Sweetness and Joy in Ayurveda

Did you know the sweet taste is related to how much joy and happiness we feel in life?

This taste can reduce anger, decrease anxiety and instill a sense of contentment.

In the Āyurvedic view of the world, there are six distinct tastes our tongue senses – sweet, salty, sour, bitter, pungent and astringent. Each taste has a function in the body and affects the mind in a particular way.  As you may have guessed when discussing Āyurveda, each of the six tastes derive from the five elements in nature (earth, water, fire, air and ether).

Madhura is the Sanskrit name for sweet, which also means delightful, pleasant and charming. The sweet taste is predominant in the earth and water element, which have several gunas, or qualities, in common. They are both heavy, which makes the sweet taste nourishing. They are both cool, which can relieve burning sensations in the body. They are both cloudy, which can clog our channels if taken in excess. The water element adds moistness, which can hydrate the tissues and add additional nourishment.

On the physical level, or the Annamaya Kośa, the sweet taste is tonifying and nourishing as it has an anabolic quality that support building strength and mass in the tissues. It fosters recovery when we have experienced debilitation or emaciation from illness or stress. And, due to its moist and cooling quality, it removes thirst and supports hydration. In excess, however, the sweet taste can reduce the digestive fire, causing heaviness, sluggishness, weight gain and restricted bowel movements. It can clog the lymphatic channels and that toxic load can create a home for bacteria and parasites to flourish. And, of course, we know it plays a role in pancreatic health and diabetes.

On the psychological level, or the Manomaya Kośa, the sweet taste provides happiness. It encourages us to feel contentment and joy, and is often used as a prasad (holy offering) or a special food at celebratory events.  Its heavy guna reduces anxiety and fear and its cooling guna can calm the fires of the mind that make us feel critical and angry. It builds our ojas, which is the vital essence or subtle immune system of the body, which helps us deal with stress and the challenges of living. In excess, the sweet taste will increase our attachment, encourage greed, and can make us feel unmotivated to cultivate positive behaviors.

The sweet taste will decrease the Vāta and Pitta doshas, and is recommended for them. It will increase the Kapha dosha, so individuals with a Kapha constitution or imbalance will want to have less of this taste. Sweet is also indicated in the summer and fall, as those are the seasons that we need to balance out the environmental energies of hot and dry.

Some examples of foods with a natural sweet taste are rice, wheat, raw nuts (especially cashews and almonds), dairy, sugar and honey, maple syrup, dates, coconut and most fruits. Many vegetables also have a sweet taste, like squash, sweet potatoes, beets, carrots, and corn. Even legumes, especially red lentils and garbanzo beans have a sweetness to them. Spices include fennel, licorice, cardamom, cinnamon and vanilla. I really wish I could include candy bars and chocolate cakes but most of those are made with processed white sugar, as are sodas and pastries. While the tip of our tongue may register that as the sweet taste, those things will not provide the same level of nourishment that naturally sweet foods provide (and I am sorry about that!)

Even with our favorite candy removed from this list, we can use this information to reflect on the sweetness in our life in regards to our happiness. Are you having enough healthy sweets to nourish your tissues and bring satisfaction and contentment to your mind? Are there mental fires that need to be cooled so you can experience more joy? Are you having an abundance of the sweet taste which has you feeling unmotivated, lethargic and stuck? What proportion of your diet does the sweet taste occupy?

As I write this, we are on the precipice of the summer season. It is a perfect time to enjoy some cantaloupe, watermelon, cherries and peaches. Pick some fresh cucumber and beets from the garden and incorporate those into your daily meals. Sip on some coconut water, and snack on some raw cashews. Enjoy these things knowing you are feeding your tissues, hydrating them, and feeding the mind foods that will increase happiness and joy.