Did you know every craving holds a message from the body? A whisper from an organ, a rhythm from the inner ecosystem, a pulse from the Earth itself. What we call “cravings” are often the body’s way of communicating imbalance. More accurately, it is a longing for harmony.
In modern wellness culture, cravings are often framed as weaknesses or biochemical noise. However, in ancient systems such as Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), as well as Indigenous food traditions across the Americas, taste serves as a diagnostic language. Each flavor corresponds to an element, an organ, and an emotion. When you crave a particular taste, your body — and many would say your spirit, too — is trying to speak.
Taking a closer look at cravings through this lens helps us simplify our approach to nourishment, rather than counting calories or weighing micrograms of nutrients. It’s a relationship between our cells and the soil, our moods and the seasons, and the broader web of life.
Understanding Ayurveda’s “Six Tastes”
On a physiological level, cravings are a form of biochemical communication. They arise from fluctuations in neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine, changes in cortisol or insulin levels, shifts in gut flora, or even subtle mineral deficiencies. When serotonin levels dip, for instance, the body may crave carbohydrates because they’re a quick way to restore a sense of calm and reward. Or, low magnesium can manifest as a longing for chocolate.
But cravings aren’t just chemical. They’re also somatic memories, the patterns stored in the body from our ancestors’ environments and diets. In Indigenous and Latin American traditions, food is alive. Corn, cacao, chile, and salt are not ingredients; they are teachers and protectors. To crave them is to participate in an old conversation about survival, ceremony, and balance.
Ayurveda describes six tastes — sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent — as energetic signatures that either pacify or aggravate the doshas. Similarly, TCM associates five primary flavors with specific organ systems and emotions. Across traditions, taste is the thread that binds physiology and spirit. Armed with a basic understanding of these fundamental concepts, you can use them as a means to decode the needs (cravings) of your body and soul.
Let’s translate what each craving might be trying to tell you.
When the Heart Speaks, It Craves Bitter
In TCM, the heart governs joy, spirit (shen), and clarity. When you’re overstimulated by stress, overstudy, or emotional heat, you may find yourself seeking the cooling, centering quality of bitterness. In Ayurveda, the bitter rasa reduces pitta and cleanses excess fire, a.k.a. the inner inflammation of doing too much. From a biological perspective, bitter compounds stimulate digestion, support healthy liver function, and help regulate blood sugar levels. Yet on a more subtle level, bitterness brings us back to center by clearing the mental fog of overstimulation.
Herbs to reach for: Dandelion root, burdock, and Oregon grape are bitters that have traditionally been used to support digestion and cleansing pathways. Chamomile, with its gentle bitterness, may be soothing to both the gut and the heart.
Foods: Coffee, cacao, dark greens, endive, radicchio
Practices: Slow down your intake of stimulation. Create your own relaxing evening ritual, such as a cacao ceremony, journaling, or quiet tea time, to calm the heart fire.
When you crave bitterness, your body may be asking for stillness and spiritual clarity. Bitterness reminds us to rest in truth rather than chase excitement, to feel rather than react.
When the Liver Calls, It Craves Sour
The liver, in both Ayurveda and TCM, is the organ of transformation. It governs the flow of emotions, blood, and Qi. When energy feels stuck or boundaries blurred, the sour flavor calls. Sour tightens and releases, contracts and purifies. On a physiological level, sour foods and herbs stimulate bile flow, aiding digestion and natural cleansing processes. Emotionally, they help metabolize frustration, anger, or unexpressed creativity.
Herbs to reach for: Hibiscus and rosehips are traditionally employed to tone and cool the liver. Schisandra, often referred to as the “five-flavor berry,” supports adaptability across organ systems. Hawthorn is widely regarded as a tonic for emotional and cardiovascular resilience.
Foods: Lemon, cranberry, green apple, citrus, vinegar, fermented foods (kimchi or sauerkraut)
Practices: Begin your morning with warm lemon water or a splash of apple cider vinegar in water. Engage in gentle twisting movements to promote the flow of liver Qi. In Indigenous Latin American traditions, fermented foods and drinks such as chicha, tepache, and pulque were considered living medicines, quietly working their magic with time and patience.
When you crave sour, your body may be asking to release and renew, to digest what no longer serves, and to draw fresh boundaries around your energy.
When the Spleen + Stomach Crave Sweet
Sweetness is the taste of safety and belonging. In TCM, the spleen and stomach are believed to govern digestion, energy, and worry. In Ayurveda, the sweet rasa builds Ojas, or the subtle essence of love, immunity, and grounded joy. Cravings for sweets often arise when we feel emotionally depleted or anxious.
From a biological view, the body may be signaling low blood sugar or adrenal fatigue. Yet the more profound message is often emotional: the desire to be nourished and held.
Herbs to reach for: Licorice root offers a harmonizing effect on the digestive system and may support adrenal balance. Astragalus builds long-term Qi and contributes to immune resilience. Fennel can help ease tension in the gut, while goji berries replenish overall vitality.
Foods: Pumpkin, sweet potato, dates, millet, honey (in moderation)
Practices: Eat warm, cooked meals that comfort the digestion, and practice self-massage (Abhyanga) with warming oils, such as sesame, to restore a sense of containment. In Latin American folk medicine, warm broths and sweetened herbal teas are considered remedies for strengthening the body and can even be viewed as a form of prayer.
Craving sweetness is often your body’s call for grounding, warmth, and emotional safety. Instead of resisting it, offer sweetness in forms that truly nourish: whole foods, gentle rituals, and kind words to yourself.
When the Kidneys Long for Salty
The salty taste speaks to the body’s deepest reserves. In TCM, the kidneys store Jing, our ancestral essence and vitality. In Ayurveda, salt supports moisture and digestion, but must be balanced to avoid excess water retention or heat. When we crave salt, the body may be seeking minerals, hydration, or restoration after stress.
Biologically, salt cravings can arise from adrenal fatigue, dehydration, or mineral imbalance. But energetically, they signal a need to rest and rebuild trust in life’s flow.
Herbs to reach for: Nettle leaf replenishes minerals and nourishes the blood. Horsetail is used in classic herbalism to support connective tissue due to its high silica content. Seaweeds, such as bladderwrack or kelp, offer oceanic minerals that nourish the thyroid and endocrine systems.
Foods: Mineral broths, seaweed, celery, miso, fish, umeboshi plum
Practices: Honor the element of Water. Take salt baths or ocean immersions. Meditate on the kidneys, as they are the seat of both your courage and fear. In Indigenous Latin American healing systems, salt is used ceremonially for purification and protection, reminding us that strength and softness coexist. As one is tested, the other offers solace for returning to balance.
When you crave salt, your body is signaling a need to replenish reserves and reestablish trust in the flow of energy. Remember, rest is regenerative and essential, not lazy.
When the Lungs Seek Spice
Spicy, or pungent, foods awaken what has grown stagnant. In TCM, the lungs are believed to govern grief and inspiration. In Ayurveda, the pungent rasa disperses cold, enlivens Agni (digestive fire), and clears emotional heaviness. Craving spice can occur when Qi feels physically trapped, such as with congestion, or emotionally, as a result of unexpressed sadness. Biochemically, pungent compounds like gingerol and capsaicin stimulate circulation and release endorphins, supporting both mood and immune resilience.
Herbs to reach for: Ginger and turmeric support warmth and circulation. Mustard seed moves stagnation. Garlic helps clear respiratory buildup and supports a healthy microbial balance.
Practices: Practice deep breathing, singing, or movement that expands the chest. Purify your space with Palo Santo to release heaviness. Practices like these are commonly observed throughout Mesoamerica and the Andes. That’s because spice is not just heat added to meals; it’s motion, courage, breath returning after grief.
When you crave spicy foods, your body may be calling for expression to move energy through breath, sweat, or song, and to reignite vitality after a period of holding back.
Taste as Ceremony: Listening Through the Senses
Every flavor is a teacher. Sweet grounds, sour cleanses, salty replenishes, bitter clarifies, and pungent awakens. In the Indigenous traditions across the Americas, eating is a ceremony. To share a meal is to engage in a dialogue between our human bodies, the guests at our table, and the more-than-human world. Taste is how we listen to and make sense of all of this. The more we hear, the more we reconnect with the intelligence of the body, which is, ultimately, the intelligence of the Earth.
Flavor can shape digestion, emotions, and even gene expression. The vagus nerve, connecting the gut and the brain, is activated by the sensory experience of taste. Mindful eating has been shown in numerous studies to have a regulating effect on the nervous system. Balance begins with awareness. Observe the patterns of taste and energy that shape your days. When you pay attention to cravings, you start to translate the body’s language.
The question isn’t “How do I stop craving sugar?” but “What part of me is asking for sweetness, and how can I honor that need wisely?”
So the next time you crave something specific — a bitter coffee, a squeeze of lemon, a pinch of salt — pause. Feel the craving not as a command but as a conversation. Taste is the oldest language between Earth and the body. When you listen, your nourishment becomes a prayer.
