The Salty Taste in Ayurveda + Benefits & Best Uses

How many types of salt do you use in your daily routine? Most people rely on just one, i.e., table salt. But did you know that five types of salts are widely available today—and each contributes differently to the salty taste in Ayurveda? These are:  

• Saindhav lavana or Himalayan rock salt (The purest and most beneficial salt) 
• Sauvarchal lavana  
• Vida lavana  
• Samudra lavana – Sea salt 
• Audbhida lavana  

Among all these, saindhava lavana is the best for overall health. Wondering why? Let’s learn more about it.   

Lavana Rasa in Ayurveda

Ayurveda, the ancient system of medicine, considers six fundamental rasa, or perceptions of taste. These 6 tastes in Ayurveda are better known as “shadarasa” which show different effects on the body as per their composition. Lavana rasa, or salty taste, in the list of shadarasa, falls on the third in sequence, which is best known for its ability to bring interest to the food.

In chapter 25, shloka 40 of Charaka Samhita Sutrasthana, Acharya Charaka defines lavana rasa as “anna ruchi karanam shreshtham,” which means “salt is the element that brings interest to eat the food”.  

Lavana, in general, is known as salt, a vital component of the human body for survival. It controls body fluids and regulates the concentration of blood cells and blood volume. Salt is indeed an essential element of our diet, but an excess consumption of salt is strongly associated with various ailments like hypertension or high blood pressure and cardiovascular diseases. Hence, it is always advised to consume salt in a balanced amount. 

Composition of the Salty Taste 

The composition of each rasa or taste is a combination of two mahabhuta, which bring unique qualities to each taste to show its effects on each system of our body. This unique blend of composition, described by Acharya Charaka in Charak Samhita, Sutrasthana chapter 26, shloka 40, is the reason these tastes can show various benefits as well as harmful effects on our bodies. The composition of the salty taste involves the participation of two mahabhuta, i.e., jala (water) and agni (fire), which makes it a Pitta promoter due to its fire element and a Kapha promoter due to its water element and balances Vata dosha.  

Characteristic Features of the Salty Taste  

A rasa can be defined at its best in terms of features with 4 criteria, i.e., rasa, guna, virya, and vipaka.

• Rasa: Lavana (salty) is a rasa or taste that adds flavor to any food. 
• Guna (properties): As per the reference of Charak Samhita, Sutrasthana chapter 26, Shloka 42/3 lavana rasa possesses guru (heavy), snigdha (unctuous), and ushna (hot potent) properties. 
• Virya (potency): Lavana rasa, being a product of agni mahabhuta, is hot in potency. 
• Vipaka (post-digestive effect): The post-digestive effect of the salty taste is madhura. It means that after digestion, the saltiness leads to a sweet taste in the body. 

Health Benefits of Salty Taste  

The benefits of lavana rasa on our health are indeed diverse, and a few of them are as follows: 

• Stimulates appetite: Lavana rasa, or salty taste, is a good option for people with loss of appetite, or aruchi and indigestion. It is so because lavana rasa is said to boost digestive fire, or “jatharagni” due to its Pitta-aggravating properties, leading to better appetite and digestion.  
• Relieves constipation: Constipation is caused by the excess Vata dosha and obstruction in the intestines, where the fecal matter accumulates and gets dried up due to excess Vata dosha. As per Charak Samhita, Sutrasthana chapter 26, lavana rasa pacifies the Vata dosha, is a laxative, and also is “bandha sanghata nashana,” i.e., it breaks down the stiffness and obstruction. Hence, useful in curing constipation. 
• Electrolyte balance: Lavana rasa helps maintain the electrolyte balance in the body, which is very important for the normal functioning of nerve function and muscle contraction. 

These properties not only make the salty taste an important taste in your diet but also a contributor to different physiological processes of the body. 

Sources of Lavana Rasa or Salt 

As you are now aware of the benefits that salt provides, it is important to know the sources from which we can get it. So, there are 5 types of salts with different properties and functions; let’s know about each one of them in brief: 

• Saindhava lavana: It is commonly known as rock salt and is considered best for consumption among all 5. It enhances digestion, pacifies tridosha, is good for the eyes, is an aphrodisiac, and doesn’t cause any burning sensation. 
• Samudra lavana: As the name suggests, it originates from the sea and is also known as common salt. It is slightly unctuous, promotes bhedana (breakdown of hard stool), and doesn’t aggravate Pitta excessively. 
• Sauvarchal lavana: It is katu or pungent in post-digestive form and relieves colicky pain and constipation. It is also aromatic and light (laghu) in nature. 
• Vidda lavana: It is black salt and is slightly alkaline in nature. It can easily penetrate into small channels and promote the normal movement of Vata dosha. 
• Audbhidda lavana: It is bitter and pungent in taste and is alkaline in nature. 

So, these are 5 types of salts with the same yet some unique properties. These salts are used in food as well as in medicines as per the requirements of your body. So, it is always advised to incorporate any salt, apart from normal table salt, in your diet only after consultation with your Ayurveda consultant. 

Read more: Understanding Madhura Rasa: The Sweet Taste In Ayurveda

Effect of Excessive Salt Consumption on Health 

Since we have read about the composition, effects on dosha, and benefits of the salty taste, now it’s time to also understand, one by one, what harm it may cause to various channels of our body if consumed in excess: 

• Udakavaha srotas (lymph channels): It causes trushna or excessive thirst due to the presence of a fire element, which tends to absorb the moisture and causes thirst. 
• Annavaha srotas (digestive system): Burning sensation, gastritis, and acidity (amlapitta) are some issues related to the gut caused by excessive salt intake. 
• Raktavaha srotas (blood-carrying channels): Rakta itself contains properties similar to those of Pitta dosha. Hence, it aggravates Pitta, increases blood pressure, causes erosive effects, promotes easy swelling, causes wrinkles, graying of hair (palitya), baldness (khalitya), bleeding disorders (raktapitta), gout (vatarakta), and eczema. 
• Mamsavaha srotas (muscle tissues): Overconsumption of salt leads to depletion of mamsa dhatu, or muscle tissues, leading to sloughing of skin. 
• Asthivaha srotas (bones): It damages teeth and causes dantchyuti, i.e., dislodgment of teeth. 
• Shukravaha srotas (reproductive system): More intake of salt may show various adverse effects on our reproductive health, including impotence or infertility (napumsakta) and obstruction of functions of the senses (indruyashaya). 

Conclusion  

In a nutshell, we can understand that lavana rasa indeed plays a very crucial role in maintaining our health in all possible ways. Incorporating it in our daily diet can help us bring various good changes to our health. Lavana rasa contributes to Ayurveda as a key taste as well as a medicine to heal various ailments. While it provides hydration, promotes better digestion, and enhances the taste, it is mandatory to consume it in moderate amounts. Therefore, ensure to take lavana rasa in your diet in any way you want but in an adequate amount to avoid any ill effects on your health.