Turmeric Smoothie: Drink up the Goodness of Tikta Rasa

The bitter taste, also known as tikta rasa in Ayurveda, purifies the blood, decreases swelling in the body, and fights poisons and parasites. Incorporate it into your diet with this delicious and healthy turmeric smoothie.

Highlights

• Tikta rasa, or bitter foods, pacifies the pitta and kapha doshas.

• It purified the blood and fights infections attacking your body.

• It’s considered particularly useful for nursing mothers as it purifies breast milk.

• Excess of tikta rasa can dehydrate you and make you feel weak.

According to Ayurveda, every food items contains varying proportions of six rasas (tastes)- one of them being the bitter taste (tikta). Food with this taste helps purify the rakta dhatu (blood) and counteracts any poisons or parasites that enter your body. It also decreases swelling in the body and releases fluid retention along with helping ease fevers and throat infections. The bitter taste is most beneficial for nursing mothers as it purifies the breast milk and it also helps with nausea and vomiting.

Make this Turmeric Smoothie and reap the benefits of tikta rasa.

Ingredients

• 1 cup coconut milk

• ½ cup mango or pineapple

• 1 small or medium sized banana

• 1 tsp haldi (turmeric)

• ½ tsp dalcheeni (cinnamon)

• ½ tsp adrak (ginger)

• A pinch of salt

• A pinch of kaali mirchi (black pepper)

Method

• Chop the banana and mango or pineapple into rough chunks so that they blend easily.

• Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend on high till it’s of a smooth consistency with no chunks.

• Enjoy as a delicious breakfast, snack or pre-workout drink for an amazing boost of energy.

Tikta rasa pacifies both pitta and kapha but tends to increase vata. Having too much of it causes dehydration as it dries out the body fluids, and makes you weak. So be careful and don’t have too many bitter foods.

For more Ayurvedic lifestyle tips and dietary advice visit the Jiva Ayurveda website. To consult a Jiva doctor, dial 0129-4040404 from your mobile phone or click on ‘Speak to a Doctor’ under the CONNECT tab in the Jiva Health App.