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Thursday, August 18, 2011

Dabur chyawanprash



Chyawanprash, also spelled chyavanaprashachyavanaprashchyavanaprasam andchyawanaprash, is an ancient Ayurvedic health tonic, widely used in India, as a rejuvenative,energizer and immunity booster. It is often called "the elixir of life" due to its numerous nutritional properties and benefit to the body.

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[edit]Origin

It is said that Chyawan | Chavan Rishi was the first to prepare this tonic. Hence the name chyawanprash. The first historically documented formula for chywanprash is found in Charaka Samhita, the ancient Ayurvedic treatise.

[edit]Appearance and use

Khare is a brown-colored, sticky paste with the consistency of jam and a sweet/sour/spicy taste. It can be eaten directly (one or two teaspoons per day), or mixed in warm milk or water. It can be used like any other jam, spread onto crackers or bread.
Even though no strict diet is administered during the intake of Chyawanprash it is always advised to drink a glass of milk after each intake of the above. Chyawanprash intake is usually done once in a day usually after breakfast or after dinner. Chyawanprash is produced and sold by many ayurvedic centers such as Kottackal Ayurveda Pharmacy, Nagarjuna Ayurveda Pharmacy,Vekateswara Ayurveda Nilayam - Chintaluru,EGDt - AP [1]Himalaya Chyavanaprasha and Dabur.

[edit]Composition

Since many companies manufacture chyawanprash, the recipe may differ a bit. The number of herbs used in preparation of the paste varies from 25 to 80, but the main ingredient of all Chyawanprash should be amla. Other chief ingredients are dried long pepper catkinscinnamon,asparagusashwagandhaturmericghee (clarified butter), dehydrated sugar cane and honey. Amla (Indian Gooseberry) -- a fruit rich in Vitamin C and Pectin -- is the chief ingredient in Chyawanprash, particularly in the product sold by Dabur India Ltd. It was in the 1940s when Dabur adopted the original Ayurvedic chyawanprash formula and created the largest selling branded Chyawanprash in India. Dabur Chyawanprash still strictly follows the original recipe that was laid down centuries ago and its properties still remain the same.

[edit]Ingredients

The best-known brand for chyawanprash is Dabur, it includes the ingredients:

[edit]Benefits

Note: These benefits are as mentioned in the Ayurvedic texts and manufacturers' ads. Many of these benefits may have not been proven scientifically.

[edit]Scientific Studies and Tests

  • According to this study, Chyawanprash helps to prevent steroid induced cataract in the developing chick embryo.
  • According to this study, significantly lowers blood cholestrol
  • According to this study, Chyawanprash has anti-oxidant properties as evidenced by preventing genotoxic effect of smoking

[edit]External links

In the book on RASAYANA by Puri (2003) under Amla a very detailed account on Chavanprasha is available. In the book detail about method of manufacture on small scale as well as on large scale is given, along with the scientific (botanical) identification of various herbs and the other ingredients as used by different pharmacies. An account of therapeutic activity is also available.
Reference: Puri, H.S. (2003) RASAYANA: Ayurvedic Herbs for Rejuvenation and Longivity. Taylor & Francis, London