Takra or buttermilk is very commonly found in many Indian homes, and had many health benefits.
Let us check the properties of buttermilk
Taste- Amla(Sour), kashaya anurasa
Vipaka(taste after digestion)- Madhura
Virya(potency)- hot
Other gunas:
Tridosha shamaka (pacifies all the doshas), Agnideepana (increases digestive fire), vrushya (aphrodisiac), preenana (nourishing).
Ayurveda classifies buttermilk based on its water and fat content.
They are of 5 types
1. Ghola 2. Madita 3. Takra 4. Udasvit 5. Cachika.
The third variety is actually taken as takra for all practical purposes. It is made by churning go-dadhi(curd made out of cow's milk) with quarter part of water, and then removing the butter from it.
Contraindications
Takra (buttermilk) should not be used by patients of consumption, in hot season, not by weak persons, not in diseases like fainting, giddiness, burning sensation, and bleeding disease.
Spiced buttermilk / sambaram.
Recipe:
One part of thick and sour curd is mixed with four parts of clean water, filtered and then to it is added a little quantity of fried hingu (asafoetida), jiraka (cumin seeds), lavana (salt) and mustard ( ginger, curry leaves, coriander and green chillies are also added in some places)—all are mixed well and takra is prepared. Such spiced buttermilk helps in taste, kindles digestive fire, is a best digestive, cures all diseases of the abdomen and bestows satisfaction.
Traditionally Spiced Buttermilk is popularly served in summers, as a drink, whereas acharyas have clearly mentioned to avoid takra in hot seasons. Regarding this, we need to understand that takra is served in summer season not to quench thirst nor it is cooling in nature. It is served as it is tarpana (nourishing) and bestows trupti (satisfaction) which is very much required to counter the exhaustion caused by the heat in summer. Just one glass of buttermilk is very refreshing and awakens our tired senses. Another probable reason for drinking spiced takra is because of its grahi guna which helps to absorb water.