In Ayurveda, there are six tastes:
- sweet
- sour
- salty
- pungent
- bitter
- and astringent
Each of these tastes has a unique action in the body and can either balance or aggrave the doshas. This implies that the use of taste can aid in ensuring that your meals are balanced for your Ayurvedic body type.
| Dosha | Tastes to Favor | Tastes to Minimize |
| Vata | Sweet Sour Salty | Bitter Pungent Astringent |
| Pitta | Sweet Bitter Astringent | Salty Sour Pungent |
| Kapha | Bitter Astringent Pungent | Sweet Sour Salty |
A balanced diet should comprise a proportionate amount of each of the six tastes, in accordance with one’s constitution (prakriti) and current state (vikriti).
In other words, although each taste is essential for each individual, the specifics are determined by the context of that individual and may undergo modifications over time.
Attached you will find general examples for different tastes. The taste of an identical substance can vary based on its origin, harvest, storage or preservation, cooking or processing methods, and freshness or age.
Examples for Sweet Taste
| Fruits | Bananas, cantaloupe, dates, figs, mangos, melons, prunes |
| Vegetables | Beets, carrots (cooked), cucumber, olives, sweet potatoes |
| Grains | Corn, rice, wheat |
| Legumes | Garbanzo beans, lentils (red), mung beans, navy beans, tofu, urad dal |
| Nuts & Seeds | Almonds, cashews, coconut, pumpkin seeds |
| Dairy & Eggs | Ghee, milk, eggs |
| Meat | Beef, buffalo, pork, salmon |
| Sweeteners | All |
| Spices & Flavorings | Basil, bay leaf, caraway, cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, fennel, mint, nutmeg, saffron, tarragon, vanilla |
Examples for the Sour Taste
| Fruits | Grapefruit, lemon, lime, raisins, tamarind |
| Vegetables | Pickles, tomatoes |
| Grains | Dough breads |
| Dairy & Eggs | Butter, cheese, sour cream, yogurt |
| Other | Alcohol, vinegar, most fermented foods |
| Spices & Flavorings | Lemon juice, lime juice, garlic, savory |
Examples for the Salty Taste
| Vegetables | Celery, seaweed |
| Dairy | Cottage cheese |
| Meat & Fish | Tuna |
| Spices & Flavorings | Table salt, sea salt, rock salt, gamasio, soy sauce, tamari |
Examples for the Pungent Taste
| Vegetables | Chilies, garlic, leeks, onions, kohlrabi, mustard greens, radishes, turnips, raw spinach |
| Grains | Buckwheat, spelt |
| Nuts & Seeds | Mustard seeds |
| Spices | Most spices, especially black pepper, cardamom, cayenne, cloves, ginger, hing, and paprika |
Examples for the Bitter Taste
| Vegetables | Bitter melon, burdock root, leafy greens (like kale, collards, dandelion greens, or yellow dock), eggplant, jerusalem artichokes |
| Other | Sesame seeds, sesame oil, coffee, dark chocolate |
| Spices | Cumin, dill, fenugreek, saffron, turmeric |
Examples for the Astringent Taste
| Fruits | Apples, bananas (green), cranberries, pomegranate |
| Vegetables | Alfalfa sprouts, avocado, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots (raw), cauliflower, green beans, lettuce, peas, potatoes, most raw vegetables |
| Grains | Pasta (wheat), rye |
| Legumes | Most beans are astringent |
| Nuts & Seeds | Popcorn |
| Meat | Chicken (light meat), venison |
| Spices & Flavorings | Basil, bay leaf, caraway, coriander, dill, fennel, marjoram, nutmeg, oregano, parsley, poppy seeds, rosemary, saffron, turmeric, vanilla |
For adapting your imbalance please check the following: