Ayurvedic nutrition brings the body back into balance and gives us strength and energy. Necessary for the right diet is the “Rasas,” the 6 flavors of Ayurveda:
- Sweet – Madhura
- Sour – Amla
- Salty – Lavana
- Bitter – Tikta
- Sharp – Katu
- Herb – Kashaya
The Rasas influence the Tridoshas (Vata, Pitta, Kapha). Through these connections, it is possible in Ayurvedic nutrition to put together a suitable nutritional pan for every type of constitution and every health disorder. It is best to eat the 6 Rasas regularly together and in approximately equal parts in one dish.
We will tell you here what effect the 6 flavors have in Ayurveda and which foods they are assigned.
Sweet – Madhura
- Sweet food works, who would have thought otherwise, on an emotional level
- Related elements: earth and water
- Doshas: Kapha is built up, Vata and Pitta are reduced
- They give strength, have a calming effect, make you happy, create a feeling of well-being and security
- Foods with massive properties cannot be digested well because they reduce the digestive fire
- The following foods are assigned to the sweet flavor: honey, pastry, carrots, sweet potatoes, almonds, rice, milk, sweet fruit
Sour – Amla
- Acidic foods awaken; they sharpen the senses, release enzymes and hormones
- Connected elements: Fire and earth
- They can ensure good digestion, have a cleansing effect, increase saliva secretion, stimulate the appetite, strengthen the organs
- Doshas: Kapha and Pitta are increased, Vata is decreased
- In excess, they cause thirst, muscle weakness, diarrhea, and inflammation
- Acidic foods are, for example, Tomatoes, sour fruit, citrus fruits, amla fruits, sumac (a fruity and sour spice)
Salty – Lavana
- Salty foods strengthen the digestive fire and are appetite-enhancing
- They dilate and cleanse the body channels and have a diuretic effect and promote sweat production, have a degrading impact on tissue
- Doshas: Pitta and Kapha are strengthened, Vata is reduced
- Excessive water may cause water retention in the tissues, weakness, thirst, fever, eczema, gout, and inflammation
- Besides salt, algae are also very salty.
Bitter – Tikta
- Bitter foods can have an emaciating and drying effect
- However, they also stimulate the appetite, cleanse the blood, reduce fat, promote digestion, encourage movement and help with fever, burning, and itching
- They also stimulate the digestion of sugar and fat in the body
- Doshas: Vatta is strengthened, Pitta and Kapha are reduced
- In excess, it can lead to dizziness, loss of strength, dry mouth, and headaches
- The bitter taste is assigned to the following foods: Chicory, turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom
Sharp – Katu
- Spicy food awakens the senses, has a stimulating effect
- They stimulate the metabolism, have a warming effect (therefore charming in winter), the energy begins to flow again, they can break down fatty tissue, have a tear-irritating, appetizing effect, promote saliva secretion and clean the mouth, stimulate the organs, have an anticoagulant effect
- Cooking makes them more digestible
- Doshas: Vata and Pitta are strengthened, Kapha is reduced
- In excess, they can cause sweating, leanness, fatigue, dizziness, thirst, burning, vomiting, trembling
- The following belong to the spicy foods: ginger, chilies, black pepper, radish, radish
Herb – Kashaya
- Tart foods have a degrading and absorbing effect on the tissue; they have a soothing, healing, cooling, and blood-purifying effect and can also dry out the body juices
- Doshas: Vata is strengthened, Pitta and Kapha have a reducing effect
- In excess, they cause flatulence, weakness, heart pain, dry mouth
- Tart foods: spinach, lentils, peas, celery, unripe bananas
Stuffed Ayurvedic Pancakes – Recipe with 6 flavors of Ayurveda
This wonderful recipe is gluten-free and tastes simply delicious, especially in summer. It also helps you to strengthen your immune system.
The following ingredients of the corresponding flavors can be found in our dish:
Bitter:
cumin, coriander, royal cumin, basil
Sharp:
Paprika, onion, ginger, chili, black pepper
Sour:
Tomato, Yogurt
Sweet:
Carrot, avocado, chickpea flour
Salty:
Salt
Herb:
Spinach
Ingredients overview (for four crepes)
For the dough:
- approx. 90g chickpea flour
- Two hands full of fresh baby spinach
- Two tablespoons natural yogurt
- ¼ TL roasted cumin seed
- ½ tsp freshly grated ginger
- ¼ TL Coriander powder (optional)
- Himalaya salt to taste
- ¼ tsp black pepper (ground)
For the filling:
- ½ Red bell pepper
- ½ avocado
- One carrot
- ½ Onion
- 7-8 pieces cherry tomatoes
- Fresh basil leaves
- One green chili (optional)
- Ghee
Preparation
- Halve the tomatoes, cut the rest of the vegetable julienne
- Puree spinach with a little water and ginger in a blender
- Mix chickpea flour with all spices and stir
- Mix the spinach-ginger puree with the chickpeas-spice mixture and stir with a fork like a scrambled egg
- Add two tablespoons of yogurt and continue stirring. This mixture forms the crepe dough. Add a few tablespoons of water for a thinner consistency.
- Put some ghee in a hot pan and fry the onions in it over high heat to be glassy but not soft. Appear to release onion and set aside.
- Sauté carrots in the same pan without adding any more fat and take out again.
- Sauté the peppers also without adding more fat for a few seconds and then release.
- Roast the tomatoes briefly, then spread some ghee on top of the tomatoes and release.
- Roast the chili a little bit and add it to the rest of the vegetables.
- Add a few drops to the pan, remix the prepared dough briefly, add the appropriate amount for a crepe, and spread it in the pan. When the dough becomes firm from the bottom, turn the crepe and fry it from the second side.
- Spread the previously roasted vegetables on one half of the crepe, add avocado slices and fresh basil. In the meantime, leave the crepe in the pan.
- Fold the filled crepe and serve hot.
We wish you a good appetite and much success in cooking with the 6 flavors of Ayurveda!
Satvik Living 