Ayurvedic Health Tip

 I read somewhere a while ago that if you are struggling with cravings, you should make sure to eat each of the fundamental tastes everyday, and that will curb the after dinner sugar craving, or what have you.  

Here is a list of the 6 tastes from ayurbalance.com

Sweet (madhura): Milk, butter, sweet cream, wheat, ghee (clarified butter), rice, honey, raw sugar, ripe fruits of many kinds

Sour (amla): Limes and lemons, citrus fruits, many kinds of immature fruits, yogurt, mango powder, pomegranate seeds, tamarind

Salty (lavana): Salt (ayurveda recommends rock salt), salty pretzels or pickles

Bitter (katu): Bitter gourd, greens of many kinds, turmeric, fenugreek

Pungent (tikta): Chili peppers, ginger, black pepper, clove, mustard, radish, white daikon

Astringent (kashaya): Beans, lentils (dhals), turmeric, cruciferous vegetables such as cauliflower and cabbage, cilantro

 Some more suggestions:

Sweet- butter whole wheat toast if you need to eat before bed
Sour - add lime juice to flavor tea
Salty - if you are in a rush, add some canned chicken or fish to a salad
Bitter - add arugula to a pizza, drink dandelion tea
Pungent - add some hot sauce to some tacos
Astringent - incorporate kimchi as a side dish in your meals

From my understanding, refined sugar and foods are generally frowned upon in ayurveda.

Let's see if I can make a yummy menu for the day, eating each taste before dinner:

Breakfast:
Whole wheat sandwich with turkey, salami, and cheese (salty, sweet)
Tea with lime juice (sour)

Mid-morning snack:
Green juice (sweet)
Pita chips and hummus (salty, astringent)

Lunch:
Salad with radaccio or arugula, tomatoes, walnuts, olive oil, lemon juice, black pepper, and garlic powder (bitter, sour, pungent)
Salmon and rice (sweet, and the seasonings on the salmon will be "pungent")
cookies (sweet)

Dinner:
Well I covered all tastes, so this is open!
(and can be followed with a small dessert)

After-dinner snack:
Ginger tea (pungent)
Greek Yogurt (sour)

Some processed food, but not bad, right? Though it is missing some fruit...

You can find a more comprehensive description and effects of the tastes here at privateyogatherapy.com