Dear svgg.ramesh, I notice this is your very first post in the forum, welcome, hope you will participate more .....
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One has to remember that these concepts were not invented, but they were the realizations of people from India who had access to a plethora of tasty food items and spices over thousands of years. Most of them are a result of trial and errors, so there would not be an easy formula that defines Satvik.
You may choose to trust them (i mean our own ancestors), or start your own trial and error.
I do agree with you that we cannot do our own trial and error and will have to depend upon external sources of knowledge. But which external sources of knowledge are trustworthy? You are saying what our ancestor's have laid out comes from thousands of years of trial and error and therefore must be accepted as trustworthy knowledge. I think that is not the right approach. We should examine what they have said and accept only what makes sense and reject those that make no sense.
In the present context of satvik foods Desikan's Ahara Niyamam is considered authoritative, i.e., something that will fit your definition of trust-worthy knowledge developed over thousands of years of trial and error. If you take a close look you find there are many rules that make very good sense and must be accepted. But there are also many unacceptable rules that no rational person can accept, thousand years of trial and error not withstanding. I already cited two examples from this text that strains one's credulity. Let me cite one more example.
Listing foods that must be avoided, Desikan says in verse #3:
ஈப் புழு நூல் மயிர் உகிர்கள் இருக்கும் சோறு
Not many would argue with this advice. But look at what he lists among foods that are good, must be accepted, in verse #12:
மாதர்கட்குக் கணவன் இதமான எச்சில்
மயிர் புழு நூல் விழுந்தாலும் புனிதமாகும்
There are many great things our ancestors have achieved, and they have also given us such nonsense.
So, my point is, it is not rational to think everything our ancestors have laid out is to be accepted without question. There is nothing wrong with வெள்ளை கத்திரிக்காய் or maple syrup. Food contaminated with hair, worm, etc., is bad, don't tell women it is good for them if it is their husband's leftover in the plate.
