Ayurveda is a 5,000-year-old health system that operates as an ecosystem for living within nature's laws. We do this by balancing energies in the universe that are internal and external to our being.
One of Ayurveda's philosophies is that your gut is the center of a healthy life - how often do you say: “listen to your gut”? Well, it couldn't be more accurate because 95% of your brain's happiness chemical is produced in your gut. This holistic principle is backed by science to support that what you eat affects your mental health just as much as your thoughts.
The Ayurvedic concept of Rasa’s
With life’s changing cycles, it’s common at times to feel sad, low, or depleted, and with our gut being key for our overall health, it’s important we take a closer look at our digestion if periods of feeling low are prolonged and not for any apparent reason. The Ayurvedic concept of the 'Rasa’s,' which in Sanskrit means 'Essence’ or ‘Taste’, is how we incorporate different tastes of food to balance other elements within the body and bring about different energetic qualities. There are six different Rasa's 'Tastes' used to understand and balance our body; sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent.
As you learn which Rasa's are necessary for you in different chapters of your life - depending on your Vikruti – your current doshic imbalance (you can learn more about the three doshas here), age, and environment - you’ll begin to feel a renewed sense of balance and ease. By finding out your Vikruti (your current Doshic Imbalance) and balancing the appropriate Rasa’s (Tastes) in Ayurveda, we believe that you become a reflection of the full spectrum of nature, allowing you to step into your flow and find your true purpose (or 'Dharma').
The Rasa’s - according to your Dosha
There are different Rasas for harmonising each Doshic imbalance using their own qualities and elements. Of the three doshas, Vata, Pitta and Kapha, I will share an example of balancing the Vata dosha with the Rasa’s for understanding of how this phenomenal philosophy works.
The Vata dosha – which is an imbalance of air and space within mind and body, may appear in the physical body as dry hair, cracked skin, poor digestion, bloating, constipation or gas, and poor circulation with cold hands and feet. This would then be followed by affecting the mental body via the gut-brain connection affecting your serotonin, which can lead to things like poor sleep, low mood, and a busy mind. In Ayurveda, these are all classic signs of a Vata imbalance, and suggest a need for warming, soothing, grounding foods that settle your digestive system, along with a routine that calms your nervous system, as the nervous system is the governing organ of the Vata Dosha.
Using the Vata Rasas, you should look to minimise your intake of bitter, astringent, and pungent rasa foods. This is because they increase the air in your body, cause gas and irritate the already air based elemental qualities of Vata. To alleviate the Vata imbalance, we begin adding the three Rasas of sweet, sour, and salty foods to your diet.
Now, let’s break these Rasa’s down further, why those specific tastes, what their elemental bodies are and how they benefit the Vata dosha.
1. For feeling grounded & well-nourished: Sweet Rasa
Every taste has its purpose and qualities, so firstly, the sweet Rasa is for Vata because it is the most grounding and nourishing. And by sweet – I mean wholefoods in their natural form.
Examples of these include:
- Honey
- Wheat
- Rice
- Dairy
- Cereals
- Dates
- Pumpkins
- Maple syrup and,
- Licorice root.
2. For good digestion & a healthy appetite: Sour Rasa
The second Vata Rasa is the sour taste, which brings balance as it can improve appetite and digestion, but it needs to be eaten in moderation. If you eat anything sour in excess, it can quickly lead to overstimulation in the body.
Start slowly, introducing sour wholefoods like:
- Lemon
- Vinegar
- Pickles and,
- Fermented foods - like kimchi and sauerkraut, kombucha, tamarind, and wine.
3. For hydration and balanced electrolytes: Salty Rasa
The third and final Rasa for balancing Vata is salty because of its grounding and hydrating nature. This is a great Rasa for hydration, and it also adds taste to foods, supports healthy digestion, and helps electrolyte balance. I even add salt to my water!
If you’re after other alternatives aside from salt itself, you can use:
- Sea vegetables
- Sea salt
- Tamari or soy sauce
- Black olives
- Himalayan salt and,
- Rock salt.
Each taste has a purpose within our body to balance the excess of what’s already within us and for bringing us back into alignment - and this, in turn, balances our mood. Taste in Ayurveda has a much deeper significance than we’re accustomed to in modern society. It’s considered very important in determining the effect that various foods, spices, therapeutic herbs, and experiences will have on our state of balance—body, mind, and spirit. This is only one example of the Ayurvedic tastes used for a Vata Vikruti diet, and they would be different for a Pitta or Kapha imbalance.
Balancing Pitta and Kapha
Pitta is composed of the fire and water elements, making it light, sharp, hot, oily, liquid, and subtle. Because of these characteristics, Pitta is balanced by the sweet, bitter, and astringent tastes and triggered by the sour, salty, and pungent tastes.
However, balancing a Kapha Vikruti would be the opposite of Vata and Pitta Vikruti because they’re faster moving doshic imbalances and need grounding. Kapha is composed of earth and water elements, making it heavy, slow, oily, smooth, dense, soft, stable, and cloudy. Because of these characteristics, Kapha is balanced by pungent, bitter, and astringent tastes and triggered by the sweet, sour, and salty tastes.
Making time for self-reflection
Another great way to use the Rasa’s (‘Tastes’) is by relating it to our external experiences. Do you remember the last time you craved something sweet? When you had that craving, did you feel a lack of love in your life? If you’re thinking ‘yes’, the Ayurvedic philosophy is that your body is seeking to counterbalance the ‘lack’ by soothing it with sweet foods. When you’re craving sweet foods (who doesn’t?), Ayurvedic philosophy believes this is because you have an excess of unkind experiences or relationships in life.
Consider asking yourself:
- Are your relationships work-based or family-based?
- Do they feel cold, dry, or transactional?
- What are you seeking right now?
- What is your soul hungry for?
When you ask these reflective questions, other than purely physical, you might like to consider other perspectives and ask if the hunger or craving is due to something deeper, rather than chocolate or other sweet treats. In these moments, be gentle with yourself and notice that, by consuming sweet foods, your body is seeking balance to create a more loving, grounding, and nurturing experience for your entire being. It's truly a fascinating philosophy.
As you begin to observe and manage your energy according to your Rasa’s, you can start to shift the balance between your internal and external world through food, senses, experiences, and emotions.
If you want to learn more about Ayurveda and your Dosha type, check out this beginner's guide to Ayurveda. From here, you can identify which of the Rasa’s you should begin to incorporate into your daily life to start living in true alignment. And most importantly, have fun experimenting with it. And, if you’re ready to start supporting your body holistically with Ayurvedic supplements, you can explore my Sattva Soul range, to bring more balance to your life.
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