GROUP OF SUGARCANE JUICES AND ITS PRODUCTS (IKSHU VARGA)

PROPERTIES OF SUGARCANE JUICE

Sara – Laxative

Snigdha – Unctuous

Guru – Heavy to digestion

Swadupaka rasa – sweet in taste and after taste(metabolic property)

Brihmana – Nutritive, Increases weight

Kaphakrut – Increases Kapha

Mutrakrut – Increases urine output

Vrushya – Aphrodisiac

Sheeta –  Coolant or cool in potency

Asrapittaghna – Useful in bleeding disorders

WHAT TO KEEP IN MIND WHILE DRINKING IKSHU RASA?

The tip of shoots of sugarcane has salty taste. If the roots, shoots and worm infested parts of the cane is crushed together and that juice is consumed it leads to 

• Burning sensation
• Indigestion 
• Constipation

VARIETIES OF SUGARCANE

Poundraka 

This variety of sugarcane is best in its coolant effect, thinness and is more sweetness, Vamsika variety comes next to it in all these properties

Next are the Sataparvaka, Kantara, Naipala etc. All these varieties are

• Slightly Alkaline 
• Astringent in taste
• Hot in potency 
• Cause slight burning sensation in body

PHANITA (HALF COOKED MOLASSES/UNREFINED TREACLE)

Phanita (half cooked molasses) is 

• Heavy (Difficult to to digest)
• Abhishyandi (increases the secretions in the tissues pores/channels(srotas) and blocks them) 
• Causes mild aggravation of of Tridoshas 
• Cleanses the urine (by increasing its quantity or urine output)

GUDA (JAGGERY/MOLASSES/TREACLE)

Guda (jiggery/molasses) if washed well (made white and purified) is :

• Natishleshma kara  – Does not increase Kapha to very large extent
• Srushtamutrashakrut – Increases volume and output of urine and faeces

If it is not prepared or washed properly it can cause

• Intestinal worms
•  Increases chances of Kapha disorder in marrow, blood, fat tissue and muscles.

QUALITIES OF OLD AND NEW JAGGERY

• Old jaggery is good for heart, and should be incorporated in our daily diet
• Freshly prepared jaggery increases Kapha and is capable of causing indigestion.

MATSYANDIKADI  (BROWN SUGAR ETC.) 

Matsyandika (brown sugar), Khanda (sugar candy) and Sita (white crystalline sugar) in their succeeding order are better in qualitie.

Matsyandikadi are :

• Aphrodisiac
•  Good for the emaciated people
• Useful for the wounded person
• Useful in bleeding diseases 
• Useful in Aggravation of Vata

YASA SHARKARA

Yasa Sarkara is the sugar prepared from Yavasaka plant and is similar in properties to sugar but 

• It’s bittersweet
• Astringent in taste. 

All types of sugars are useful in

• Burning sensation,
•  Thirst
• Vomiting
•  Fainting 
• Bleeding diseases. 

Among the products of sugarcane juice, sugar is the best in qualities and Phanita (half cooked molasses) is the least useful.

MADHU (HONEY)

PROPERTIES

• Vatala – Increases Vata
• Ruksha –  Dry in nature
• Kashaya, Madhura  – Astringent and sweet in taste
• Chakshushya – Good for the eyes (vision)
• Chedi – Breaks up hard masses or clears up clogged or blocked channels(srotas)
• Shelshmahara –  Balances Kapha
• Trut –  Relieves thirst

HONEY IS USEFUL IN

• Visha – Toxicity
• Meha – Useful in diabetes and urinary tract diseases
• Kushta –Useful in Skin diseases
• Hidhma – Relieves Hiccups
• Asrapitta useful in bleeding disorders
• Krumi – Good worm infestations as honey is anti microbial
• Chardi – Relieves Vomiting
• Vrana shodhana – Cleanses the wounds
• Vrana sandhana, ropana – Helps in quick wound healing
• Shwasa –  Useful in Dyspnoea and other chronic respiratory diseases
• Kasa – Relieves cough and cold
• Atisara – Useful in diarrhoea

Crystallized honey – Madhu Sarkara has similar properties as that of honey.

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND WHILE USING HONEY

Honey acts like poison 

• If used after heating it
• If used by those who are suffering from great heat, 
• If used during hot season, in hot countries or with hot foods.

But HEATED or WARM honey does not cause any harm 

• When used warm for producing vomiting 
• For administration of Niruha (decoction enema) because it comes out of the body before it undergoes the process of digestion.