Milk, when digested properly, nourishes all the tissues, promotes balanced emotions, and helps to balance all the doshas. It is one of the most important foods to promote ojas. Ojas brings strength, strong immunity, happiness, and contentment, according to ayurveda. In order to digest the sacred ingredient – milk – properly
: 1. Milk should be obtained from grass fed desi cows (not plastic grazing ones in the city), ethically taken from ‘humped’ desi cows. Happy cows give milk healthier milk. Avoid homogenized, adulterated, pasteurized milk commercially available because as per a report, 2 out of 3 milk samples in India were found to be adulterated.
2. Milk as medicine – A small cup of warm milk is the best remedy for infertile couple,. It is a boon to the babies who have lost their mother or for the mental and physical growth of children. Milk is not for splurging as an ingredient for cooking. Avoid drinking cold milk right out of the refrigerator. Milk should be put on a slow boil for about 5 to 10 minutes. Heating the milk changes its molecular structure so it is much easier for consumption and reduce kapha.
3. Milk Additives – Not Horlicks, not Bournvita, add a 1/4th tsp of good old turmeric, a pinch of ground black pepper and a few pinches of ginger to reduce the heaviness of the milk and reduce any mucus-causing side effect. Turmeric Latte or Haldi-milk is taking the world by the storm. A great addition is Arjun powder with milk, available here. It reduces cholestrol and gives great strength to body.
4. Don’ts – Milk should not be mixed or eaten with sour, bitter, salty, astringent, or pungent tastes. When combined with incompatible tastes, milk becomes indigestible and causes the build-up of harmful toxins in the body. Honey, fruits and milk are also incompatible.
5. Timing – Warm milk consumed 20-30 minutes before bed can aid in falling asleep. Drinking milk at night, also gives adequate time for body to absorb all the nutrients but it should not be mixed up with dinner.