Chyavanprash Explained

Chyavanprash,[1] originally Chayavanaprasham,[2] [3] is a cooked mixture of sugar, honey, ghee, Indian gooseberry (amla) jam, sesame oil, berries and various herbs and spices.[4] It is prepared as per the instructions suggested in Ayurvedic texts. Chyavanprash is widely sold and consumed in India as a dietary supplement.

Origin

Chyavanprash is an ancient formulation and product.[5] Various ancient Indian texts like Mahabharata, Puranas etc., relate that Ashvin twins, who were Raja Vaidya (Royal Physicians) to Devas during Vedic times, first prepared this formulation for Chyavana Rishi at his Ashram on Dhosi Hill near Narnaul, Haryana, India, hence the name Chyavanprash.[6] The first historically documented formula for chyavanprash appears in the Charaka Samhita, the ancient Ayurvedic treatise[7] from the early first millennium BCE.

Taste and appearance

Chyavanaprash tastes sweet and sour at the same time. The taste is dominated by the flavors of honey, ghee (clarified butter) and amla, and the smell by ghee and other spices including sandalwood, cinnamon and cardamom.

Consumption

Chyavanaprash is usually consumed directly. It can also be consumed along with warm water.

Composition

The recipe of chyavanprash is mentioned in manuscripts written for ayurvedic method of treatment viz. Ashtangahridayam, Charakasamhita, Sangandharasamhita. The number of herbs used may vary from 25 to 80 but the main ingredient of all chyavanprash is amla.[8] Other chief ingredients are:

All of the major brands of chyavanprash were determined to be safe with respect to heavy metal content as of 2011 by Consumer Voice.[9]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: www.wisdomlib.org . 2020-04-06 . Cyavanaprasha, Cyavanaprāśa, Cyavana-prasha: 5 definitions . 2022-10-31 . www.wisdomlib.org . en . 2022-10-31 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221031080017/https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/cyavanaprasha . live .
  2. Web site: www.wisdomlib.org . 2021-08-06 . Section 35 [Ashtanga-hridaya-samhita, Sanskrit text] ]. 2022-10-31 . www.wisdomlib.org . en . 2022-10-31 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221031080544/https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/ashtanga-hridaya-samhita-sanskrit/d/doc727582.html . live .
  3. Book: Sivarajan . V. V. . Ayurvedic Drugs and Their Plant Sources . Balachandran . Indira . 1994 . International Science Publisher . 978-1-881570-21-9 . 28 . en . 2023-01-29 . 2023-02-16 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230216070747/https://books.google.com/books?id=jCMNAQAAMAAJ&q=Cyavanapr%C4%81%C5%9Bam . live .
  4. Book: Vora MS . Rasayana: The Fountain of Life . Partridge Publishing India . 2015 . 978-1-4828-4315-6 . November 2, 2017 . 217 . November 4, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231104063219/https://books.google.com/books?id=xqIVCgAAQBAJ&pg=PT217#v=onepage&q&f=false . live .
  5. Book: Gupta SK . Pharmacology and Therapeutics in the New Millennium . Springer Netherlands . 2001 . 978-0-7923-7059-8 . November 2, 2017 . 332 . November 4, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231104063219/https://books.google.com/books?id=yrJ3M1KMv-AC&pg=PA332#v=onepage&q&f=false . live .
  6. Panda, H; Handbook On Ayurvedic Medicines With Formulae, Processes And Their Uses, 2004, p10
  7. Bates, D, Knowledge and the Scholarly Medical Traditions Cambridge University Press 1995, p325
  8. Book: Johnston R . The politics of healing : histories of alternative medicine in twentieth-century North America. Routledge. New York. 2004. 0-415-93338-2. 226.
  9. Sharma R, Martins N, Kuca K, Chaudhary A, Kabra A, Rao MM, Prajapati PK . Chyawanprash: A Traditional Indian Bioactive Health Supplement . Biomolecules . 9 . 5 . 161 . April 2019 . 31035513 . 6571565 . 10.3390/biom9050161 . free .

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