All foods, no matter what their tastes, may be classified into three categories based on their overall effect:

Sattva:  balanced 

Pleasant and easily digested, nourishing and helping to maintain a balanced state of body and mind.  Rice, wheat, cereals, breads, easily digested dairy products, beans, nuts, fresh fruits and vegetables taken in correct proportions are balancing foods.

Rajas:  stimulating 

Disturbing effect on the body, especially the nervous system:  Coffee, tea, stimulating drugs and herbs, excesses of salt, certain oils, sharp spices, sour and acid tastes, sugar and honey are stimulating foods and should be taken sparingly. 

Tamas:  debilitating 

Compromise health, produce sluggishness and mental inertia.  Meat, eggs, garlic, onions, and stale, rancid, processed foods should be avoided.

Ayurvedic taste and quality classification may seem unusual to the westerner who would typically classify foods as the proportion of carbohydrates, protein, vitamins and fats they contain.  Ayurveda does not refute these western divisions, but is much broader in scope.  For example, both systems agree that a person must replenish wear and tear of the tissues.  In the western model, such food is called protein; in Ayurveda:  Kapha.  Western nutritionists might advocate consumption of beans, nuts, lentils or milk as good sources of protein, irrespective of the client’s constitution.  In Ayurveda, beans fall under the astringent category whereas nuts and milk are sweet.  It might prove harmful to prescribe beans (which increase Vata) for a Vata constitution.  On the other hand, it would be healing to prescribe milk and nuts which increase Kapha.

Western nutrition has become enormously complex and mechanical, breaking down foods in to tinier and tinier parts which takes us farther from a simple understanding of what to eat on a day-to-day basis.  When we consider the innumerable constituents and properties of foods and the endless ways they can interact, we are amazed and discouraged by the infinite complexity of cooking a daily meal.  Too many variables are involved for a logical analytical approach to be practical – an element of art is required.  Our understanding of the chemistry and physics of cooking must be integrated within a humble study of the time tested traditions of the ancient yet still living cultural practice of Ayurveda in order to gain the subtle, intuitive, cumulative and balancing effects for our health.  As we familiarize ourselves with the concept of Tridosha and the 6 taste characteristics, as well as learning to experience and analyze new foods and spices with unfamiliar tastes and properties we can balance our diet and free our bodies of excesses.  Finally, we can learn to listen and follow our infinitely sensitive, innate taste and feeling senses which will guide us to what we need. 

“You are everything; earth, water, fire, air and ether, the subtle and causal worlds and the One that stands forever beyond.” 

Vishnu Purana  

Original Manuscript: November 15, 1982 

Revised:  November 28, 2004