Ayurveda recommends Madhura rasa or sweet-tasting foods and herbs to pacify pitta and Vata. It is good to gain weight, manage ED and PE, improve sperm health
Related article Concept of 6 Tastes or Shad-Rasa in Ayurveda
Table of content
Madhura rasa or sweet taste in ayurveda
Effect of madhura rasa or sweet taste on body
What Happens when you Eat too much of sweet foods ?
Foods Which Have Sweetness or Madhura rasa as Major Taste
Who should not use excess of Sweet Foods?
Madhura rasa or sweet taste in Ayurveda
The madhura rasa or sweet taste usually gives a sticky sensation in the mouth (known as Mukha Upalepa). It satisfies hunger and food craving. This rasa is made up of 2 fundamental elements or panchamahabhuta -Prithvi ( earth element) and ambu (water element). These elements respectively add bulk and cooling effects to the body.
Usually, sweet-tasting foods increase kapha dosha and reduce pitta dosha and Vata dosha. Sweet tasting foods increase moistness (snigdha), act as body coolants (sheeta), and are heavy to digest (guru).
Sweet taste is referred to as follows in different languages
In Hindi -मधुर स्वाद
In Tamil – இனிப்பு சுவை
In Malayalam – മധുര പലഹാരങ്ങൾ madhura palahāraṅṅa
In marathi – गोड चव – goda chav
Indriya Prasadana – boosts the strength of sense organs, nourishes sense organs.
Effect of madhura rasa or sweet taste on body
Ayurveda acharyas describe the effect of sweet taste on the body as follows.
Boosts Body Strength
The human body is accustomed to this taste by birth. Madhura rasa or sweet foods are very essential to boost the body energy of children, aged persons, and diseased ones. It fills the body bulk of emaciated persons. It instantly boosts body energy. This property is known as “shareera satmya”
Boosts Strength of 7 body tissues or Dhatus
It increases the strength of seven body tissues or sapta dhatu (ayurveda dhatus). The seven body tissues are Rasa (lymph), Rakta (blood), Mamsa (muscles), medha (body fat), asthi (bone), Majja (bone marrow), and Shukra dhatu (semen). It increases longevity. This is known as “Jeevana”
Boosts Happiness and Helps to gain weight
Sweet foods soothe 5 sense organs and mind. It makes persons happy and satisfied. This property is known as “Prahladana“. Madhura rasa makes a person put on weight. Hence sweet-tasting herbs and foods are used in ayurvedic weight gain therapy or brumhana therapy. They also nourish tissues of sense organs. This is known as “brumhana and Tarpana”
Enhances Beauty and complexion.
The herbs which have a sweet taste enhance body skin complexion and increase fairness. This property is known as varnakara. Sweet herbs and foods prepared with these herbs increase hair growth and prevent hair loss.
Improves Breast milk secretion
Madhura rasa foods help to maintain pregnancy and increase breast milk secretion. Hence in India it is a ritual to give sweet ayurvedic milk recipes like garlic milk, turmeric milk, etc, and dry fruit laddus to nursing mothers.
Normalises movement of doshas, dhatus and mala
Madhura rasa promotes normal movement of tri doshas, dhatus, and mala (body wastes). This property is known as “anulomana” . It quenches thirst (trushnanigrahana) and boosts body immunity and strength. (balya)
Best Aphrodisiac
Madhura rasa has been praised as vrushya or aphrodisiac. Sweet tasting herbs and foods help in klaibya or erectile dysfunction in men. Usually, herbs that have sweet as dominant taste are used in herbal remedies for erectile dysfunction Sweet taste is praised for its libido increasing properties.
Some herbs with a sweet taste which are used in ayurvedic medicine for ED and PE are gokshura (tribulus terrestris), safed musli, vidari kanda, Kapikacchu (mucuna) etc. These sweet-tasting herbs are recommended for erectile dysfunction. Ayurveda acharyas recommend using sweet herbs and sweet foods in Ayurveda Vajikarana Therapy
What Happens when you Eat too many sweet foods?
Too many sweet-tasting foods increase kapha dosha which leads to sthoulya or Obesity. It also can cause obesity-related diseases and diabetes. These are Kapha increasing foods or Kapha foods.
It causes lethargy (alasya) and makes it difficult to do physical activities.
It induces sleep even in the day time. (atiswapna)
Increases the feeling of heaviness of body. (gaurava)
Aggravates cough, cold, asthma, bronchitis, etc due to increased Kapha. And may also cause fever.
Increases intestinal parasites
Reduces digestion and causes sluggishness of the digestive system.
The sweet-tasting food and herbs are usually rich in simple sugars or carbohydrates. Hence they provide plenty of calories when consumed. These calories provide abundant energy. When these types of foods are consumed in large quantities, the supply of calories will also be in surplus. This exceeds the desired level of calorie requirement. The excess amount of calories are stored as fat. Thus increased accumulation of fat leads to obesity. Chronic obesity leads to other metabolic diseases diabetes. Obesity also paves way for heart diseases.
Foods Which Have Sweetness or Madhura rasa as Major Taste
Ghee, milk, sugar cane, sugar, jaggery, ripe mango, grapes, and many more have madhura rasa or sweet taste. When foods like ghee, milk, etc are eaten in excess for a long time, it may lead to the accumulation of cholesterol. Hence Ayurveda acharyas recommend madhura rasa or sweet foods to those people who require a good supply of calories. Persons who have heavy physical work, pregnant women, lactating mothers, kids who are active in outdoor games, recuperating patients, and patients who need a quick supply of energy can consume these foods in excess.
According to Ayurveda acharyas herbs that have madhura rasa or sweet taste help to boost shukra dhatu which in turn improves sperm count and sperm motility.
Who should not use an excess of Sweet Foods?
Persons who are suffering from erectile dysfunction due to diabetes
Women who have PCOS or PCOD
Men and Women who are on a weight loss program
Sedentary workers, diabetic patients, people who are struggling to lose weight, and obese patients are advised to use this on the advice of an Ayurveda nutritionist. Madhura rasa foods and herbs are rich in medicinal properties. Ayurveda acharyas have explained many methods to harness these medicinal properties through food combinations. These combinations balance the effect of sweetness or madhura rasa.
A word of caution – use sweet-tasting foods and herbs in limited quantities and according to calorie requirements. Please note “Too much of these foods are too bad for your health”.
Consult Dr.Savitha Suri for ayurvedic remedies. Email drsavithasuri@gmail.com . WhatsApp + 91 6360108663
Author : Dr. Savitha Suri Consultant Ayurvedic Physician
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