Bitter Taste

The bitter taste is quite familiar. More often than not, it is a flavor that is actively avoided, although some people

truly enjoy it. However you feel about it, when used appropriately, the bitter taste has innumerable therapeutic

benefits.

The Bitter Taste – At A Glance

Balances: pitta and kapha

Aggravates: vata

Primary Elements: air and earth

Virya (temperature): cooling (the coldest of the cooling tastes)

Vipaka (post-digestive effect): pungent

Gunas (associated qualities): cold, light, dry

Associated Positive Emotions: clarity, introspection, self-awareness, healthy detachment

from worldly things

Emotions of Excess: cynicism, rejection, boredom, isolation, separation,

loneliness

Location on the Tongue: middle edges on the left and right sides (and a small band

across the middle of the tongue, connecting these edges)

Affinity for Organs: pancreas, liver, spleen

Most Affected Tissues: plasma, blood, fat, nervous, and reproductive tissues

Direction of Movement: downward, descending (activates apana vayu)

Additional Actions:

stimulates the nervous system, reduces fat, reduces bone

marrow, inhibits sexual energy, is antipyretic (reduces

fever), anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, cholagogue

(promotes healthy flow of bile), laxative, anthelmintic

(deworming), alterative, and diruretic

© Dr. Vasant Lad2

Examples – Substances the Illustrate the Bitter Taste

Vegetables

bitter melon, burdock root, leafy greens (like kale, collards,

dandelion greens or yellow dock), eggplant, jerusalem

artichokes

Other sesame seeds, sesame oil, coffee, dark chocolate

Spices cumin, dill, fenugreek, saffron, turmeric

Benefits

The bitter taste is deeply cleansing to the body because it scrapes fat and toxins.2 It improves all other tastes,

alleviates thirst, stimulates a healthy appetite, kills germs, and clears parasites from the GI tract.2 It serves to clear

heat, dry ama, clear congestion, purify the blood, cleanse and support the liver, while draining excess moisture

from the body.2, 1 It can reduce fainting tendencies and also benefits the skin, relieving burning, itching and

swelling.2 It also tones the muscles and skin, relieves intestinal gas, promotes peristalsis, and serves as a digestive

tonic – kindling the digestive fire with its dry, light qualities.2 The bitter taste even enhances the release of

digestive secretions and digestive enzymes.1

In Excess

If overused, the bitter taste can induce nausea, weaken the kidneys and the lungs (due to the extreme drying

quality), deplete the tissues, and cause dry mouth, debility, bone loss, osteoporosis, and reduced sperm

production.2 It can also cause emaciation, excess coldness, extreme dryness, constipation, malaise, confusion,

giddiness (as in being spaced out), disorientation, dizziness or loss of consciousness.2 Too much bitter taste also

has the capacity to dry out ojas.1

Contraindications

The bitter taste can exacerbate the situation if there is elevated vata in the system, excess cold quality, extreme

dryness or roughness, emaciation, or a serious deficiency of any kind. Bitter taste should also be minimized during

pregnancy.

Exceptions

While a bitter herb, guduchi has a sweet post-digestive effect and is therefore both a tonic and an aphrodisiac.1

References

1 Pole, Sebastian. Ayurvedic Medicine: The Principles of Traditional Practice. London: Churchill Livingston, 2006. Print. 65-66.

2 Lad, Vasant. Textbook of Ayurveda Vol I: Fundamental Principles of Ayurveda. Albuquerque: The Ayurvedic Press, 2002. Print. 241-242, 247-248.

3 Lad, Usha and Dr. Vasant Lad. Ayurvedic Cooking for Self-Healing. 2nd ed. Albuquerque: The Ayurvedic Press, 2006. Print. 232-238