Ayurveda Buttermilk (Takra) – why it is great for your digestive health!
Suffering from acidity after a heavy meal? Tired and just back from a long day in the sun? Well, before you reach for that bottle of iced tea, soda or iced water, try a glass of Ayurvedic buttermilk (takra). A yummy, cool drink made from yogurt and digestive spices such as cumin, coriander and mint, and salt.
“He who uses takra daily does not suffer from diseases, and diseases cured by takra do not recur; just as amrita (divine nector) is for the gods, takra is to humans.” Bhavaprakasha Chpt 6.7
Takra or buttermilk, not to be confused with the buttermilk we buy already prepared by other methods in the store. Ayurveda Buttermilk is made by continuously churning yogurt in water. This preparation is used in many digestive disorders such as IBS, Crohn’s disease as well as Ulcerative Colitis. It’s used as a treatment for poor digestion, hemorrhoids, tumors, edema, diarrhea, anemia, and urinary diseases.
Ayurveda buttermilk is packed with health benefits. Here are nine healthy reasons you should drink buttermilk every day.
1. Helps calm the stomach after a spicy meal
Made with cool, watered down yogurt, buttermilk is perfect to soothe the stomach. As you drink it the cool buttermilk tends to wash down the spices and calms an irritated stomach lining. The added digestive cooling spices relieves the stomach of irritation due to spicy foods.
2. Washes down fats
Had a heavy meal? If you feel like a beached whale after eating too much, then drinking a small glass of buttermilk is very effective in washing down the fats, or oils that normally coat the inner walls of your digestive system and stomach. Apart from this, Ayurveda buttermilk helps to improve digestion and decreases gas.
3. Aids in digestion
The carminative properties of the spices coupled with the soothing and refreshing properties of buttermilk improve your digestion. So, if you feel a bout of indigestion coming on, try sipping on some buttermilk for instant relief.
4. A great tool against dehydration
It has salt, water, curd, and spices – all mixed to make a delicious drink. Packed with electrolytes and lots of water, buttermilk is the best thing you can give your body to fight dehydration. During the heat of summer drink a glass of buttermilk for some much-needed relief.
5. Gives you calcium without the fat
Lactose intolerant people (those who cannot have milk) miss out on loading up on natural calcium. This is where buttermilk comes to the rescue. Buttermilk helps give lactose intolerant people their dose of calcium without causing an adverse reaction. But apart from that, it is also a perfect way to get your fix of calcium sans the fat normally found in milk — making it perfect for your diet.
6. Prevents vitamin deficiency
Butter milk is a great source of vitamins like vitamin B complex, proteins and potassium. Vitamin B, especially riboflavin, is essential for the conversion of food to energy, secretion of hormones and digestion. This makes buttermilk an essential drink to maintain your health in this day and age where our food lacks nutrients; as shown by more and more people diagnosed with vitamin deficiency.
7. Reduces high blood pressure
A study published in the Journal of Nutrition {1} found that milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) found in buttermilk is rich in unique bioactive protein that has cholesterol-lowering, antiviral, antibacterial, and anticancer properties. In this study, scientists found that drinking buttermilk significantly lowered blood pressure, if you drink at least one glass on a daily basis.
8. Brings about a drop in cholesterol
Suffering from high cholesterol and want to lower it naturally? Try having buttermilk. A study published by the US National Institute of health {2} found that components in buttermilk are very effective in keeping your cholesterol levels under check. Drinking a tall glass of buttermilk once a day is good for your health.
9. Combats acidity.
A potent tool to fight acidity, buttermilk has essential spices that help beat the burning sensation you feel during a bout of acidity. Moreover the buttermilk cools the stomach and reduces the irritation in the stomach lining due to acid reflux, giving you relief from the discomfort.
Want to make Ayurveda Buttermilk at home?
If you could use a little extra support balancing your digestion, download our free guide today! You’ll discover Ayurveda’s top tips for healthy digestion that you can start implementing right away.
