According to Ayurveda sweet,sour,salty,pungent,bitter and astringent are six essential taste to make a meal wholesome. But now a days sweet taste is getting so much defame, the thought behind it most probably is its calories, but according Ayurveda sweet is equally important, if we are looking for completeness in our meals.
Sweet or madhura taste helps build those tissues that are formed and results from the combination of Water and Earth element.
The sweet taste is heavy, moist, and cooling by nature. Thus, sweet substances strengthen Kapha and reduce aggravated vata and pitta . Although a high dose of sweets can create a Kapha imbalance, which might arise the need to be corrected with pungent, bitter and astringent tastes and warming foods.
There is a reference (A.S.SU.18.6): Which clearly explains benefits of sweet taste like:
1.It gives strength, energy, and good for hairs.
2. Improve complexion ,give pleasure and satisfaction.
3.Its good for throat and voice.
4. It reduce VATA and PITTA (specifically when you take it before starting to your meals, as which is the traditional approach of food in India)
5. Sweet taste calms the mind of vata prakruti person and reduce the burning sensation of pitta prakruti. If you are vata prakruti person and feel very thirsty then sweet taste can quench your thirst.
But excess of Anything is poison same rule applies for sweetness also. Overuse causes obesity,accumulations of toxins,indigestion,vomiting,loss of appetite and lethargy,So balanced approach is always best to do.
“SWEETNESS CALMS THE SOUL”
