Use of milk (dairy) in Ayurvedic Medicine
By Manjulali
In the last decade, especially with studies on casein, and, many people developing sensitivity to Lactose, a sugar found within dairy/milk, or, problems digesting milk proteins; milk has developed a bad reputation in the United States.
I get asked constantly in my Herb class, if Almond milk, or, soymilk is okay to substitute for dairy? The answer is yes if you want to substitute, sure. If someone is sensitive to dairy, then go ahead and substitute with a non-dairy alternative.
(In Ayurveda, we always mean grass-fed organic milk from cows that were not fed antibiotics)
There are two questions-
1. Are nuts and other plant-based beverages are as effective as organic grass-fed dairy?
2. Why is organic grass fed diary is given so much importance in Ayurveda?
To answer the first question, no plant-based beverages are not as effective as cow's milk, or butter, or ghee when being used therapeutically with herbs. Ayurveda uses organic fresh cow milk, ghee, goatmilk, or buttermilk when using as an AnupAna or a delivery system for the herb-then, so the answer is NO. They are not as effective. The efficacy won't be the same.
When I am talking about using milk as an AnupAna (a vehicle that increases the efficacy of the herb, and, delivers it deeper into the dhatus, increases Kapha, decreases vata and pitta) then only actual dairy will do. This usually means cows' milk. So, what about those who are sensitive to cow's dairy. Simple, we ask them to substitute with goat milk in smaller amounts.
Why is a diary so important? our ancient texts and scriptures say that Ghee is a great support and medicine for calming pitta, calming indigestion, colon support, etc. There are many benefits of milk described in the different ancient texts.
Another reason is that we use diary products to create a foundation or a base for complex multi-herbal formulations. We also use dairy products as a delivery system.
Sometimes, the amount of milk we are using for the delivery of herb is 24 ml or less than an oz. Perhaps 2 oz. If someone cannot digest dairy, then we suggest ghee instead. (All milk solids which include casein and lactose have been removed!)
By the way, how can a nut milk be milk? By definition, milk is produced from a mammary gland? In one class discussion when I was teaching about ghee, a student said, " if god didn't attend humans to drink milk then he/she wouldn't have provided those to the feminine gender, I think".
Ayurvedic texts like Bhavaprakasha mention the benefits of milk not just from cows, but, also from sheep, camel, buffalo, and goats to name a few.
Another question I get constantly asked is does Ayurveda advocate milk raw or boiled?
The answer is boiled for at least 60 seconds. (Obviously, if someone finds raw milk suitable and does not want to leave drinking it, that's ok. I am just mentioning what Ayurveda suggests.)
Sometimes students are incredulous. "But--how??? Ayurveda is all-natural? How can it not advocate raw milk" they ask.
The answer is that raw milk can give rise to diseases, carry pathogens. It can carry DANGEROUS bacteria like Salmonella, E. coli, Listeria, Campylobacter. This was especially true in the tropical Indian climate, where Ayurveda evolved.
Symptoms of food poisoning from raw milk can give rise vomiting, diahroea etc.
https://www.fda.gov/food/buy-store-serve-safe-food/dangers-raw-milk-unpa...
Ayurveda does not like bacteria and krimi. Our ancient seers talked about boiling milk when everyone had a cow in their backyard, every day and once a day.
In ancient times, we got rid of bacteria, and, all kinds of krimi by constantly boiling our water, milk, and, all fluids.
I grew up in our household boiling our milk every single day, sometimes twice a day (If it was too hot, as we didn't have refrigeration).
First, let's understand what is the difference between different types of pasteurizing and boiling? Boiling is NOT the same batch pasteurization that kills nutrition.
When I was in India, we'd get the milk straight from the local cowshala. Milk would then be boiled. We grew up getting up early in the morning to get to the cowshed and getting milk directly from the cow dairy in Delhi.
Then, we would come home and we would boil the milk (100 degrees) and, as soon as it reached boiling point, we would turn off the flame. This is not the pasteurization that is followed in commercial milk production.
Batch pasteurization-Milk is heated to 155 degrees Fahrenheit for half an hour.
Flash pasteurization- High temperature 162 Fahrenheit for 15 seconds. Similar to boiling.
UHT (Ultra Heat) -Milk is heated to 280 degrees-and every good thing about it is pretty much destroyed along with the bacteria
Not okay!
(http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/cellular-microscopic/pasteurizatio...)
Boiling the milk for some seconds is advised in Ayurveda. Just not ultra-pasteurized.
We boil herbs like Ashwagandha in milk. We add turmeric or poppy seeds, or nutmeg to this boiled milk. We add saffron.
We drink it with herbs.
We even boil water that is already sterile in Ayurveda. Boiling water causes the agni, or, fire element to be present and changes the energetics of the water to a lighter and easily digestible.
Local, Grass fed organic milk pasteurized milk is the best I found in California, and, now in Austin.
HOMOGENIZED MILK
What Ayurveda doesn't like is when the chemical structure of the milk is changed by homogenizing it. Homogenezing involves playing with the chemical molecular structure of fat particles in milk that rise up. (We called it cream growing up!)
And, these fat particles are broken up so they mix with the rest of the milk - so no cream would be formed.
Ultra pasteurized means it is first pasteruized, then pasteurized again to make it ultra sterile and that kills off the nutrients. Then, Vitamin D (Read Fish oil) are added.
This is why we use this milk from California that is lightly pasteurized, you see the cream floating on the top and it has not been altered by changing chemical structure.
Next, I shall write about goat milk
