Butter milk helps taste and enhances digestion. It cures all diseases of abdomen and bestows satisfaction. Ayurveda classifies butter milk into five types based on the water added to curd while churning and whether cream is removed from it or not. They are Ghola, Mathita, Takra, Udashvit and Chacchika.
Ghola: Curd is churned without adding water and without removing the cream is known as Ghola. It is heavy for digestion, gives nourishment, increases Kapha and pacifies Vata and Pitta.
Mathita: Curd is churned without adding water but removing the cream from it, is called as Mathita. Since cream is removed, it is easy for digestion and pacifies Kapha and Pitta.
Takra: Four times of water is added to the curd and after churning it is known as Takra. It possesses Kashaya (astringent), Amla (sour) in taste, becomes Madhura (sweet) on digestion, easily digestible, hot in potency, increases digestive fire, aphrodisiac (improves potency), bestows nourishment and pacifies Vata. It cures abdominal diseases (Grahani) due to its easily digestible and pacifying properties. Person who consumes Takra regularly does not suffer from any disease.
Udashvit: Half part of water is added to curd and churned is called Udashvit. It aggravates Kapha, gives strength and detoxifies the body.
Chacchika: Curd is churned and cream is removed; add plenty of water to it and churned once again is called Chacchika. It is cold in potency, easily digestible, mitigates fatigue, thirst and Vata. It increases Kapha and kindles digestion when added salt and used.
- Butter milk from which butter (ghee) has been totally removed is good for health and easy for digestion.
- Butter milk from which little amount of butter (ghee) is removed is heavy for digestion, aphrodisiac (improves vigour) and increases Kapha.
- Sour butter milk added with dry ginger and rock salt is beneficial in aggravation of Vata.
- Sweet butter milk added with sugar is useful in the aggravation of Pitta.
- Butter milk added with black pepper, long pepper and dry ginger and Kshara (alkali) is good in Kapha aggravation.
- Ghola added with Hingu (Asa foetida), Cumin and Rock salt is useful in the management of piles and diarrhoea. It improves the taste, gives nourishment, strength, and relieves the pain in urinary bladder.
- Ghola along with jaggery is indicated in painful micturition and it is given along with Chitraka (Plumbago zeylanica L.) in anaemia.
- Processed (boiled) butter milk is act as nector; it is indicated in chronic cold, breathlessness, cough, cold season, indigestion and loss of taste. It cures intermittent fevers, anaemia, obesity, abdominal disorders, piles, fistula, diarrhoea, loss of taste, loss of appetite, thirst etc.
Dr. B. Venkateshwarlu
Email Id: narivbd.vijayawada@gmail.com