Buttermilk, also called as Takra in Sanskrit, is one of the widely used foods in Ayurvedic treatment. The liquid is prepared by churning yogurt continuously with water till it forms a foam like butter at the top. Drinking it in the correct quantity cleanses the channels of circulation i.e. srotas, as a result of which, the end product of digested food (rasa) reaches the tissues efficiently.

According to Bhavaprakasha Chapter 6.7,

“He who uses takra daily does not suffer from diseases, and diseases cured by takra do not recur; just as amrita [divine nectar] is for the gods, takra is for humans.”

Overall,Takra is very healthy for human beings and thus, it is used in curing many diseases. It is a great treatment for anemia, infections in the urinary tract, indigestion, hemorrhoids, edema, tumors, inflammatory bowel diseases, and Crohn’s disease. IBS i.e. irritable bowel syndrome, also called as grahani dosha, is caused due to the suppression of agni. Buttermilk is one of the best remedies to stimulate the power of digestion i.e. agni. It is also advised to drink buttermilk when the undigested food or toxin, also called as ama, is present in grahani (IBS).

In chapter 14th of Chakra Samhita, it is also mentioned as,

“There is no medicine better than buttermilk for the treatment of hemorrhoids caused by vata and kapha.”

Benefits Of Buttermilk

1. Buttermilk is used in Ayurveda to treat many diseases as well as to protect our bodies from diseases, thereby maintaining a healthy body.

2. It is highly beneficial in curing disorders related to vata imbalance.

3. It helps in mitigating kapha and vata doshas that, in turn, improves digestion.

4. Buttermilk is easy to digest.

5. It washes down the fats.

6. It is a great tool against dehydration.

Properties Of Takra (Buttermilk)

1. Ayurveda describes six types of taste i.e. six rasas. These rasas are not only confined to the perception of taste buds on our tongue, but they also include the final reaction of the food in the acidic medium of our stomach. The six rasas are as follows:

• Sour i.e. amla rasa
• Bitter i.e. tikta rasa
• Hot i.e. katu rasa
• Astringent i.e. kashai rasa
• Salty i.e. lavana rasa
• Sweet i.e. madhura rasa

According to Ayurveda, buttermilk has three types of taste – astringent (kashai rasa), sour (amla rasa), and sweet (madhura rasa).

Since it is sour in taste, the consumption of buttermilk is likely to cause aggravation of pitta dosha. But that doesn’t happen due to its sweet after taste.

2. The potency (veerya) of buttermilk is hot (ushna).

3. The action of doshas i.e. doshakarma of buttermilk is that it does not aggravate the pitta dosha since the kapha and vata dosha are pacified.

4. Buttermilk acts as an appetizer (dipana) and increases digestive fire (agni vardhaka).

How To Prepare Takra (Buttermilk)

The ingredients required to make buttermilk are as follows:

• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup yogurt
• 1 teaspoon chopped ginger
• 1 teaspoon chopped green chilies
• 1 teaspoon roasted cumin powder
• Mint leaves
• Coriander leaves
• Salt (as per taste)

Directions

1. Mix water and yogurt in a bowl.

2. Add cumin powder and salt as per the taste.

3. Add all the ingredients in a blender and blend well.

4. If you do not have a blender, you can add all the ingredients in a bottle and cap the lid. Shake the bottle well until a foam is formed.

5. Pour the buttermilk into a glass.

6. Garnish it with chopped coriander leaves, mint leaves, coriander powder, and chopped green chillis.

Quick Tips

Before making the buttermilk, make sure that yogurt is not sour as store-bought yogurt is usually very sour.

While preparing buttermilk, the water used to mix must be warm in winter, whereas it should be cold in summer.

Types Of Takra (Buttermilk)

There are five types of takra. They are:

1. Full Cream Takra

The curd that is used to prepare full cream takra is made out of milk rich in cream and the same curd is churned thoroughly without mixing any water.

2. No Cream Takra

The curd here is prepared from milk without cream. This curd is then churned without adding any extra water.

3. Takra

Normal takra is prepared as per the instructions mentioned above.

4. Half Water Takra

Half water takra is prepared by mixing curd and water in 2:1 ratio and then churning it thoroughly.

5. No Fat Takra

For no fat takra, churn curd thoroughly till it becomes butter. Remove the butter from the mixture and the remaining watery part is the no fat takra.

Nutritional Value Of Buttermilk

For every 100gms of buttermilk, here is the nutritional value:

116 mgs of calcium
0.9 grams of fat
40kcal energy
3.3 grams of protein
4.8 grams carbohydrates

Caution

It is always suggested not to have buttermilk after sunset, especially for asthma patients.

This was all about buttermilk, the ayurvedic take on buttermilk, how to prepare it, and the properties and action of buttermilk. We hope you liked the article. Post your views in the comments box below.

The post Buttermilk – How To Make It & Its Types: An Ayurvedic Perspective appeared first on STYLECRAZE.

by Jyotsana rao via STYLECRAZE