Sweetness is Welcomed in Ayurveda!

Sour, salty, pungent, bitter and astringent flavours are all incomplete without the taste of sweetness (Madhura)! Depending on your age, climate, health and personal type, more or less sweetness may come into play on a daily basis. Therefore, the Ayurvedic cuisine includes lots of sweet delights ...

Sweet taste conjures a feeling of happiness, calmness and naturally feeds the soul. However, "sweet" does not have the same context in all situations. On the one hand, there are naturally sweeter food types such as sweet carrots, oats, pasta, bread, dates, pumpkin or even honey. Ayurvedic cuisine also adds sweet pastries, sweet snacks, sweet confection to its cuisine.

These sweet pastries are usually baked using dried fruits, spices, nuts, coconut and orange juice - along with whole grain flours (also chickpea flour) and carefully produced sugar from sugar cane, the so-called brown Sharkara, which is used as conventional sugar (heating honey is not recommended). For baking mainly coconut oil and / or ghee are used.

Depending on which dosha is predominant (or out of balance), more or less sweetness may be beneficial to the body: Sweetness in Ayurveda is associated with the elements of earth and water (heavy and cool) and thus primarily linked to the Kapha dosha. Sweetness is the most nutritious of all tastes (the foodies know this only too well) and ensures that we are well grounded. Sweetness also promotes fertility and vitality, nourishes blood plasma, nerves and tissues, and leaves us with our body feeling at one with creativity...

... Assuming we do not eat too much candy! This makes us flabby says the Ayurvedic dietetics. Once this occurs, feelings such as happiness, love, joy, satisfaction and tenderness become something of the past. These are quickly outweighed by overweight, inertia, apathy and even greed. In addition, too much candy supposedly leads to obesity, diabetes, digestive disorders, tumors and an enlargement of the thyroid.

Ayurveda reflects what every day life suggests: Not much is forbidden. (Almost) anything goes, but not always, not for each each and every individual and certainly not in huge quantities... !