The Influence of Taste on Consciousness
Food is more than just a source of sustenance; it also has the power to alter our consciousness and emotions. In Ayurveda, different tastes are believed to affect the three doshas—Kapha, Pitta, and Vata—and have different impacts on our emotional state.
Sweet: A popular drug in our society, sweet tastes are often used to feel satisfied. Sweet’s intense complacent effect increases Kapha and cools the anger of Pitta, while also comforting the fear of Vata.
Sour: Sour tastes have an envious effect, increasing Kapha when envy of another’s success incites one to cling more firmly to their own belongings. However, when envy turns into anger, it can increase Pitta. On the other hand, envy can also help reduce Vata by focusing and heating up one’s consciousness.
Salty: Salty tastes have a “hedonistic” effect, increasing Kapha as long as one is able to indulge. When there is an obstruction to gratification, salty tastes can increase the fieriness of Pitta’s anger. At the same time, salty tastes also decrease Vata by allaying fears of inadequacy.
Pungent: Pungent tastes increase Pitta by actively increasing the flow of hormones and digestive juices, making it easier to digest and to express anger. Pungent tastes relieve Kapha by decreasing self-satisfaction, but in the long run, they increase Vata by overwhelming the organs and glands.
Bitter: Bitter tastes are considered the best of all six tastes in Ayurveda. In small amounts, bitter tastes help balance all other tastes in the body, dilating channels that are too constricted and constricting those that are too dilated. Overuse of bitter tastes can increase Vata, inducing insecurity and fear.
Astringent: Astringent tastes constrict, drawing one away from the self-satisfaction of Kapha and the self-aggrandizement of Pitta. This constriction increases fear of insufficient sensory “nutrition” and leads to increased Vata.
In a consumer culture, advertising creates new desires within us through the creation of the salty, sour, and pungent tastes. These hot tastes “heat us up,” ready to consume and digest both physically and mentally. However, when some of these desires remain unfulfilled, bitterness can arise, leading to dissatisfaction and overstimulation of Vata.
