Five Flavors of Food in the Diet and Their Connection with Yin Organs

The source and preservation of the yin come from the five flavors of food in the diet, but improper use of the five flavors may also injure the five zang organs. Too much sour taste may cause overactivity of the liver and underactivity of the spleen. Too much salty taste can weaken the bones and cause contracture and atrophy of the muscles, as well as stagnate the heart qi. Too much sweet taste can disturb the heart qi, causing it to become restless and congested, as well as cause an imbalance of kidney energy, which turns the face black. Too much bitter taste disrupts the spleen’s ability to transform and transport food and causes the stomach to digest ineffectively and become distended. The muscles and tendons may become scattered. 

"Therefore, one should be mindful of what one consumes to insure proper growth, reproduction, and development of bones, tendons, ligaments, channels, and collaterals. This will help generate the smooth flow of qi and blood, enabling one to live to a ripe age.