Ayurvedic Beverages

'Anupaana' refers to juices or liquids taken after meals. The word 'Anu' means 'after' or 'together' and 'Paana' means 'drink' or 'liquid'.

Ideally, 'Anupaana' is an 'after-food' drink. It harbors properties that are contradictory to the food consumed, and does not harm the consumer.

Anupaana helps in the following-
1. Easy digestion, distribution and absorption

2. Toning and invigorating the body

3. Generating a feeling of content

4. Easy downward movement of food

5. Breaking down harder food particles

Types
1. Water is best anupaana as it is the chief source of all tastes. Hot water should be taken after consuming foods prepared from corn flour and such other ingredients that are hard to digest.

2. Milk is best after eating rice that has matured in sixty days. It is also good for those who are debilitated due to fasting, long walks, excessive speaking, sexual intercourse or excessive exercise. It is also recommended for the children and the aged.

3. Meat soup is best for those who are emaciated due to low consumption of food or due to other diseases.

4. Sour syrups for those who are suffering from disorders of 'Vata'

5. Sugar added to water is good for those who are suffering from disorders of 'pitta'.

6. Water boiled with triphala (comprised of the fruits of three trees) mixed with honey is good for curing diseases of 'Kapha' and of the eyes and throat.

7. Mastu (curd water / whey) or cold water is best after consuming dahi (curds), kuchika (milk and buttermilk heated together in an earthen pot turns into a semisolid form) and kilata (thickened milk).

8. DhanyAmla (sour gruel of cereals), mastu (curd water / whey) or takra (buttermilk) are ideal after eating foods prepared with pulses, vegetables and coarse grains.

9. Madyam (wines) is good after consuming meat or the syrups of sour fruits

10. Madhvasava (wine prepared from honey) is very good after consuming meat of domesticated animals.

Who should Avoid?

Anupaana should be avoided by the following:

• Those who suffer from-
  
  - Diseases on the parts above the shoulders
  
  - Dyspnea (difficulty in breathing)
  
  - Cough
  
  - Excessive salivation
  
  - Hiccups
  
  - Hoarse voice
  
  - Injury to the chest
• Those who talk excessively
• Those who practice singing

If the above -said have anupaana, it disturbs their stomach, causes congestion of the chest and increases the moisture of the food in the throat causing watery discharge from the tissues.

Anupaana may also be consumed as rejuvenating beverages. There is little need to choose coffee or other caffeinated drinks when we can prepare natural, healthy and delicious beverages at home. Here are a few methods of preparing these beverages, the ayurvedic way-Let us sip our away to a healthier life!

1. Ginger syrup
2. Palm sugar milk
3. Herbal tea for vata
4. Herbal tea for pitta
5. Herbal tea for Kapha
6. Rasala (Lassi)
7. Amrajali (Mango Lassi)
8. Tila kshiram (Sesame milk)
9. Lasuna khira pakam (garlic milk)
10. Paanaka
11. Mantha
12. Laja tarpanam
13. Saktu tarpanam
14. Raga (Herbal syrup/ sharbath)