Abstract

BIOGENIC SECRETS OF CURD: THE AYURVEDIC APPRAISAL

Dr. Neeru Nathani

Abstract

Curd is a fermented dairy product, widely used in majority of Indian meals and religious ethos since ages. In Ayurvedic medicine curd is grouped under liquid food items, and its qualities, uses and contraindications are described scientifically. Generally the Curd or Dadhi is unctuous, hot in potency, aphrodisiac, sustains life, alleviates vata, and removes diarrhoea, anorexia, rhinitis, emaciation. Depending upon the type of milk of eight different mammals used for curd preparation, the qualities of curds vary with their specific effects on body. Properly coagulated curd restores the bacterial balance in digestive tract and removes bloating and indigestion. To get the beneficial effects one should eat completely coagulated curd at proper time and season. Curd is usually contraindicated in summer, autumn and spring seasons and its intake in winters and rainy seasons is beneficial, although its effects are modified by other conditions like the nature of the patient and disease condition etc. Curd taken at night produces many diseases, so it should always be contraindicated at night or may be taken with sugar, ghrita, honey, green gram soup or amalaki powder. Certain food items should never be consumed with curd as they are incompatible foods so difficult to digest together and may produce allergic reactions e.g. milk, radish, melon etc. Curd should never be heated as the bacteria cannot withstand the high temperature. Avoid over consumption of curd because its excessive intake causes many diseases like diabetes, skin disorders etc. To get the nutritive and therapeutic benefits of curd the specific principles regarding intake of curd should be followed regularly.

Keywords: Curd and seasons, Food combinations, Jata dadhi, Mastu, Sara, Takra.