Bitter or Sweet?

When you think about nutrition, you may focus on learning about what’s heathy or how to get enough protein. In Ayurveda, everything has a unique make-up. Whatever you eat has an effect on your digestion, emotions, mental state, energy, and awareness. Proteins, fats, and carbohydrates generally have a madhura rasa or sweet taste Sweet foods protect our reserves and provide calm and ease to the mind and body. It’s not unusual to crave sweet foods after long exerting work days to restore lost energy. Many greens like dandelion, arugula, cilantro, or aloe and many herbal medicines have a tikta rasa or bitter taste. Bitter foods lighten and clarify the mind and body.

Modern diets are overwhelmed with rich and building sweet foods like bread, meat, fish, and dairy. If we eat too much of these foods, the channels in the body clog up and the mind becomes cloudy and obscured. It builds ama or toxic waste. We attach to emotions and addictions and act in habitual ways. On the other hand, bitters are very common in traditional diets. In India, there is fenugreek, bitter melon, guar, or jamun. My grandfather used to drink bitter melon juice everyday to help with his diabetes and my uncle would have jamun fruit in the summers to counterbalance a hot heavy meal. Bitters don’t taste good, but the bitter taste will break down the body’s tissues and cleanse the channels. Bitter foods will clear ama or toxic waste. The bitter taste cleanses and dries out the overproduction of saliva on the tongue to help reduce our desire and cravings and withdraw the senses. Fasting has this similar effect. Withdrawing from our outer lives can feel uncomfortable but ultimately it clarifies perception and awakens our consciousness.