The taste of herbs & their properties

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As a general rule, many of the properties of an herb can be predicted from the

taste of the herb. The tastes are spicy (pungent), sour, salty, bland, sweet,

astrigent, and bitter.

 

Many books do not differentiate between the sour and the astringent taste, but

it can be important to do so. Sour tasting herbs tend to have a moistening

effect whereas astringent herbs tend to have a drying effect. Sour herbs tend to

have warming energy; astringent herbs tend to have cold energy. Sour herbs tend

to be " light " ; astringent herbs tend to be " heavy " .

 

In classical Chinese medicine the five tastes are spicy, sour, salty, sweet, and

bitter. Bland and astringent should also be included.

 

Herbs with a spicy taste disperse and move Qi and Blood. Examples of herbs with

a spicy taste are ginger, cinnamom, cloves, and fennel seed. Spicy herbs tend to

be warming, drying, and light. They really get the Qi and the Blood moving.

Because of the heating nature of spicy herbs, they often are used to treat Cold

conditions like when people feel cold most of the time because of Internal Cold

caused by Yang Deficiency or when the body is under External attack by Cold.

Think of hot apple cider with cinnamon in it on a fall or winter day. Cinnamon

has Hot energy and will tend to heat the body.

 

Spicy herbs also tend to have a drying action. Because of this they may be used

to treat conditions of Dampness. Think of a steaming bowl of chili loaded with

black pepper and cayenne when you're congested because of External attack by

Wind Cold (like in the case of the common cold or allergy-like symptoms). The

chili really opens up your sinuses and nasal passages. Spicy herbs can be

particularly valuable in treating conditions of Phlegm (congealed Dampness) due

to Cold. When treating Stagnation with a Heat component, add bitter herbs

because they tend to have a cooling effect. By adding herbs with cooling energy

to the heating spicy herbs, you're toning down the overall thermal energy of the

herbal mixture so that it's not as heating as it otherwise would be.

 

Spicy tasting herbs tend to be contraindicated in Heat and Dryness disorder.

Prolonged overuse of spicy herbs can cause or aggravate Interior Wind, Heat, and

Dryness and cause symptoms such as " burning sensations of the intestines,

stomach, urinary tract, itchiness of the skin and entire body, thirst,

irritability, and tremors. " (Wicke, vol. 2 of text, p. 10)

 

Remember, the Chinese idea of a balanced meal is one that includes all 5

flavors.

 

Spicy herbs often have a diaphoretic action because of their dispersing nature.

(They make you sweat.)

 

Spicy herbs do tend to be heating, drying, and light but not always. There are

exceptions. But as a general rule think of heating, drying, and lightness with

you think spicy taste and of using them to treat Cold and Dampness and

Stagnation.

 

The other tastes will be covered in other posts.

 

Victoria

 

 

 

 

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