AYURVEDIC VIEW –

The concept of digestion is totally depends on AGNI. Agni literally means the fire. In normal terms it is digestive fire. There are so many types of agni, but mainly there are four…

• Samagni – regular or balanced digestive fire.
• Vishamagni – irregular digestive fire.
• Mandaagni – dull or mild digestive fire.
• Tikshnaagni – sharp and heavy digestive fire.

According to ayurveda, there are six types of tastes…

Madhur – sweet, composed of prithvi (earth) and jala (water)

Amla – sour, composed of prithvi (earth) and tej (fire)

Lavan – salty, composed of tej (fire) and jala (water)

Katu – pungent, composed of tej (fire) and vayu (air)

Tikta – bitter, composed of aakash (ether) and vayu (air)

Kashay – astringent, composed of prithvi (earth) and vayu (air).

These rasa’s (tastes) are present in every food. Ayurveda believes that certain rasa’s increase or decrease certain doshas (Vata, Pitta and Kapha). This is as per below information…

• Madhur usually increases Kapha dosha.
• Amla usually increases Pitta dosha.
• Lavan usually increases Pitta and Kapha.
• Katu usually increases Pitta.
• Tikta usually increases Vata.
• Kashay usually increases Vata.

Now as per the taste the regulation of dosha take place. For instance a person fond of sweets and have been consuming the same since years, tend to have Kapha priority and so the diseases related to Kapha.

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