Different Kadha Recipes to Treat Different Ailments

In India, most people have taken a kadha at some point in their life. The kadha recipe with its blend of spices and herbs is a power-packed punch which is often believed to be a cure-all. With its origin in Ayurveda, it is seen as a remedy for all kinds of ailments. Taken most often for a sore throat, it is equally effective in treating stomach upsets and boosting immunity.

A kadha usually follows a pretty simple recipe. Herbs and spices are boiled or brewed in water for some time. What one gets is a decoction which is often quite strong and sometimes, a tad pungent. The strong brew contains the goodness of all its natural ingredients which come together in nothing short of a miraculous mix. Some forms of kadha, known by their myriad names, have been brewed all over the world. The practice of brewing herbs and spices for remedial purposes is perhaps common to all folk medicine.

In India, kadha recipes can vary according to the ailment one is treating. Some of these are:

Kadha for Cold

Kadha is very often made in the winters to protect one from the cold. It warms the body from within. The strong immunity-boosting properties further help in warding off the cold.

You will need:

2 cups water
1” ginger
1 spoon crushed black pepper
10-12 tulsi leaves
3 cloves

To start, grate the ginger. To make the kadha, pour the water into a pan. Add all the ingredients and bring to a boil. Let this simmer for at least 10 minutes or at least till the liquid is reduced by almost half. Some recipes can ask for the kadha to be brewed further, till the liquid is almost half the volume. Strain the kadha. Since the kadha is quite strong, especially if it has been brewed for an extended period, you can add a little jaggery to sweeten it.

Kadha for Stomach Upset

Spices like ajwain and saunf are very effective in treating stomach problems. Turmeric has also been used for treating gastric issues. One can use these spices in the kadha for quick relief.

You will need:

1 teaspoon sauf
1 teaspoon ajwain
Or
1” fresh turmeric
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups water

For this recipe, you can use saunf and ajwain or turmeric and black pepper. If using saunf and ajwain, grind both together till you have a coarse powder. If using turmeric and pepper, lightly crush the black pepper along with the peeled fresh turmeric. Bring the water to boil and add the mix of your choice. Let this simmer for at least 10 minutes. Strain and drink. You can make extra brew and sip it throughout the day.

Kadha for Cough

This kadha is very similar to the kadha for cold. Since these two very often occur together, the traditional remedies would often combine the two.

You will need:

2 cups water
1” ginger
1 spoon black pepper
10-12 tulsi leaves
1 tsp cinnamon powder.

Start with grating the ginger. Bring two cups of water to boil and add the rest of the ingredients, including the grated ginger. Let this simmer till the quantity is reduced by half. Strain the kadha and drink it hot. You can take this kadha twice a day. It will provide relief to your throat and will improve the cough. You can also add half a teaspoon of raw honey to the prepared kadha. Not only does it sweeten this strong brew, it also eases the symptoms of cough. A 2020 study in BMJ Evidence Based Medicine found that honey was very effective in easing cough.

Kadha for Weight Loss

Adding apple cider vinegar can help boost your efforts at weight loss. Turmeric and pepper can strengthen the body from within.

2 cups of water
1 teaspoon Wellbeing Nutrition apple cider vinegar (with 2x Mother)
1 teaspoon raw honey
1 teaspoon black pepper powder
1” grated fresh turmeric
1 cup of water

Bring the water to boil and add the ginger and pepper. Let this simmer for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and strain the kadha. Add the honey and Wellbeing Nutrition apple cider vinegar to the brew. You can take this kadha twice a day.

Apart from these benefits, kadha is also effective in improving the overall immunity of our body (add the link to an immunity-boosting article).

If making the kadha twice a day seems like too much effort, especially when you are not feeling well, try our Grandma’s Kadha. It is available in the form of an effervescent tablet. Each tablet contains echinacea, coriander, mulethi, kulinjan, tulsi, black pepper, turmeric, amla, adulsa, dry ginger, bharangi, shankapushpi, and kalmegh. All you have to do is drop one tablet of our Grandma’s Kadha in a cup of hot water for your daily shot of immunity.

References:

●    Health benefits of Indian aromatic plant Ajwain (Trachycpermum ammi), Rashmi Yadav, Chandan Kumar Pradhan, Deepika Gupta and Rahul Kaushik, International Journal of Pharmacy and Technology, (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/317041607_Health_benefits_of_Indian_aromatic_plant_Ajwain_Trachycpermum_ammi)
●    Foeniculum vulgare Mill: A Review of Its Botany, Phytochemistry, Pharmacology, Contemporary Application, and Toxicology, Shamkant B. Badgujar, Vainav V. Patel, and Atmaram H. Bandivdekar, Biomed Research International, doi: 10.1155/2014/842674, (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4137549/)
●    Honey better than usual care for easing respiratory symptoms, especially cough, (https://www.bmj.com/company/newsroom/honey-better-than-usual-care-for-easing-respiratory-symptoms-especially-cough/)
●    Exploring the Health Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar,  (https://health.clevelandclinic.org/exploring-the-health-benefits-of-apple-cider-vinegar/)