The Taste Of Sour

When I think about

the taste of sour

The words astringent, bright, cleansing and clarifying come to mind. When I close my eyes and visualize a lemon or tap into the taste of sour, salivation immediately begins to happen in my mouth which creates a sense of movement and activity. This activity naturally arises kind of like the energy of qi rising to the surface in spring.

The taste of sour in small amounts is generally desirable and in larger quantities can actually be adverse. Biologically the taste of sour warns us of not consuming rancid or sour products that might have gone bad and would then in turn be harmful to the body system, so sour is almost connected to our sense of danger.

Sour connects us to the feelings of sour experiences or somebody having a sour face or something that maybe turns the stomach. This taps us into the power of this taste showing its very active and impressionable characteristics. This tone can be a balancing and clearing force used in culinary and medicinal practices and reminds us how to honor and respect its potential to create movement and impressions on the body system. Think of the experience of taking in something really sour and having that flavor hit the back of the tongue so directly and sharply that the cheeks and the muscles of the cheeks begin to contract creating a puckering discomfort. It is the jolt of acid that has this powerful force to get things moving.

The taste of sour is associated with feelings and/or colors that are bright. I think of the first rays of the morning sun or the vibrant energy of sour waking up the palate and inviting things to move.

Culinary uses typically include sour as a way to finish, or brighten a dish. It is a way to enhance and bring acid to more basic round flavors. It also highlights the tones and upper ranges of flavor on the palate. It is also utilized as a cleansing and/or clarifying flavor that helps to clear the palate and invite the next flavor profile. We can use its flavor to also cut the energies of a dish and temper them to a different dynamic.

The taste of sour is integrated or picked up by the spleen energy, which extracts the first levels of nutrients that we bring into the body from the stomach. The spleen then sends the taste of sour to the liver where it activates and enhances the movement functions of the liver.

Sour is yin in nature. It has the capacity to sink and drain things through the body. This downward movement travels through the muscular tendon tissue clarifying and activating movement. Think of the reaction of puckering. You can’t stop it. That is the sour moving through the muscles of the mouth forcing them to contact and contort your face into a sour pucker.

The liver has a spotlight in spring healing, it plays a role in actively moving and directing biophysical processes, as well as purpose and direction in our life. The liver processes the waking qi energy naturally moving to the surface of the body to help activate physical movement and flexibility. The sour flavor supports this active energy of the liver to get its job done. The taste of sour has the capacity to bind and absorb making it supportive in clarifying and discharging fluids and dampness stagnating in the body system. It can help support the active process of urination and perspiration to help the natural elimination pathways do the work of cleansing and clarifying.

When we use sour flavors and smells in the spring season we are accessing its wisdom and power to support the cleansing and active transitional energy that is happening both internally and externally. It helps us to naturally move from the stagnation or stillness of winter into the dynamic movement phase of spring.

The scent and smell of sour is typically associated with the energies of spring cleaning. And when it hits the olfactory system it has a very uplifting and motivating energy to it. The smell and scent of lemon is known to increase focus and support the emotional body. It also has a major effect on the emotions experienced by the mind. It is known to reduce confusion and invite freedom in movement and buoyancy through joyful connection and play. This lemon energy vitality and creativity are all associated with the energetics of spring.

The sour taste and smell of lime helps us to transmute discouragement and stagnation through its elevating high notes, bringing a cheerful expansive energy to the heart. The scent of lime re-integrates the relationship between the mental space and the emotional space of the body. It also helps to harmonize the two aspects of the psyche to work together to support direction and commitment, hope and courage in moving forward.