Ayurveda Initiative For Global Health

Dill (Sabbasige soppu) Did you know that Dill or Sabbasige soppu in Kannada language, an aromatic annual herb of the parsley family, with fine blue-green leaves and yellow flowers, is used for flavouring and for medicinal purposes? Dill is originally an European annual herb in the celery family Apiaceae with the generic name Anethum graveolons. Its name is derived from the Old Norse word “dilla,” which means to soothe. In India, the species is known as Anethum sowa, also as Pimpinella anisum, but is much stronger and bolder than the European variety. It is widely used in all Indian states as a herb with different names in regional languages such as: Sabbasige soppu (ಸಬ್ಬಸಿಗೆ ಸೊಪ್ಪು) in Kannada; Shatapushpa in Sanskrit, Sholpa in Bengali, savaa in Hind, shepu (शेपू) in Marathi and Konkani, Soa-kura in Telugu, Sada kuppi (சதகுப்பி) in Tamil, Chathakuppa (ചതകുപ്പ) in Malyalam, Soa in Punjabi, and suva (સૂવા) in Gujarathi.  Its historicity is traced to the...

Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) Did you know that Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) is a vigorous scrambling or climbing perennial plant which is not even closely related botanically to the common potato though in etymology they are the same? The Sweet potato or Sweetpotato, also known as Brazilian arrowroot, with scientific name Ipomoea batatas, is a dicotyledonous plant that belongs to the bindweed or morning glory family, Convolvulaceae; it is basically an underground tuber. Its large, starchy, sweet-tasting, tuberous roots are a popular root vegetable. Though widely grown as a food supplement in many regions of the world (with China leading in its production), it is still a neglected crop in India; though grown in 19 states but mostly in Orissa, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. However, it is known in many vernacular languages as: Genasu gadde (ಗೆಣಸು ಗಡ್ಡೆ) or ಸೀಗೆಣಸು Seegenasu in Kannada, Mitha alu in Hindi, Cakkarakkilangu in Malayalam, Carkkarai valli in Tamil, Chilagadadump...

India- The world's largest producer of milk Did you know that India is the world's largest producer of milk, contributing about 19% of the world's total milk production with over 187 million metric tonnes every year? India's milk production, an agricultural product also called dairy milk, during the period 1950-51 was a measly 17 million tonnes which stands now at 187 million metric tonnes in 2019-20, mainly on account of the "Operation Flood" programme launched by the Government of India in 1970. India's milk output surpasses that of all the European Union countries combined, is followed by the US, China, Pakistan and Brazil. This is a unique record among the major milk producers as more than half of India's production is derived from water buffalo, rather than cattle. All this mass production is credited to its masses and this process has been rightly termed as the White Revolution. It is expected the production trend would reach a peak ...

Palmyrah Palm (Borassus flabellifer)  Did you know that one of the most versatile trees, the Palmyrah Palm, a dioecious tree, is known for its 800 uses, apart from repugnant (?) distinction of its extract used as Toddy, an intoxicating drink prepared by the fermentation of the sap?  Palmyrah Palm with botanical name Borassus flabellifer in the family of Arecaceae, a monotypic genus of sugar palms, is native to India, tropical Africa, and naturalized throughout the tropics and having fan-shaped leaves and very hard wood. The plant is a selection from the more diverse Borassus aethiopum Mart. of Africa which got distributed following Indian trade routes in prehistoric times. In India, its distribution encompasses the dry  landscape of the semi arid regions of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal, Bihar, Karnataka and Maharashtra. In fact, it is the official tree of Tamil Nadu and very highly regarded in Tamil culture, called as "kat...

Neyyappam Did you know that Neyyappam, which is a widely popular sweet in South India, is a culinary delicacy that originated in Kerala which is basically rice-based fritter fried in ghee (clarified butter) that even Gods in temples preferred as Naivedyam at night? Neyyappam, derived from the words 'neyy' meaning "ghee" (clarified butter) and 'appam' meaning "pancake", is a delicious rice fritter usually fried in specifically designed cups. Its origin is traced to Kerala but now a popular sweeet dish at almost every festival in the Southern states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh apart from Kerala. It is also a naivedyam, a special 'offering to God in South Indian Sri Vaishnava temples. Even a temple deity is named after this sweet delicacy in the Appakkudathaan Perumal Temple in Koviladi near Trichy in Tamil Nadu, dedicated to Lord Vishnu who is deified in the form of Lord Ranganatha in a reclining posture holding a pot...