AYURVEDIC TASTES OF DIFFERENT FOOD ITEM

***List is indicative. Pl use your discretion and wisdom too to differentiate between different tastes. ****Also refer to i
blogs and videos

Taseer/p Salt
Pungent Sweet (No/slight Astringent Sour Bitter
FOOD otency
S.no CATEGOR FOOD ITEM (no/slight/ (hot, (No/heavy /medium/ (no/slight/ (no/slight/ (no/slight
medium/h /medium/li high)wrt medium/hi medium/h /medium/
Y warm,
igh) ght) Sodium gh) igh) high)
cold)
Chloride)

1 Rice No Cold Medium No Slight No No

2 Wheat No warm Heavy No Slight No No
Grains
3 Millet No Hot Heavy No Slight No Slight
4 Barley No Cold Light No Medium No No
5 Moong No Cold Medium No Slight No No
6 Arhar No Cold Medium No Slight No No
7 Masoor No Cold Medium No Slight No No
8 Moth No Hot Medium No Slight No No
9 Rajma No Warm Heavy No Slight No No
Pulses
10 Chickpeas No Cold Heavy No Slight No No
11 Soy No Hot Medium No Medium No medium
12 Black gram No Hot Heavy No Slight No No
13 Chana Dal No Cold Medium No Slight No No
14 Urad No Cold Heavy No Slight No No
15 Turmeric Slight Warm No No Medium No medium
16 Fennel Medium Cold No No Slight No medium
17 Cumin Medium Cold No No Slight No slight
18 Coriander Slight Cold No No Slight No slight
19 Mint No Cold No No Medium No medium

20 Cardomom Medium Cold No No Medium No slight

Badi
21 Cardomom High Cold No No Medium No slight
22 Cinammon Medium Cold No No Medium No medium
Black
23 pepper High Cold No No Medium No medium

24 Red Pepper High Cold No No No No medium

Spices
Green
25 Pepper High Cold No No No No medium
26 Cloves Medium Warm Medium No Medium No slight
27 Bayleaf Medium Cold No No Slight No slight
28 Asafetida Medium Cold Medium No No No slight
29 Ajwain Medium Cold No No Slight No slight
30 Fenugreek Slight Cold No No Slight No high
Mustard
31 Seeds Medium Cold light No Slight No slight
32 Honey Slight warm Light No Slight No slight
33 Saffron Slight warm Light No Slight No medium
34 vanilla No Cold No No Medium No slight
35 Oregano Medium Cold No No Slight No slight
36 Tamarind No Cold Light No Slight High No
37 Cows milk No Warm Medium slight No No No
Human
38 milk No Cold Medium slight No No No
 Cottage
39 cheese No Cold Medium slight No No No
Fermented
40 cheese Slight Hot Heavy high less No No
41 Curd Slight Warm Heavy slight No Medium No
42 Buttermilk No Cold Light slight No slight No
Milk
Products Fresh
43 Butter No Cold very heavy No No No No
Clarified
44 butter No Cold Heavy No No No No
Pasterurize
45 d butter No Cold very heavy high No No No
Fresh
46 Cream No Warm Heavy slight No No No
Milk
47 powder No Warm Heavy slight No No No
48 Mango Slight Warm Medium No very slight No No
Unripe
49 mangoes Slight Cold Light No high slight No
50 Red Apple No Cold Light No Slight No No
Green
Apple No Cold Light No Medium slight No
51 Banana Slight Cold Medium No No No No
Green
Banana Slight Cold Light No Slight No No
Indian
blackberry(j
52 amun) No Cold Light No very high No slight
53 Dates No Hot Heavy slight Medium No No
54 Cheeku Slight Warm Light No Slight No No

55 Orange Slight Cold Light No No high No

56 Lemon Slight Cold Light No Slight High No
57 Fruits Guava No Cold Medium No Slight No No
Custard
58 Apple No Cold Medium No Medium No No
Wood
59 Apple Slight Cold Medium No Medium No Medium
60 Melons No Cold Light No No No No
61 Dry fruits No Hot Heavy No Slight No No
62 Litchi Slight Cold Light No Slight No No
Pomegrana
63 te No Cold Light No Medium slight No
64 Pear No Cold Light No Slight No No
65 Plums No Cold Light No Slight Medium No
66 Raspberry No Cold Light No Slight Medium No
67 Grapes No Cold Light No Slight slight No

68 Red Grapes No Cold Light No Medium slight No

69 Cherry No Cold Light No Medium slight No
70 Strawberry No Cold Light No Medium slight No
71 Cranberry No Cold Light No high slight No
72 Kiwi No Cold Light No Slight Medium No
73 Potato No Warm Medium No Slight No No
 Sweet
74 Potato No Warm Medium No Slight No No
75 Carrot No Warm Light slight Slight No No
76 Raddish Medium Cold Light No no No No
77 Garlic Medium Warm Light slight Slight No high
78 Onion Medium Warm Light slight Slight No high
Fresh
79 ginger Medium Cold No No Medium No No
Dried
80 ginger High Cold No No Medium no No
81 Spinach Slight Warm Medium slight Medium No medium
82 Mustard Slight Warm Medium slight Medium No medium
83 Ladyfinger No Cold Light No Slight No No
84 Yams No Cold Light No Slight No No
85 Methi No Warm Light No Slight No medium
86 Bathua No Warm Light No Slight No medium
Bitter
87 gourd No Cold Light No Slight No high
Round
gourd
88 (tinda) No Cold Light No Slight No No
Bottle
89 gourd No Cold Light No Slight No No
Vegies Ribbed
90 Gourd No Cold Light No Slight No No
91 Capsicum Slight Cold Light No Slight No slight
Indian
92 goosebery Slight Cold Light No Slight slight slight
93 Brinjal No Warm Light No Slight No slight

94 Beans No Cold Light No Medium No No

95 Corn No Warm Medium No Slight No No
96 Brocoli No Warm Light No Slight No medium
97 Lettuce Slight Warm Light No Slight No slight
98 Tomato Slight Warm Light No Slight Medium No
99 Olives No Warm Light No Medium No No
100 Jalepeno Medium Warm Light No Slight No medium
101 Sea weed No Cold Light No Slight No slight
102 Celery No Warm Light slight Slight No slight
Mushroom
103 s No Warm Light slight Slight No No
104 Peas No Warm Light No Slight No slight
105 Drumsticks No Warm Light No Slight No slight
106 Beetroot No Cold Light slight Slight No medium
107 Cucumber No Cold Light slight Slight No No

108 Cauliflower Slight Cold Light No Slight No Slight

109 Cabbage Slight Cold Light No Slight No Slight
110 Peanut No Hot Medium No Slight No No
111 Sesame No Hot Medium No Slight No slight
Melon
112 Seeds seeds No Cold Light No Slight No No
113 Flex No Hot Light No Slight No slight
Fresh
114 Coconut No Cold Heavy No Medium No No
115 Sunflower Slight Warm Light No Slight No slight

116 Olive oil Slight Warm Light No Slight No slight

Oils (no
oil should
117 be Mustard oil Medium Warm Light No Slight No slight
cooked or Vegetable
118 heated oil Slight Cold Light No Slight No slight
till
smoking
point)
119 Coconut oil No Cold Medium No Slight No No

120 Seasame oil No Warm Medium No Slight No slight

121 Tea High Cold No No high No high

122 Green Tea High Cold No No high No high
123 Coffee High Cold No No high No high
124 Beverage Chocolate High Cold No No high No high
s/tobacco
125 and drugs Alchohol High Cold Light No Medium No high
126 Red Wine High Cold Light No high slight high
tobacco/dr
127 ugs Medium No No Slight No high
128 Beer Slight Cold Light No high No medium

129 Eggs No Hot Heavy medium No No No

Animal Fish
130 Product /Seafood No Hot Heavy medium No No No
131 Chicken No Warm Heavy medium No No No
132 Mutton No Hot Heavy medium No No No
133 Lamb No Hot Heavy medium No No No

134 Aloe vera Slight Cold Light No Medium No medium

135 Neem No Cold No No Slight No slight

Herbs
136 Licorice No Cold Light No No
137 Pickles High Cold Light No Slight High No
138 Vinegar Medium Cold No No Slight High No

139 Rose No Cold Light No Medium no slight

Whey
140 protein No Warm Heavy No No No No
Miscellan
141 eous Soy protein No Hot Heavy No No No slight
Soy
142 nuggets No warm Medium slight Slight No slight

******************* INSTRUCTIONS FOR USING THIS CHART

A. Use Food pyramid to know which food is good for you
B.
Please apply filter of your disease on the food pyramid e.g a vata person should avoid sour foods in case of ulcerative col
 Any taste in excess is not satvic and should be avoided however they may be used as medicine but only for a
It is not combined with opposite taste will not harm the person e.g. rice (cold) with curd (hot) neutralizes the effect a
possible to (hot) is healthy, turmeric if neutralized with tamarind is fine.
clearly
segrate
C. satvic,
tamasic
and rajasic Fresh and only local fruits are satvic
foods. As a Excessively fermented foods should be avoided
thumb rule
Hot foods to be had during cold weather only

Sweetness indicates presence of proteins and/or fats and/or carbohydrates. Ideally a meal should have all these present
itself which not only has all three of them but also all types of amino acids (further division of proteins), all types of fats (
D. since cow's milk is cold one needs a bit of pitta to digest it (generated either by pungent foods or activity or hot weather)

E. Dryness indicates that food is low on fat and water content and is good only for removing high kapha else it should be m
ENT FOOD ITEMS
****Also refer to instructions at the end of the document and connected

Properties / Remarks

basmati rice is heavy and very good for pacifying vata and pitta
gluten in wheat is sticky and needs good amount of pitta to get digested in absence of which it can produce toxins and allergy
Ideally to be had during winters since it is hot in nature
since it very light as well as astringent its consumption can increase vata

Pulses are hard to digest and therefore should be thoroughly cooked and
steamed/baked before consumption. Ideally they should be properly dissolved in the
curry. Sprouts too should be steamed (0.9 whistle) before consumption as raw
sprouts donot get digested and create lot of toxins in the body. Soy should be
consumed only in fermented form (nuggets or sticks form) as otherwise it is hard to
digest however soy has bitterness and is vasodilating so should be consumed in
moderation only. Pungent spices like ginger should defintely be added to heavy
pulses like Rajma and Urad so that pitta is able to digest them properly. Light and
medium pulses like moong need lighter pungency like cumins.

its bitterness gives it diuretic and antibacterial property. However should be consumed only as pinch else due to astringency, it can increa
baking reduces its bitterness and makes it palatable for using as digestive
baking reduces its bitterness and makes it palatable for using as digestive
cooling to the body
Vasodilating when used in concentrated form like menthal, chewingum

Expels heat and sourness from the body (especially pseudokapha)

Expels heat and sourness from the body (especially pseudokapha)

Expels heat and sourness from the body (especially pseudokapha)

Very dry in nature unlike other spices due to zero fat. Helps in balancing excess unctousness (oilyness due to oil/ghee consumption) in the

Should be avoided by all constitution as it gives sudden jerk to the body by increasing
pitta instead medium/lightly pungent spices should be used
increases pitta but reduces vata being unctuous (oily) and that’s why rated sweet

sweetness is medium only because of oil content present in it.

Its Bitterness, pungency and astringencyincreases vata and is therefore good for type 2 diabetics

sweetnes is light only because of oil content present.

predigested food by honeybees so gets easily absorbed without digestion process. Should never be heated
Acts as vasodilator and so used as aphrodisiac.light sweetness due to unctous nature. Added in milk to balance milks coldness
should not be consumed without diluting it with water (80% water). Else it blocks our blood vessels and all channels and causes various d
healthy but being cold in nature should be consumed when pitta is high. Mild spices to be added

should be taken in moderation

Is an elixir to health but should be taken in moderation as too much can thicken the blood.

should be totally avoided

beat heat due to high astringency

citrus fruits white peel is astringent

vasodilating
vasodilating

dry, vasodilating
dry, vasodilating
can increase vata being zero on pungency. Should be cooked in mustard oil being pungent
can increase vata being zero on pungency. Should be cooked in mustard oil being pungent

mimics insulin

pacifies pitta and kapha (aggravates vata if taken during cold weather)

pacifies pitta and kapha (aggravates vata if taken during cold weather)

pacifies pitta and kapha (aggravates vata if taken during cold weather)
vasodilating in nature. Should be avoided by vata minds
has five tastes other than salt. Pacifies all three doshas especially pitta. To be taken
with salt to make it complete in all six tastes
vasodilating in nature. Should be avoided by vata minds
can increase vata being zero on pungency. Should be cooked properly. High in B6 so
helps in calming down mind by converting glutamate to gaba.
hard on digestion if not baked or boiled properly. Is nutritious
vasodilating in nature. Should be avoided by vata minds

increases pitta to some extent. Ideally to be consumed during winters.

vasodilating in nature. Should be avoided by vata minds

not to be consumed during summers being hot in nature

slightly vasodilating. Healthy but to consumed in moderation
high on magnesium (pacifies pitta and vata). Too much can create bloating especially if
pitta is already low and can increase toxins due to poor digestive fire
slightly vasodilating. Full of omega 3. more effective when consumed with Ghee
 slightly vasodilating
slightly vasodilating. Very good for massage as its vasodilation/astringency help to
reach its sweetness deep into skin thereby calming peripheral vata nd pains
slightly vasodilating. Very good for massage as its vasodilation/astringency help to
reach its sweetness deep into skin thereby calming peripheral vata nd pains

slightly vasodilating (to be avoided). Should be consumed in vegetable form only

has a high smoking point. Ok for cooking unless it cold pressed in which case it should
be used in salads alongwith hot seasonings like black pepper. Massage for calming
pitta.
slightly vasodilating. Very good for massage as its vasodilation/astringency help to
reach its sweetness deep into skin thereby calming peripheral vata nd pains

highly vasodilating. Should be avoided by all constitution especially vata minds as it

increases vata in the brain by vasodilation thereby reducing blood from the brain
making it hyperactive. May be prescribed for kapha minds only as medicine for
sometime to reduce kapha (underactivty) from brain.

vasodilating. Ok for reducing pitta but not to be consumed by vata minds at all

pacifies vata (being sweet and heat generating) but aggravates kapha and pitta.
Excess use especially by kapha minds leads to kapha diseases like diabetes type 2,
PCOD and pitta/kapha diseases like piles. Red meat is much higher on pitta and is ok
to be consumed only in winters and cold climates else it is bound to cause pitta
diseases as mentioned

vasodilating. Increases vata of mind but pacifies vata of lower body thus pacifying pitta
too.
alkaloids in it which give it bitterness are antiseptic and antiviral in nature fighting
infection
highly sweet in nature. Mimics anabolic steroids made by our kidney. Good in small
quantities to fight inflammation. Can create high bp due to kapha aggravation
Should be consumed only during winters.

pacifies pitta due to coldness and astringency but can increase vata if taken in excess
should be avoided unless exercising to increase muscle mass. Can increase toxins in the
body if not digested properly

hard to digest. Can increase toxins in the body if not digested properly
easy to digest but is vasodilating. To be avoided by vata minds especially if mixed with
vegetables as latter further increase vasodilation

ods in case of ulcerative colitis

d as medicine but only for a short time to control a dosha. However most of the foods if
hot) neutralizes the effect and is good for digestion, same way milk (cold) with almonds

ould have all these present in it e.g. Milk is the only food which is a complete meal in
proteins), all types of fats (Saturated and unsaturated) and carbohydrates. However
s or activity or hot weather)

h kapha else it should be mixed with fatty food like ghee before consumption
increase vata and body pains.

) in the body. Reduces mucous

ious dieases