An instant energy booster that helps cool the stomach and ward off digestive issues, the season of buttermilk or chaas is almost here.
Come summer, the demand for India's one of favourite and desi probiotic drink is sure to shoot up. Unlike the name, buttermilk doesn't have butter in it but is a leftover milky liquid during the process of making butter. The sour taste is due to the natually-occuring bacteria that ferments milk sugars.
One can also make a quick version of buttermilk with curd and add some spices for the perfect taste.
Buttermilk is loaded with benefits and having it regularly can keep your bones in excellent health considering it's rich in calcium and potassium. It also help manage blood pressure and cut cholesterol.
"Ayurveda uses buttermilk both to maintain health and to treat diseases. Butter milk is easy to digest, has astringent and sour tastes and is hot in nature. Buttermilk improves digestion and mitigates kapha and vata," says Ayurveda expert Dr Dixa Bhavsar in her latest Instagram post.
"In Ayurvedic treatment, it is useful in the treatment of inflammation, digestive disorders, gastro intestinal disorders, lack of appetite, spleen disorders and anaemia," adds the expert.
It is best to make your own version of buttermilk at home. Dr Bhavsar suggests a super-quick and simple recipe.
Buttermilk
Recipe by Dr Dixa Bhavsar
Ingredients
1/4 cup curd
1 cup water
salt as per taste
1/2 teaspoon roasted cumin powder
mint leaves
coriander leaves
chopped ginger/ dry ginger powder (optional)
Directions
– Take 1/4 cup of yogurt into a vessel and add a cup of water.
– Add salt as per taste. Add 1/2 tsp of roasted cumin powder.
– Mix the ingredients well with the help of a hand blender or a churner.
– Garnish it with coriander leaves, mint leaves and curry leaves.
Dr Bhavsar says the best time to consume a glass of buttermilk is in afternoon with your lunch.
