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Rasa primarily depends upon the six
different tastes, which are inherent in substances
that tend to diminish or increase the deranged
humours and the fundamental principle of the body as
also to bring about a normal equilibrium amongst
them.
The particular sense object that is perceived by the
tongue is called rasa. It can also be defined as
that Guna which can be perceived only by the
Rasna-Indriyas. According to each and every
individual the rasas can be evaluated by classifying
them into six different types.
- Madhur (Sweet)
E.g.. sugar, banana, jackfruit, sugarcane,
honey, jaggery, fruits etc,. Generally food is
sweet in taste, neutral in energy, and sweet in
its post-digestive effect. It nourishes and
maintains humors, dhatus, and malas (wastes).
- Amla (Sour)
E.g.- amla, tamarind, buttermilk, curds, mango(
unripe), sour fruits and pickled vegetables etc.
All tissues are nourished by sour tastes except
reproductive tissues.
- Lavana(Salty)
E.g. - All salts and sea food. Salts help in
strengthening all tissues but when used in
excess it depletes the tissues.
- Katu (Pungent)
E.g. - Sunthi ( dried ginger), maricha (black
pepper), pippali (long pepper), hing
(asafoetida) etc. Spices and spicy vegetables do
not offer much nutrition but they stimulate
digestion.
- Tikta (Bitter)
E.g. - Neem, karela (bitter gourd), chandan
(sandalwood), manjistha (Indian meddar),
marigold, Adulsa (Malabar nut), Vekhanda etc.
Such vegetables offer little nourishment but
they are useful in cleansing the digestive
organs, and help in digestion, if taken before
meals.
- Kashaya (Astringent)
Eg - Kulath (horse gram), Harda, ashoka, babbul
(acacia tree), teak, jambul (black berry), etc.
They help in providing minerals but do not build
tissue.
Each of the six tastes also produce effects on
each of the internal organs. They have the capacity
to adversely affect certain organs in the body, when
found in excess.
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| The preferential use of rasa in
diet |
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Rasas are extremely important in
our diet and the diet should primarily consist of
all the six rasas. In medicine, the Veerya (potency)
is predominant whereas in diet, rasa is predominant.
Consumption of a particular rasa in large quantities
in particular seasons has also been advised.
It has been instructed that madhur rasa (madhur
dravyam not only constitutes sweet items like sugar,
jaggery but also other food items like wheat, rice,
maize etc.) should be consumed first, amla and
lavana rasa should be consumed in the middle of the
meal and tikta, katu and kashaya rasa should be
consumed at the end. There is some ideological basis
for this.
- When a person is hungry, the stomach is empty.
Empty stomach causes an increase in vata dosha.
To pacify this vata dosha, madhur rasa should be
eaten first.
- Apart from this, kaphavruddhi is required to
moisten the ingested food. This is accomplished
by the madhur rasa.
- Since dravyas, having madhur rasa are
difficult to digest, it is advisable to eat
these dravyas first.
- After this, it is correct to use amla and
lavana rasa. The reason for this is not to
pacify the remaining vata but also to aid
digestion by improving the agni.
- Lastly, katu, tikta and kashaya rasa should be
taken as these rasa increase the agni along with
reducing the kapha which increase after
ingestion of food.
This rule applies in relation to health. But in
pathological conditions this idea has to be modified
accordingly. For example,
- In anorexia and similar kapha disorders,
initially ginger and salt i.e. katu and lavana
rasa should be used.
- Of these, katu rasa pacifies the kapha while
the lavana rasa moistens food and pacifies vata.
- Similarly, the order of using these rasa can
be suitably altered taking into consideration
the prakruti (nature of the person), individual
preferences and the condition of the doshas.
- At times, when rasa like lavana, amla and
katu, which produce burning sensation, are used
first, madhur rasa has to be used in the end in
order to reduce the offending pitta.
Like for instance, in tropical countries, there is a
custom to eat sweet preparations before starting the
meal. This is useful in moistening the annavanha
srotas (alimentary canal) before ingestion of food.
Contrary to this, in cold countries, there is a
custom of taking soups of amla and katu rasa.
There is a definite order even in arranging food
items in the dish:
- Staple food like rice and chapatti are kept in
the center of the dish.
- On the left side sweet dishes are kept, then
sour pickle and lemon.
- Lavana rasa is kept in the center (right in
front of the eyes) and tikta or katu rasa are
placed on the right side of the plate.
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Healthy
Living
