Taste correspondences

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TCM recognizes that certain tastes or flavors tend to have specific

properties. Specific tastes also tend to have an affinity for

certain Organs. For example, the sweet taste will enter the Spleen.

 

The following info that is in quotes is taken from Giovanni Maciocia,

The Foundations of , p. 33.

 

" Each of the tastes has a certain effect on the body: the sour taste

generates fluids and Yin. It is astringent and can control

perspiration and diarrhoea. "

 

I think of the astringent herbs as the ones that " plug leaks " . For

example, excessive sweating, diarrhea, excessive urination (in some

cases), etc. Astringent herbs sometimes are included in Qi tonic

formulas to control the " leaks " that go along with Qi Deficiency and

to prevent Qi from being lost along with the " leakage " of bodily

fluids.

 

The sour taste has an affinity for the Organs and meridians of the

Element Wood. We're talking Liver (Yin Wood) and Gall Bladder (Yang

Wood). For those new to TCM, this grouping things into " Elements " is

a part of TCM called " 5 Element Theory " . The applications of the 5

Element Approach will become more apparent in a future post on Taste

and the 5 Elements.

 

" The bitter taste clears Heat, sedates and hardens. It clears Damp-

Heat and it subdues rebellious Qi. "

 

Often people only think of the Heat-clearing property of the bitter

taste, but it also " subdues rebellious Qi. " Meridians have proper

directions of Qi flow. For some meridians the proper direction is

ascending. For others, the proper direction is

descending. " Rebellious Qi " is Qi that is supposed to be descending

but is rising instead. It's " rebelling " . Stomach Qi is supposed to

descend. When it rebels, this can result in symptoms for acid

reflux, vomiting, etc.

 

The bitter taste has an affinity for the Organs and meridians of the

Fire Element. The Heart is Yin Fire, and the Small Intestine is Yang

Fire.

 

" The sweet taste tonifies, balances and moderates. It is used to

tonify deficiency and to stop pain. "

 

Most of what we consume as food has a sweet taste. There may be

other flavors present in addition to the sweet taste. Like an apple

having both the sweet and bitter taste. The herb Wu Wei Zi (Fructus

(Fruit of) Schisandrae Chinensis) has all 5 flavors. It's primary

taste is sour, and it is classified in the Chinese Materia Medica

(book of healing substances used in TCM) as an herb that stabilizes

and binds. It plugs " leaks " . It also generates fluids.

 

The sweet taste has an affinity for the Organs and meridians of the

Earth Element. The Spleen is Yin Earth, and the Stomach is Yang

Earth.

 

" The pungent taste scatters, and is used to expel pathogenic factors. "

 

Other terms for " pungent " are " acrid " and " spicy " . This taste has an

affinity for the Lungs (Yin Metal) and the Large Intestine (Yang

Metal).

 

" The salty taste flows downwards, softens hardness, and is used to

treat consipation and swelling. "

 

The salty taste has an affinity for the Kidneys (Yin Water) and the

Bladder (Yang Water).