, asthma and other respiratory disorders are common. It can even lead to in-digestion, goitre and diabetes.

 Excess of Sour taste

 Salty Taste In Excess

Pungent Taste In Excess

Excess Of Bitter Taste

Excess Of Astringent Taste

Effect of Shad Rasa on the Doshas

The Shad rasas viz. Madhur, Amal, Lavana, Tikta, Katu and Kshaya have definite effect on the tri doshas i.e. Vata or the air, Pitta or the fire and Kapha or the phlegm.

1. Madhur Rasa (Sweet Taste)

Coconut, Liquorice, Sugarcane, Dates, Fennel, Rice, Wheat, Ghee, Maize, Beet, Ripe Mango, Ripe Banana, Barley, Butter, Milk and Non-vegetarian foods etc.

Pomegranate, Amla, Tamarind, Lime / Lemon, Vinegar, Unripe Mango, Raspberry, Sea Buckthorn, Pineapple, Green Grapes, Curd etc. 

 Sea Salt, Rock Salt (Saindhav Lavana), Black Salt (Kala Namaka), Mineral Salt etc.

 4. Katu Rasa (Pungent Taste)

Turmeric, Coriander, Bramhi, Neem, Shankhpushpi, Aloe vera, Sarapgandha, Bitter Gourd, Khus Khus, Shilajit, Bishop’s weed (Ajwain), Cumin etc. 

Haritaki (Harad), Arjuna, Guggulu, Bilva, Baheda, Green Beans and Honey etc. 

Dr Sonica Krishan is Author and Speaker in the areas of Healthy and Joyous Living through Ayurveda, Meditation, Yoga and other Contemplative practices. She is a leading Ayurveda Professional in India. She is also Health Writer, Columnist, Editor, Ayurveda Consultant and Holistic Healing Coach. Dr Sonica is open for National as well as International Collaborations with interested people / institutions in fields of Ayurveda, Meditation and Yoga.