On the one hand Yogurt is warming, ignites digestion and improves assimilation. On the other hand it is heavy, oily and channel blocking. Its channel blocking quality is stronger than its warming quality. Therefore it is very good for Vata, but not as much for Pitta and Kapha.
Yogurt, unlike normal milk, is already predigested by the bacterial action of the souring process, and is therefore digested much better by the vast majority of people who lack the milk-digesting enzyme.
Combinations:
Yogurt combines well with spices such as cardamom, turmeric and salt, since spices help open the channels.
Consumption:
Avoid yogurt at dinner or at night, best consumed with additional Ghee, sugar, Amalaki fruit, honey or green mung beans. Yogurt should not be heated or consumed with fruit.
Yogurt is recommended for the cold season, since it is warming, and should be consumed with cooked and warm foods, because it is channel obstructing and requires the warmth of food to avoid causing stagnation.
Types of yogurts:
Sweet yogurt – resembles milk, since it is in a transition phase between milk and yogurt. From a digestive perspective, the combination of milk and yogurt is forbidden; therefore sweet yogurt increases all 3 dosha.
Sweet and firm yogurt – is very blocking, highly increases fat tissue and Kapha, and sedates Pitta because of its sweetness.
Sweet and sour yogurt – this is the normal yogurt referred to above.
Sour yogurt – ignites digestion, increases Pitta, Kapha and Rakta Dhatu (aggravating heat in the Blood).
Very sour or fermenting yogurt – causes itching of teeth, burning sensation, heartburn, strongly ignites digestion, increases Vata, Pitta and Rakta, and is probably no good for Kapha either.
Properties
Taste: sour, astringent
Natural Attributes: Heavy, oily, (moving for Vata types), liquid, sticky
Tissue impact (Vipak): Sweet, Nourishing
Thermal impact (Virya): warming
Dosha impact: decreases Vata, increases Kapha and Pitta
Digestive impact (Agni): easy to digest
Channels (Srotas):Â blocks the channels
Feces: assists evacuation for Vata
Urine:Â
Strength (Bala): improves strength and immunity
Mind (Manas): Rajasic
Effect: Aphrodisiac, acidifying, tonic, livotonic, digestive stimulant, probiotic
Chinese medicine syndromes: Tonifies yin
Medicinal propertiesÂ
- Nourishment (rasa): Â loss of taste, intermittent fever, weakness, shivering, emaciation
- Reproductive and hormonal systems: fertility, increasing semen, vaginal infection
- Kidney-Bladder: urine inconsistency, dysuria
- Respiratory system: runny nose, rhinitis
- Digestive system: stimulating digestion, lack of appetite, diarrhea, improving assimilation, improving intestinal flora
Harmful for: edema, anemia (if yogurt is very sour), fever, bleeding disorders, herpes, skin diseases, jaundice, obesity, fainting, Kapha disorders
Varieties
Cow yogurt
Taste: Sweet, Sour
Natural Attributes: Heavy, oily
Tissue impact (Vipak): Sweet, Nourishing
Thermal impact (Virya): warming
Dosha impact: decreases Vata
Effect: Aphrodisiac, acidifying, tonic, livotonic, digestive stimulant
Beneficial for: igniting digestion, the heart, gaining weight, suitable only when one is accustomed to yogurt
Buffalo yogurt
Taste: sour, sweet
Natural Attributes: Heavy, very oily, wet
Tissue impact (Vipak): sweet – nourishing
Thermal impact (Virya): warming
Dosha impact: Decreases Vata and Pitta, increases Kapha
Effect: Aphrodisiac,
Beneficial for: fertility, very nourishing and suits deficient Vata people
Harmful: blood disorders
Goat yogurt
Taste: sweet, sour, pungent
Natural Attributes: light, oily
Tissue impact (Vipak): sour
Thermal impact (Virya): warming
Dosha impact: decreases Vata,Pitta and Kapha
Feces: Constipating
Function: ignites digestion, improves assimilation in the intestines, suitable only when one is accustomed to yogurt
Beneficial for: cough, dyspnea,tuberculosis,emaciation, very good for hemorrhoids, also the bleeding kind. For Vata people a good quality cow yogurt is better than goat yogurt.
Sheep yogurt
Even more obstructive to the channels