L4: Western Energetics II: Taste Flashcards
What are the five most common tastes?
- Sour
- Bitter
- Sweet
- Pungent
- Salty
What characterises the sour taste? (and what actions does it have)
- Prevents abnormal leakage of fluids and energy.
- Cooling, refreshing, astringent.
- Promotes enzyme secretions, digestive aid.
- Aids liver function.
- Binds and contracts flaccid tissues.
Examples of sour taste
Lemons and limes
Cider vinegar
Schizandra berries
Hawthorn berries
Sauerkraut (fermented foods)
Rejuvelac
What is the chemistry of sour taste? And what are the effects on the body?
- Carboxylic and dicarboxylic acids (citric, maleic, oxalic)
- Cleanse and detoxify by rendering fat-soluble toxins water-soluble.
- Lemon juice inhibits stomach-acid secretion….
- …necessitating less bicarb-rich liver secretions (to neutralise) and …
- …increasing pancreatic and bile secretion
- Increases ammonia secretions from kidneys
What are the characteristics of the bitter tastes?
- Drains and dries
- Cooling, clearing, detoxifying
- Antibiotic, antiviral, antiparasitic
- Stimulates release of antibodies
- Enhances bile production and secretion
- Alterative (blood purifying)
- Clears veins and arteries of cholesterol
- General tonic through toning digestion - promotes HCl secretion
Examples of bitter taste
- Chicory
- Rocket leaf
- Cacao
- Dandelion leaf and root
- Gentian
- Wormwood
- Myrrh
What is the chemistry of bitter taste? And what actions does it have in the body?
- Increase liver secretions, lower exudations by increasing removal of toxins.
- Act on heart, upper digestive tract, congestion of the lungs*
- Many cardio-active herbs are bitter glycosides
- Sesquiterpines – essential oils that boil at over 200°C, abundant in the Asteraceae plant family. Warming effect.
- Alkaloids (e.g. berberine, hydrastine). Cooling, anti-bacterial.
*via remote neurogenic switching
What are the characteristics of the sweet tastes?
- Nourishes the stomach digestion
- Strengthens the flesh
- Warming and soothing
- Tonic, building, nourishing
- “Full” sweet and “Empty” sweet
- Kidney deficiency
- Chronic fatigue, ME, post-viral fatigue
- Other depleted conditions (hypometabolic states)
Examples of sweet taste
- Ginseng, Astragalus, Rehmannia, Liquorice, Wild Yam (all roots)
- Western roots: Burdock, Dandelion and Lovage may have similar properties
- Dates
- Barley malt
- Honey
- Maple syrup
What is the chemistry of sweet taste?
- Sugars formed from sunlight, carbon-dioxide and water, basic to energy needs (Carbohydrates)
- Sugars attach to many plant chemicals to form glycosides more water soluble and transportable)
- Sugars are readily assimilated and utilised, all tissues feed on glucose, especially brain and muscles
What are the characteristics of the pungent tastes?
- Warming, dispersing, drying
- Distributes energy from the core to the periphery*
- Counteracts cold and damp
- Natural stimulant in hypo-metabolic conditions
- Topical rubifacients
Indicated for:
- Mucous, catarrh, colds & flu
- Arthritis, rheumatism
- Delayed menstruation
*think diaphoretic
Examples of pungent taste
- Watercress
- Rocket
- Mustard
- Garlic
- Onion
- Ginger
- Pepper
- Cayenne
- Horseradish
What is the chemistry of pungent taste?
- Oleo-resins: cayenne, black pepper
- Volatile oils: Apiaceae (Angelica), Lamiaceae (Mint), Lauraceae (Cinnamon)
- Isothiocyanates (mustard, horseradish, mustard, watercress, garlic, onions)
What are the effects of pungent taste in the body?
- Indicated for stagnation and congestion.
- Inhibits liver’s ability to neutralise drugs, prolongs the effects of other herbs (catalyst).
- Essential oils and resins irritate mucosa, increasing blood supply, absorbed into blood through S.I. warming interior organs & increasing metabolism.
- Excreted through lungs and urinary tract, thus dispersing heat.
What are the characteristics of the salty taste?
- Nourishes the kidneys, make the heart pliable and strong, and has a softening effect.
- Abuse in modern times leads to high blood pressure and general advice to avoid it but…
- Salt is important in maintaining body fluids and electrolytes in the correct proportions.
