In today’s world, food ingredients containing a bitter taste are almost absent. The most common known bitter bean is coffee.
Ayurveda Evaluation
In Ayurveda, the evaluation of benefits for the body is distinguished with 6 different taste. Please see my previous article about tastes here.
The bitter taste is composed of Air and Space. It is cold, light, and dry. It increases Vata, decreases Pitta and Kapha. Pitta, Kapha, and Pitta-Kapha people benefit the most from it. Overall, it helps all Doshas finding balance.
Benefits
Bitter tastes have very high and beneficial qualities. It purifies the body, dries all secretions, and eliminates toxins. It helps your appetite and returns all tastes to a normal balance. It reduces food craving. It also acts as an appetizer and strengthens metabolism. It restrains skin diseases and fever. For Dengue or Malaria, the bitter taste of young papaya tree leaves supports a fast recovery. A bitter tea helps if you feel restless, or even feverish. To the mind and emotion, bitter is dissatisfaction. It produces a desire to change, thus it is best for our consciousness. It supports to find clarity, introspection, self-awareness, and detachment. Excess bitter for example through consumption of too many coffees causes tissue wasting and hardening, loss of strength, and dryness of the mouth.
Bitter Tasting Food
- Bitter Melon
- Burdock Root
- Cocoa Beans
- Coffee
- Cumin
- Dark Chocolate
- Dill
- Endive Lettuce
- Fenugreek
- Jerusalem Artichokes
- Karela, Asian bitter gourd
- Leafy Greens (like Kale, Collards, Dandelion Greens or Yellow Dock)
- Neem, an antiseptic tree known in India.
- Papaya Leaves
- Saffron
- Sesame Seeds
- Sesame Oil
- Turmeric
Thank You!
Thank you for your interest. Please leave a comment and let me know your thoughts and questions.
