Ask anyone who knows me and they will tell you that I really, really, really enjoy my food:-). I would have to admit that this is true!

As we are looking at the senses and how to use them to enhance our health and well-being, let’s take a look at the role played by taste.. In Ayurveda they define six tastes: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent and astringent. Ayurvedic wisdom advises that including a little of each of these tastes in each main meal can help to balance the system and minimize cravings. For an amazing article on tastes and the elements visit: http://www.kitchendoctor.com/Ayurveda/taste-elements.html, very interesting!

Examples of foods related to each taste:

sweet: carrots, beet sugar

sour: lemons, yoghurt

salty: sea salt, rock salt

bitter: endive, dandelion, turmeric, coriander

pungent: radish, ginger root

astringent: cilantro, broccoli

For myself, taste is one of the most sensual ways I ‘connect’ with my life and world, good bread dipped in extra virgin olive oil and sea salt and washed down with some good red wine, mmmm, heaven:-)!

Seriously though, when is the last time you really ‘tasted’ your food? Too often, we are so pressed for time that we rush through breakfast (if we have it at all), grab a sandwich for lunch and cook whatever is quick and easy for dinner. It can be so different, food and experiencing it (the preparing and the eating) can become a joy and pleasure and you and your family will reap wonderful benefits such as improved health, more quality time spent together and more relaxed outlooks on life.

When choosing your food in the supermarket or on the farmers market, try to imagine the flavours in your mouth, think about which dishes you are going to prepare and taste the different spices and herbs you are going to add. This conscious ‘tasting’ of your imagination already sets you up to enjoy the meal so much more and when you eventually really eat the food, there is a feeling of fulfillment as your ‘taste’ experience has now come full circle.

Explore.

Explore and experiment with different tastes as ways to discover new cultures and interesting feedback about your own nature. Trying something spicy when you usually only eat plain food could open up a whole world of new flavours you did not know existed! Be open and adventurous and you may just be pleasantly surprised!

Some of my favourite tastes:(in no particular order)

- wholewheat pasta with olive oil, garlic, ginger powder and chillies, crumbled feta and a glass of red

- hummous

- dark chocolate

- fresh baguette dipped in olive oil and greek yoghurt

- salad with lemon and olive oil dressing a la Hendricus (my Dad)

- spicy butternut soup

- fresh berry juice

- fresh orange juice

- spicy rice crackers/corn chips and avo dip

- anything my mother cooks!

Let me tell you, that list is in no way exhaustive:-)!

Open your mind, open your mouth and let the tastes transport you!

Happy tasting!