Rice is medicine in Ayurveda. Also known as Anna, it is the first food mentioned in Ayurveda.
According to Ayurveda, it is the lightest food to digest and has a sweet taste. It is a nourishing food, which is cooling in nature. Rice can also be with vegetables, pulses and nuts to make it healthier and more nutritious.
It is one of the staple foods in many countries across the world, including India. It is an essential part of the Indian diet and symbolizes fertility, wealth and good health.
Vata, Pitta, Kapha and Rice
Many people consider it good for balancing Vata and Pitta, two of the three doshas. However, the nature of rice, which creates excess mucus in the body, makes overconsumption of it not considered ideal for Kapha.
Eat that cooked well in plenty of water with a dollop of ghee added to balance Vata. Desserts prepared with rice and milk have a cooling nature, so you can consume them to balance Pitta. To balance Kapha, consuming a smaller quantity of it is recommended. If you are trying to balance Kapha in your body, dry roast the rice before cooking it in water to consume.
According to Ayurveda, anytime is a good time to consume rice. Ayurveda recommends the consumption of old rice as It has an amazing healing effect on the body . There are also other different varieties of it, such as basmati , polished , unpolished , boiled , parboiled , etc.
Nutrition
Modern nutrition considers brown rice to be healthier as it is unprocessed, and comes with more nutrition and vitamins than other varities of it. It also has a lower glycemic index compared to the other types.
However, Ayurveda prefers white over brown for daily consumption.
Ayurveda is all about digestion. According to Ayurveda, the best time gap between meals is 1 Prahara, which is approximately three hours. Any food that stays in our body for more than 3 hours gets converted to undigested toxic waste or Ama.
A rice with husk, for example, brown rice, has fibre in it. Any types without husk or lesser fibre content, such as white rice, digest easily and exit the system.
Therefore, people find white rice to be light, easily digestible, recommended for daily consumption (nityasevaneeya), and they consider it a superior food.
How to cook it in the right way?
Here is the traditional Ayurvedic way of cooking rice.
- Wash rice in water until the water runs clear. Sona Masoori and Ambe Mohar are the most recommended for everyday use. Basmati is comparatively heavier and therefore, can be used once or twice a month.
- Then, soak it for at least an hour.
- Meanwhile, boil water. You can take the water twice or thrice the quantity of it.
- Once the water boils, add soaked rice to it, and cook it covered.
- When it bubbles, remove the cover and cook it until it turns soft. You can then strain the water out.
- Enjoy the it with a side of dal and cooked vegetables.
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