Herbal Energetics

How Taste Affects the Properties of Herbs

By Daniel Cashman, Dipl. Ac. (NCCAOM), EAMP

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is founded on keen observations of the human condition. Ancient healers noted the deleterious effects of poor dietary habits and strove to formulate therapies to counter them. As far back as the Han Dynasty (202 BCE-220 CE) Chinese herbalists were thinking about how taste impacts the therapeutic effect of both herbs and food. Known as the “Golden Age” of Ancient China, the Han Dynasty saw the codification of many of the theories that comprise TCM, of which Chinese Herbal Medicine (CHM) is an important part. It was during this era that the seminal book of TCM originated – “Huang Di Nei Jing” (or The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine). The Huang Di Nei Jing introduced important theories about diet and discussed the impact our environment has on our health. Central to our understanding of the therapeutic effects of herbs are how their flavors influence their energetic and therapeutic properties. We recognize five important taste sensations inherent to herbs: sweet, acrid (or pungent), sour, bitter, and salty. (Sometimes ‘bland’ and ‘astringent’ are included on this list as well). Each has different characteristics, and each can be the cause of disease when out of balance. For instance, an excess of sugar intake (the sweet taste) is thought to be a contributing factor to the development of Type II Diabetes. Note that the tastes and flavors associated with herbs are not remarkably different than those associated with everything else that you consume. However, herbs can be thought of as being more concentrated than most of the other foods in your diet. Because of this increase in the strength of medicinal herbs I recommend consulting with a licensed TCM practitioner before experimenting. Herbs that are benign at low dosages can become toxic at higher ones, and sometimes herbs can have a negative impact when combined with other foods or medicine you are taking. For instance, Job’s tears (a type of barley commonly found in soups) can have a mild diuretic effect that you might not want to combine with diuretic medicines in large doses. The following describes the effects of the five tastes. Note that each flavor resonates with different internal organs. For example, salty foods tend to affect the Kidney and Urinary Bladder. This is reflected in the advice to avoid too much salty food given to patients with high blood pressure. · Sweet - harmonizes, tonifies; has an affinity with the Stomach and Spleen.· Acrid - dispersing, moves qi and blood, moves energy out; has an affinity with the Lungs and Large Intestine.· Sour - contracts, tightens, and restrains leakage, moves energy in; has an affinity with the Liver and Gall Bladder.· Bitter - drains and dries; has an affinity with the Heart and Small Intestine.· Salty - softens, moistens, and moves down; has an affinity with the Kidney and Urinary Bladder. In a healthy diet, these five tastes are balanced with some deference given to the sweet taste. Because the sweet taste is associated with carbohydrates like grains, fruit, beans, and vegetables, what this means is that you build your daily diet around these complex carbohydrates and then add small amounts of the other flavors with each meal. A Traditional Chinese Medicine herbalist will evaluate your overall health imbalances and prescribe herbal formulas based on these same considerations. Sour herbs include lemon, rose hip, hawthorne berry. Foods with the sour taste include leeks, grapes, raspberries, and tomatoes. The acidity of these plants is most often the cause of this sour taste (especially from tannic acid, citric acid, and ascorbic acid) – the stronger the taste, the stronger the acid. Sourness helps dissolve dietary minerals for improved assimilation and is used to treat excessive perspiration and diarrhea. Salty herbs and foods include metal salts like sodium and potassium, as well as seaweeds, soy sauce, and miso. The salty taste tends to have a cooling effect and can be used to improve digestion, detoxify, treat constipation, and soften hard lumps. The bitter taste is produced by alkaloids and is found in herbs like dandelion leaf, burdock leaf or root, chamomile, and pau d’arco along with foods such as bitter melon, scallions, turnips, and asparagus are thought to drain dampness in the body manifesting as candida overgrowth, various parasitic invasions, skin conditions, and cysts. Spearmint and licorice are thought of as being sweet herbs, and foods that are sweet include molasses, sunflower seeds, cherries, and peas. The sweet taste is used to strengthen the digestive system and energize the body. Essential oils and terpenes can cause an acrid taste and is found in herbs like mint, black pepper, basil, cloves, cayenne, and garlic as well as foods such as mustard greens and cabbage. This pungent taste can enter the Lungs and clear mucus conditions and is also known to stimulate blood circulation. Let’s finish our exploration of herbs and how their flavors impact the therapeutic effect by having a look at licorice! Not only is licorice one of the most prescribed herbs in TCM, it is also very well known in the West. Licorice root (Radix Glycyrrhizae) was first described in the Second Century. It is a sweet herb that has an affinity with the Spleen, Stomach, Lungs, and Heart. Because it resonates with the Spleen and Stomach it is used to improve digestion and can treat fatigue and diarrhea. Licorice also enters the Lungs and can be used to treat dry cough and wheezing. When combined with other herbs like peony root it can be used to stop muscle cramps. Licorice is a highly studied herb and has been shown to be effective in treating diverse conditions like Addison’s disease, purpura, intestinal spasms, and acute mastitis. Licorice is also thought to harmonize other herbs and is frequently added to formulas because it is thought that it will both enhance the efficacy of the medicine and reduce any side effects. Chinese Herbal Medicine has a rich history and has been used by people across the planet for centuries to improve health and wellbeing. In recent years Chinese herbs were used to treat SARS and more recently Chinese herbs are being used to assist in the global fight against COVID-19. Understanding the interplay between taste and function explains many of the therapeutic effects created by herbs and is central to understanding how this beautiful tapestry is woven.