Health Benefits of Lassi

Lassi is a yogurt drink made especially to enhance digestion. Please note that while made from yogurt, lassi is not yogurt.

In fact, they have completely opposite qualities. Yogurt is a channel clogger and not good for any dosha — it can really screw up peoples' digestion. It starts out too cold and damp, but then digests very hot. It dampens digestive fire and when combined with fruit, it becomes a double whammy Ayurvedic no-no because fruit + diary are considered a wrong food combination.

If you have any problems with allergies, slow metabolism, cloudy mind, lethargy, tendency toward being cold, heartburn, acid reflux, burping up food, sinus problems and/or chest congestion, try stopping the yogurt. Just try it for two weeks and see how you feel. You can always go back to yogurt if you want, but my guess is that you will feel better.

BUT! We're not talking about yogurt, we are talking about lassi! Beautiful channel opening, digestion enhancing lassi!!

Lassi is made from yogurt, but it's properties are changed by adding water, herbs and spices and then churning it.

Churning adds heat which changes the yogurt from cold, gloppy, goo-glue into a fluid substance that is channel opening and great for aiding digestion. It's easy to accumulate ama (toxins) with yogurt, but lassi doesn't clog so you stay ama free. It's also great for indigestion and hyper acidity as it's cooling. Great for pitta types who like yogurt - yogurt imbalances and lassi balances (like a ballerina!).

Lassi's are quite delish and there are many recipes for them (just google). Below is my recipe that I use (pitta-vata type). Sometimes I even skip dinner and just have a lassi because it makes a nice light meal to aid digesting food from the day.

Monica B's Lassi Recipe

1 part plain, full fat yogurt - 1/4 cup is good to start
2 parts (vata, pitta) or 3 parts (kapha) water
A little ginger powder, cardamom powder, honey, all to taste

Use a whisk or hand blender and CHURN!! For about 2 minutes. It will get liquidy and a little frothy. Pour into a cup and you can sprinkle extra cardamom or cinnamon on the top if you want. 

You can sip lassi at the end of a meal or have as a snack or small meal all by itself. 

Skip the yogurt, give lassi a try and enjoy the treat with awesome benefits, as you keep bringing Ayurveda to life!
XO!
Monica B.