Foods and the planets
The sun is the power which causes plants to grow, while the moon rules over their sap, the material substance through which they live and are nourished.
Yet plants are also affected by the influences of all the planets at a subtler level. According to Ayurveda, there are six tastes called rasas in Sanskrit, relative to which it classifies all herbs and foods.
Each taste is composed of two of the five elements of earth, water, fire, air and ether, through which its properties can be understood. In Vedic astrology, each planet relates to one of these six tastes.
This allows us to correlate planetary and plant energies in a simple but effective manner.
Sweet taste, such as occurs in sugars and starches, relates to kapha planets, the moon, Jupiter and Venus, which have an overall tissue increasing effect upon the body.
Classical Vedic astrology emphasizes the identification of Jupiter specifically with the sweet taste because it is the main planet creating weight and bulk in the body, which derive from this taste and its earth and water elements. However, Venus, the planet of love, a kapha emotion is also fond of sweets.
Salty taste mainly relates to the moon, owing to its correspondence with the water element, the ocean and the plasma in our bodies, our internal ocean.
Astringent taste, such as found in tannins, is mainly vata in its properties, increasing dryness and lightness in the body. In this regard it is sometimes related to Saturn, which like the astringent taste causes our energy to contract and has stopping or inhibiting action on such processes as sweating, bleeding or elimination.
Pungent or spicy taste, which has a heating and stimulating energy, relates mainly to pitta planets, specifically to the Sun, but also to Mars.
Spices like ginger, cayenne or black pepper are storehouses of solar energy. Bitter taste can stimulate the mental activity of Mercury because it increases the air and ether elements operative in the mind. Classical Vedic astrology relates bitter taste to Mars because bitter is the most effective taste for controlling Mars energy.
When vata is too high or when the influence of Vata (airy) planets like Saturn, Rahu and Mercury predominate in the body, the use of sweet, sour, salty and pungent tastes is recommended.
Mild spices (like ginger, cinnamon and cardamom) and tonic herbs like ashwagandha and shatavari are the main herbal therapies. When Kapha is too high or when the influence of kapha (watery) planets like the moon, Jupiter and Venus predominate in the body, the use of pungent, astringent and bitter tastes is indicated.
Disclaimer: The views expressed are the author’s own.