The 6 tastes in Ayurveda

Ayurveda considers taste as a way not only to stimulate tastebuds, but a higher consciousness as well. The 6 tastes are a major way for the Ayurvedic cook to alter biochemistry on the level of the effect that the food has on the system before digestion. Other classifications of foods, dishes and tastes refer to the effects during and after digestion. That is represented through effects on the doshas and the gunas.

TASTE	ELEMENTS	VATA	PITTA	KAPHA	GUNAS
Sweet	Earth & Water	Subdued	Subdued	Increased	Sattvic
Sour	Earth & Fire	Subdued	Increased	Increased	Rajasic
Salty	Water and Fire	Subdued	Increased	Increased	Rajasic
Pungent	Air and Fire	Increased	Increased	Subdued	Rajasic Tamasic
Bitter	Air and Akash	Increased	Subdued	Subdued	Rajasic
Astringent	Air and Earth	Increased	Subdued	Subdued	Rajasic

Other important factors related to the 6 tastes tastes are the attributes (Gunas), Essence (Virya) and Effect (Vipak).