6. What are the Five Flavors: Functions and Food Examples of Sour, Bitter, Sweet, Pungent, and Salty: Home Medicinal Cooking for Beginners

1. What are the Five Flavors: The 5 flavors derived based on the Five Elements

Food always has a flavor. The Five Flavors are a classification of these flavors into five categories based on the Five Elements. They are the five flavors of
sour, bitter, sweet, pungent, and salty. They are not simply divided by the taste felt on the tongue, but are also classified by the
functions that those flavors possess. Therefore, there are some ingredients where the actual taste differs from the Five Flavors. Also, depending on the ingredient,
there are some that possess multiple flavors, not just one. there are.

2. Five Flavors (1) Sour: Sour

The sour flavor refers to a tart taste. It has the effect of tightening muscles and body orifices, such as preventing things that are leaking from escaping, and suppressing things that are excessive. It is suitable for improving symptoms such as excessive sweating, runny nose, coughing, diarrhea, and frequent urination.

Consuming too much can weaken the digestive system, making it easier to develop mouth ulcers. Also, the tightening effect can become too strong, making it difficult for sweat and urine to be released.

Strengthens the functions of the liver and gallbladder.

Food examples: plums, lemons, vinegar, kiwi, etc.

3. Five Flavors (2) Bitter: Bitter

The "bitter" flavor refers to a bitter taste. It supports the functions of the heart. It has an anti-inflammatory effect that calms excessive heat in the body and a drying effect that removes excess moisture. It is effective in improving fever, summer fatigue, skin inflammation, and swelling. It also calms feelings of heat rising to the head and irritability.

Consuming too much will cool the body more than necessary. This can make you more susceptible to colds or cause your skin to lose its luster.

Supports the functions of the heart, small intestine, brain, and spirit..

Food examples: bitter melon, liver, celery, burdock root, etc.

4. Five Flavors (3) Sweet: Sweet

The "sweet" flavor refers to a sugary taste. It has nourishing and tonic effects, recovers fatigue, and improves weak constitutions. It also has the function of relaxing mental tension and muscle tension to alleviate pain.

As the saying goes, "eat something sweet when you are tired," eating it when you are tired can boost your energy, alleviate pain, and relieve tension.

Consuming too much can make your body feel sluggish and can also be a cause of swelling and obesity.

Supplements the functions of the digestive system such as the spleen and stomach.

Food examples: chicken, glutinous rice, carrots, mountain yam, potatoes, honey, etc.

5. Five Flavors (4) Pungent: Spicy

The "pungent" flavor refers to a spicy taste. By warming the body, it disperses stagnation and activates the circulation of Qi, blood, and body fluids. Because it promotes sweating, it is effective for sensitivity to cold, stiff shoulders, and early symptoms of a cold.

Consuming too much creates excess heat in the body and causes a loss of fluids.

Supports the functions of the lungs and large intestine.

Food examples: ginger, garlic, pepper, onion, wasabi, etc.

6. Five Flavors (5) Salty flavor: salty

"Xian (salty)" refers to a salty taste.
It has a softening effect that makes hard things soft.
It acts to soften lumps formed in the body and expel them from the body.
It is effective for improving constipation, warts, swollen lymph nodes, and stones.

It also has the function of regulating body fluids; consuming too much can disrupt the body's fluid balance, leading to increased blood viscosity and blood pressure. It can also weaken bones.

Supports the functions of the kidneys and bladder.

Food examples: nori, kelp, oysters, clams, soy sauce, miso, etc.

7. How to make the most of the Five Flavors

Once you know the effects of these five flavors, it is easy to think that you should just consume whatever corresponds to the area where you are feeling unwell, but it is not simply a matter of eating a lot of it.
Overeating will conversely tire out those organs.

It is important to consume them in combination so that the body's balance can be maintained.

8. Others: Bland and Astringent

In addition to the five flavors, there are "bland" and "astringent" flavors.

"Bland" is a mild taste that is almost tasteless.
It falls within the range of sweet flavor.
It has the effect of expelling excess moisture.
It improves edema and diarrhea through its diuretic effect.

Food examples: Job's tears, winter melon, etc.

"Astringent" is an astringent taste.It falls within the range of sour flavor.
It is considered to have the same function as sour flavor and has the effect of tightening muscles and the like.

Food examples: lotus seeds, pomegranate, etc.

【Easy Medicinal Cooking Course for Beginners Series: Basics】
①What is medicinal cooking? The basics　
②Checking your physical condition through Traditional Chinese Medicine: Understanding various things through Qi, Blood, and Body Fluids　
③What symptoms occur when Qi, Blood, and Body Fluids are disturbed?　
④Yin-Yang and Five Elements Theory: The Taiji diagram and Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water　
⑤What are the Five Zang Organs: Grasp the five functions of the Liver, Heart, Spleen, Lung, and Kidney
⑥What are the Five Flavors: Functions and food examples of sour, bitter, sweet, pungent, and salty　←This article
⑦What are the Five Natures: Properties and food examples of cold, cool, neutral, warm, and hot
⑧Meridian Tropism and Five Elements Correspondence Table: You can understand the relationships by looking at this table

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