1. SOUR

Sour–cooling foods refresh the body, reduce excessive perspiration, promote the creation of fluids, and soothe “heated” temperaments by cooling emotional “heat”. In times of emotional stress and anger, the sour flavor should be favored, because it supplements liver. Sour flavor is contraindicated when acute external weather conditions (wind–cold) impact the body. When pathogenic effects are still located in the outer layers of the body, sour flavors pull these factors into deeper layers. This worsens the course of disease and reduces treatment success.

The therapy of choice for colds is acrid flavors, which open pores, promote perspiration, and clear pathogenic factors from the body surface. Excess sour flavors damage muscle tone (lowering pH > sore muscles, muscle contraction) and sinews and should be avoided when suffering from nonarticular rheumatism and arthritis.

2. SWEET

Sweet flavor strengthens primarily stomach & spleen, where it builds up energy. It also helps with acute weakness (ravishing appetite). With its moistening effect, sweet foods nourish body fluids, relieve inner tension (compulsive eating, overeating due to emotional stress).

Excess sweet flavors harm stomach & spleen qi and produce pathogenic dampness. This can, over time, lead to phlegm disorders, for example recurrent bronchitis, sinusitis, chronic fatigue, dull sensation in head, resulting in obesity and weakness of connective tissue, excess sweet flavor can weaken the kidneys, resulting in bone and teeth disorders.

3. ACRID

The acrid flavor strengthens the lungs and banishes exogenous disease factors, especially wind–cold. Its sweat-producing effect and ability to open pores are helpful during the acute stage of a cold (ginger). Moderately spicy foods during the winter months offer excellent protection against colds. Due to their invigorating effect, acrid flavors loosen emotional stagnation and associated breathing problems (tightness in chest). With its tendency to move qi upward, acrid flavors are beneficial when experiencing emotional strain, such as sadness, melancholy, and despondency.

People with heat symptoms should assiduously avoid acrid flavors! Excess causes heat symptoms and can impair the skin dryness, allergies, itching skin, sun allergy, constipation.

4. BITTER

Bitter–cool, downbears and supports the body’s digestive and excretion functions and has a calming effect. Bitter–warm flavors in the form of aperitifs, or bitter liqueurs, stimulate the digestive organs due to their alcohol content.

Too much bitter–cool has a strong laxative effect and causes diarrhea. Excess bitter–warm flavors (coffee!) dehydrate (dry skin), damage fluids. In Western medicine, coffee is considered a “calcium robber” and promotes osteoporosis.

5. SALTY

Salty flavor in moderation supplements kidney function, promotes urine and stool excretion, dissolves congestions and hardened areas (e.g., subcutaneous nodules, phlegm accumulation).

More salt restriction, excess is common! Dehydrates body; damages fluids, blood, and vascular system (hypertension); hardens muscles and damages bones.