Herbal Decoctions & Teas

Preparing and taking a kashayam

This is the format the classical texts describe most often, and the instruction is precise in a way modern supplements are not. A kashayam is measured, generally diluted with an equal part of warm water, and taken in relation to a meal — most often before it. The label carries the direction for that particular preparation, and it differs between them.

The taste is strong, and there is no writing around it; better known before ordering than after. If you are buying for someone who will not persist with a bitter liquid twice a day, the same recipes sit on the Tablets shelf and are the more realistic choice.

Three practical points

1. Measure it — These are not taken by the capful. A measuring cap and the label direction — the dose is smaller than most people expect.
2. Dilute it — Usually with warm water, as directed. Part of the traditional preparation rather than a way of softening the taste.
3. Before food, generally — Most classical kashayams are taken before eating. Check the pack; a few are not.

See also Tablets & Capsules, Digestion & Gut. Kairali has made Ayurvedic formulations in Kerala since 1908.

Always read the label and directions on the pack you receive, and speak with your physician before starting anything new — particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, managing a health condition or taking prescription medicine.