The Flavours of Food
The flavour describes an essential quality inherent in a food. It describes a potential which is liberated by the alchemy of cooking and digestion. Each flavour arises from one elemental power and is said to enter a particular organ.
There are five main flavours: (see Notes)
- The salty flavour belongs to the water element and enters the Kidneys.
- The sour flavour belongs to the wood element and enters the Liver.
- The bitter flavour belongs to the fire element and enters the Heart.
- The sweet flavour belongs to the earth element and enters the Spleen.
- The pungent flavour belongs to the metal element and enters the Lung (see Notes)
People often ask “If I crave a certain food does that mean it’s good for me?” The answer is both yes and no. When we are out of balance we develop a craving to correct that imbalance. The sweet flavour helps strengthen the Spleen, so when the Spleen is in disharmony we crave sweetness. This craving is appropriate in the sense that it tells us that our Spleen is out of balance and the craving is a message that stimulates us to rebalance ourselves.
Whereas a moderate quantity of one flavour benefits its related organ however, too much of that flavour will overwhelm and damage it. A little salt, for example, benefits the Kidney but too much will inhibit its action. In following our cravings, we may quickly give ourselves such a huge dose of the remedial flavour that we overwhelm the organ and create the opposite effect. This is in part due to the availability within our culture of highly flavoured and saturated foods.
The flavour also tells us something about a food’s action:
The salty flavour (e.g. fish, seaweed, leek)
The salty flavour moves inward and downward, drawing the action of a food towards the centre and root of the body. The salty flavour moistens, softens and detoxifies, counteracting the hardening of muscles and glands. It regulates the moisture balance in the body, stimulates digestive function and improves concentration.
The salty flavour helps drain excess moisture through its strengthening action on the kidney as well as re-moistening the body in conditions of dehydration e.g in the addition of salt to rehydration medicine. A little saltiness supplements the quality of the blood but in excess the salty flavour can congeal the blood and stress the Heart.
The sour flavour (e.g. lemon, raspberry, olive)
The sour flavour stimulates contraction and absorption. It has a gathering or astringent effect. It is therefore used for all leaking and sagging conditions involving loss of body fluids such as sweating, diarrhoea and haemorrhage. It counteracts the effects of fatty foods, prevents stagnation and benefits digestive absorption. The sour flavour specifically stimulates secretions from the gall-bladder and pancreas and despite the acid nature of most sour food the effect is actually to lower the acidity of the intestines.
Sour foods are blood activators and stagnation eliminators but in excess may cause over-contraction and over-retention of moisture. Sour foods support the Spleen function of containment by stimulating contraction and giving tone to the tissues.
The bitter flavour (e.g. rye, chicory, thyme)
The bitter flavour drains and dries as it travels downwards through the body. It will improve appetite, stimulate digestion and draw out dampness and heat. It is used to reduce excess conditions and is therefore to be restricted in conditions of cold and/or deficiency. The bitter flavour acts mostly on the Heart but also benefits the Lung. In excess the bitter flavour can deplete qi and moisture.
The sweet flavour (e.g. pumpkin, rice, beef)
The sweet flavour is by far the most common and all foods contain a measure of sweetness. The sweet flavour harmonises all other flavours and forms the centre of our diet, mildly stimulating the circulation of Qi and Blood. The sweet flavour includes most meat, legumes, nuts, dairy and starchy vegetables and is considered tonifying and strengthening. Sweet foods are used to treat deficiency. They are also considered moistening and will benefit dryness. In excess the sweet flavour leads to the formation of phlegm and heat. Refined sugar will weaken the blood and any excess of sweetness should be avoided in damp conditions.
The pungent flavour (e.g. ginger, garlic, peppermint)
The pungent flavour disperses stagnation and promotes the circulation of Qi and blood.It stimulates digestion and helps break through phlegm. Care must be taken when choosing the temperature of pungent foods. Many hot pungents are so extreme that they eventually cool the body via sweating. Warm pungents produce longer lasting warming effects and will benefit cold conditions. Cool pungents can be used when heat is present.
As damp and stagnant conditions frequently involve underlying deficiency, the use of pungents often needs to be supported by a tonifying diet. In excess the pungent flavour will over-stimulate and exhaust qi and blood.
A balanced diet includes the use of all flavours, with the sweet flavour occupying a central position. We can increase or decrease our intake of a particular flavour according to our needs.
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