All the food we eat affects the different doshas in one way or another. But it can be difficult to keep track of what effects everything has. The taste can be a clue. The different flavours affect the doshas as follows:

• Sweet (not only what we usually think of as sweet but also rice, cereals, milk, etc.) raises kapha but lowers vata and pitta

• Sour raises pitta and kapha but lowers vata

• Salt raises pitta and kapha but lowers vata

• Hot (spicy) raises vata and pitta but lowers kapha

• Bitter (eg leafy vegetables) raises vata but lowers pitta and kapha

• Astringent (e.g. some nuts and beans and not fully ripe bananas) raises vata but lowers pitta and kapha

The taste does not give the whole picture because there is also the aftertaste that can be different and other qualities such as the heaviness of the food, oiliness etc. But it can be a good start.