Kokum
Kokum just knocks you out with its tangy, zesty taste. The kokum fruit(garcinia indica) is blood red in color. It is the forgotten food of the coast. It finds mention in the Vedas, Arthashastra and Charakh Samhita for both its good looks and its therapeutic properties.
Our sedentary lifestyle has made us prone to not just diabesity but also to acidity. Our blood naturally maintains a pH of 7.4 which is slightly alkaline but due to our lifestyle this has disturbed the alkalinity and makes it more acidic in nature giving us acidity, headaches and poor sleep.
Kokum ( Garcinia indica )
We tend to take a whole load of antacids, laxatives and even antibiotics to deal with the problems. Thus further abuse washes away our microbiome, the diverse societies of bacteria that live in our gut and promote our well-being.
Urban lifestyle of eating out every week, late lunches and dinners and onslaught of coffee and tea during meetings ruin not just our health but also the gut health. When our bacterial ecosystem is compromised, our ability to pick up or assimilate nutrients from food is compromised too.
Almost everyone who has low B12 or D levels is handicapped by impaired absorption of nutrients, a function of acid-base balance in the body. A weakened biosystem disturbs the pH or creates acidity in the body.
The Miraculous Kokum Benefits
Kokum has been celebrated for its ability to keep acidity at bay, thus ensuring that you maintain not just a good acid-base balance but with it a harmonious ecosystem for microbiota.
Kokum is used as a healing herb for ulcers, ear infection, common cold and even UTI. Traditionally, it’s grandma’s go-to herb to cure acidity, bloating and flatulence.
Kokum smoothen digestion and thus helps in better assimilation of nutrients and effective elimination of toxins, thus maintaining both the pH and the diversity of the microbiome ecosystem.
Ayurveda celebrates kokum for its ability to regulate menses and to protect the heart.
Kokum also works at reducing inflammation in the joints and even helps strengthen the bone mineral density.
Garcinol, the most active ingredient in kokum, is an antibacterial, antiviral and antioxidant agent.
Hydroxyl citric acid(HCA) in kokum is a well known weight loss aid. Regulates appetite and optimizes fat-burning. Besides weight loss, HCA is also used to reduce cholesterol and anxiety.
Read: Effects of garcinia cambogia (Hydroxycitric Acid) on visceral fat accumulation
Kokum also has extremely high levels of bioflavonoids, making it extremely useful as an antitumour agent, even better than curcumin or haldi.
Crazy, zesty kokum chewing also prevents cavities.
Read: Oil Pulling-Ancient Ayurveda Remedy
How Kokum Is Used
Kokum Saar Recipe – Traditional Maharashtrian Kokum
- Flavouring agent in dals and sabzis for tanginess. Check out Recipe of Maharastrian Kokum Amti/Dal
- Eat it raw with some salt and masala
- With Coconut Milk to prepare kadhi
- Kokum agal or Kokum Water
- Kokum Sherbet
- Kokum Butter
