IMPORTANT NOTE
Avoid heating honey or taking it with hot substances, because when honey is heated it produces ama, which acts as a toxin. Honey should not be consumed with an equal quantity of ghee, as this is also detrimental to health.
In Ayurveda, food is medicine. As well as being everyday ingredients, ghee, sugar, and honey have powerful healing properties. Ghee and honey strengthen agni (digestive fire) when consumed in moderation.
Sugar is the sweetener of choice in ayurvedic cuisine. Honey is regarded as medicine. Both substances should be consumed in moderation.
The best forms of sugar to use are jaggery (unrefined cane sugar), which is available from some supermarkets, or sharkara (purified cane sugar), which can be found in speciality stores or online. Sharkara should not be confused with industrialized, refined white sugar, which has a similar appearance.
Ghee has a sweet taste. It rejuvenates the whole system and is a general tonic. If you are in good health, try to cook with ghee daily.
IMPORTANT NOTE
Avoid heating honey or taking it with hot substances, because when honey is heated it produces ama, which acts as a toxin. Honey should not be consumed with an equal quantity of ghee, as this is also detrimental to health.
GHEE
Ghee is clarified butter, and is one of the best fats to use for cooking. It is made by heating butter until all the water has evaporated and then filtering the milk solids until only the fat remains. For therapeutic purposes, the older the ghee, the better its healing properties will be. It is said that ghee that is 100 years old can even reduce kapha.
BENEFITS
Ghee has healing properties and improves mental function, the complexion, voice, eyes, and reproductive tissue. It is also used as a carrier for healing herbs, and is added to some herbal oils. Here are just a few examples of the medicinal uses of ghee:
• Soothing burns
• Aiding in wound healing
• As a brain tonic
• Purifying the blood and treating skin diseases
• Soothing and purifying the eyes
QUALITIES
• Heavy
• Soft
• Oily
• Cooling
EFFECT ON THE DOSHAS
Pacifies vata and pitta. Increases kapha.
SUGAR
Jaggery and sharkara are the two most commonly used forms of sugar in ayurvedic cuisine. Jaggery is thickened and solidified cane sugar syrup and contains many bioactive phytochemicals. It is available in lumps or as a powder. Sharkara is white sugar that has been carefully purified. Compared to refined white sugar (which is heating), sharkara is cooling, lighter, and easier to digest.
BENEFITS
Opt for older jaggery wherever possible, as it is easier to digest than fresh jaggery, which increases kapha and can lead to asthma.
Sharkara only mildly increases kapha. It has the following benefits:
• Diuretic
• Purifies the blood
• Soothes burning sensations
• Quenches thirst
• Beneficial for the eyes
QUALITIES
• Heavy
• Moisturizing
• Cold
EFFECT ON THE DOSHAS
Pacifies vata and pitta. Increases kapha.
HONEY
Honey’s astringent, subtle, and dry qualities make it the ideal substance for reducing kapha. The best variety is honeydew honey (also known as forest honey), which is penetrating and sharp. Those with a lot of pitta or vata should consume honey in moderation. As it is a desiccant, honeydew honey can reduce body weight in conjunction with a suitable diet for weight loss.
BENEFITS
Honey improves the skin, bones, nerves, eyes, heart, and voice and is an antimicrobial. It also has the following specific uses:
• Treating coughs and sore throats
• Treating burns (used externally)
• Helping wounds to heal (used externally)
• As a carrier for many herbal medicines to improve their absorption and enhance their effect
• Honey that is more than 1 year old reduces body fat (Fresh honey increases body weight.)
QUALITIES
• Cooling
• Astringent
• Subtle
• Dry
EFFECT ON THE DOSHAS
Increases vata and pitta. Pacifies kapha.
