Identity card of foods in Ayurveda

In Ayurveda, each food has its own identity card . It is not classified according to its chemical composition (carbohydrates, fats, proteins, proteins, vitamins...); but according to its rasa, anuras, virya, vipaka, gunas and prabhava:

The taste (or rasa) - There are 6 tastes

Sweet, salty, sour, bitter, pungent, astringent. Each food has between one and five tastes. Each taste is made of two elements and has a unique combination of qualities. The six tastes have an effect on the doshas because they come from the same elements and share the same characteristics. A taste that has the same qualities as a dosha increases it. Conversely, to pacify a high dosha, one must use foods with tastes of opposite qualities. Thus: -Sweet which is composed of Water and Earth ( Balance Vata and Pitta / Imbalance Kapha)-Salty: Fire and Water (Balance Vata / Imbalance Pitta and Kapha)-Acid: Fire and Earth (Balance Vata / Imbalance Pitta and Kapha)-Spicy : Air and Fire (Kapha balance / Vata and Pitta imbalance)-Bitter: Space and Air (Pitta and Kapha balance / Vata imbalance)-Astrigent: Air and Earth (Pitta and Kapha Balance / Vata Imbalance)Bitter, astringent and pungent have a role in elimination and degradation (catabolic functions); while sweet, acidic and salty enter into the growth, strengthening of tissues or organs of our body (anabolic functions).See full article on rasas

The aftertaste ( or Anurasa)

An aftertaste is not systematic. Some foods do not have an aftertaste.. The aftertaste modulates the action of the main tastes of foods.

The potential or energy (or Virya) - hot potential or cold potential

How a food expresses itself in our digestive system. Hot potential helps circulation and evacuation - Balances Vata and KaphaCold potential Balances Pitta

The Taste-post digestive (or Vipaka)

The taste that appears at the end of digestion in the colon.

The Qualities (or gunas)

Information about how foods will affect our body and mind. There are about 20 qualities. Fat, Dry, Light, Heavy, Penetrating, Blunt...

The Specific Action (or Prabhava)

Action that cannot be explained by all the previous information. It can have a completely contradictory specific action.