Dairy · Property-derived
Buttermilk
Takra·तक्र
Also called: chaas, chhaas, lassi, buttermilch, thin yoghurt drink
Light and astringent where yoghurt is heavy — classically the remedy for weak digestion, and one of the few dairy foods that reduces rather than builds Kapha.
How Buttermilk affects your doshas
In Ayurveda a food's effect depends on your constitution. This is the lens the app uses to suggest what to favour and ease off.
| Dosha | Suitability | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Vata | Balancing | Calms Vata — favour it when Vata runs high. |
| Pitta | Neutral | Broadly neutral for Pitta. |
| Kapha | Balancing | Calms Kapha — favour it when Kapha runs high. |
Best time to eat it
Cautions
- Lactose Intolerance
How to prepare Buttermilk
Churned and diluted with water, the butter removed. That dilution is what separates takra from yoghurt; undiluted yoghurt does not behave this way.
In the classical texts
Buttermilk is attested in the Charaka Saṃhitā (Sutrasthana 27) — Review batch 2: Pitta-neutral accepted. The SOUR VIPAKA is the least certain field here — sources are less uniform on takra than on milk or yoghurt, so it is defensible but not settled. Note also that classical takra is a CLASS of preparations varying by how much butter was removed, how much water was added and how long it was churned; this entry models the general case, not commercial cultured buttermilk specifically..
Property-derived. Not directly cited classically — classified from its taste, potency and qualities. Weigh it accordingly.