Sweet

Sweet taste is pleasant, produces certain amount of stickiness on chewing, nourishes the body and is enjoyable to sense organs. Sweet taste enhances the quantity and strength of all the dhatus.

Attributes ²:

• Is the oiliest amongst all the tastes.
• Is cold and heavy.

Potency: 

Cold Potency¹

Post-Digestive Taste: 

Sweet Vipaka¹

Elements associated ¹:

• Earth
• Water

Seasons to consume Sweet Foods ³:

• Pre-winter and winter
• Monsoon
• Summer
• Autumn

Relationship with Malas (waste): 

Helps in excretion of waste products.  ¹

Categorisation on the basis of digestion ¹: 

Avidahi (causes no burning during digestion and helps in recovery from loss of consciousness)

Physical Features ²:

• Strengthens tissues.
• Builds the body.
• Is calming.
• Is difficult to digest.
• Increases breast milk.¹
• Good for complexion, hair, throat, sense organs, ojas.
• Good for children and the elderly.
• Heals broken bones.
• Is a mild laxative.
• Increases vitality.¹
• Promotes fusion of sperm and ovum.¹

Mental Features:

Each of the six tastes produces or enhances a certain emotion when eaten. The emotion associated with sweet taste is desire.  ²

• Provides a sense of contentment.

Excess Consumption:

If it is consumed in excess, it becomes a cause of:

• Being Overweight
• Weak digestion ¹
• Excessive sleep, drowsiness and lethargy ¹
• Diabetes
• Fainting
• Enlarged glands
• Urinary disorders ¹
• Swelling and stickiness in the throat ¹
• Accumulation of fat around neck and face ¹
• Has the most negative effect on spleen (pancreas). ²

Who should avoid Sweet Foods?

Who should refrain from consuming sweet foods¹:

• Obese and Overweight people
• Diabetics
• Those having worm infestation

Foods that are sweet but don't have negative effects associated with sweet foods¹:

• Old unpolished rice
• Old barley
• Wheat
• Green Gram
• Honey

References:

1. A Practical Approach To The Science of Ayurveda - Acharya Balakrishna
2. The Ayurvedic Encyclopedia - Natural secrets to healing, prevention and longevity - Swami Sada Shiva Tirtha
3. Bhojanakuthalam - Pg 484