Milk is considered a complete food. Milk in ayurveda provides unique and special nutrition. When milk is properly digested, it promotes balanced emotions, nourishes all body tissues and also helps balance all doshas.
Milk is considered important in our daily diet as it promotes ojas. The body produces a refined substance from the subtle level of complete digestion which is called ojas. It gives happiness, strength, contentment and strong immunity. Hence, milk is considered a very important food in ayurvedic diet. Though, ayurveda does not recommend what form of milk is best for consumption.
Milk in Ayurveda
Milk is considered to be highly beneficial according to ayurveda. Following are some of the ways to consume milk and its importance –
- According to ayurveda, milk gives mass, coolness and sweetness to meal. Hence, it is also considered to be calming and beneficial for nursing mothers.
- Milk strengthens the heart in some people, but also aggravates phlegm in others, leading to congestion.
- Some modern ayurvedic scientist are in sync with western researches, who have found that milk is harmful when it is not consumed in a proper manner. Milk consumption will be bad for health when the milk is consumed cold, homogenized, unspiced, taken excess and also with unsuitable foods.
- Milk is easily digested when it is boiled and allowed to foam up and then slowly boiled. Heating the milk changes the molecular structure of milk which is best for human consumption. This reduces kapha and makes it lighter to digest. While boiling, a pinch of turmeric powder, black pepper, ginger pieces and cinnamon sticks can be added to reduce milk’s heaviness. It also reduces mucous causing side-effects.
- According to ayurveda, cow’s milk is good for consumption, but goat’s milk is best. Goat’s milk is considered easier to digest and forms less mucus. It also forms less allergens as compared to cow’s milk. Goat’s milk provides calming and healing effects to stomach chemicals.
For good digestion and a calm sleep ayurveda recommends to consume milk in following ways –
- Boil milk with 2 tsp of clarified butter, or ½ tsp of grated nutmeg and 1 tsp of coriander powder.
- Boil a cup of water and a cup of milk with 1 tsp of freshly grated ginger and 3 or 4 cardamoms on a low flame and simmer for 5 minutes. Mix ½ tsp of clarified butter before drinking.
