Ayurveda Weight Loss

Yogurt Lassi

Yogurt is an interesting substance. On its own, it has the property of closing the channels in the body, vital openings such as capillaries, the digestive tract and so on. It is also quite sour and should be avoided by anyone suffering from excess pitta or heat. How is this? Haven't you always heard that yogurt is GOOD for digestion? Well, it is, but your body needs a little help to digest it before it can give something back.

There is a very simple, very versatile and quite yummy recipe in ayurveda for a yogurt drink to help digestion. It's called a "lassi" (pronounced LAH-see or LUH-see, not like the dog). Lassi comes in many forms but always has the basic purpose of aiding digestion by getting the vital bacteria to our colon. The two main forms of lassi are sweet and digestive. The sweet lassi is very good for calming pitta during the middle of the day, whereas the digestive lassi is a powerful tonic for the whole digestive system.

Basic lassi:

One part yogurt
Four parts room-temperature water
Other ingredients listed below


Mix everything together in a blender (or stir vigorously with a spoon) and enjoy with lunch or as an afternoon snack!

For a digestive lassi, add a pinch of each of the following: ginger, cumin, fennel, salt, black pepper.
For a sweet lassi, add a pinch of the following: sugar, rosewater, cardmom (honey can be substituted for sugar).

That's it! Lassis are simple and powerful recipes designed to nourish the physiology, especially the digestive system. Adding the water and blending cuts the sourness of yogurt and eliminates its unwanted property of closing the channels. They taste great and do wonders for your health, so give it a try!