Tamarind Tree (Imlī / Amlikā / Tamarindus indica)

02/14/2023

Sanskrit name: Amikā

Hindi name: Imlī

Sanskrit synonyms:

Cukrikā
Amlī
Cukrā
Dantaṣaṭhā
Amlā
Ciñcikā
Cincā
Tintiḍīka
Tintiḍī

Focus: The Ripe Fruit…

Rasa (taste): amla (sour), madhura (sweet)
Vīrya (energy): heating
Vipaka (post-digestive effect): amla (sour)
Gunas: ruksa (dry) & guru (heavy)
Doshas: KV- P+
Can increase Kapha and rakta (blood) together if had in excess.

Parts used: flower, seed, fruit, kshara (alkali bark ash / fruit skin), leaves.

Karmas (Actions):

Dīpana (increases digestive fire), the ripe fruit
Laxative (1)
Vasti shuddhikrut – cleanses urinary bladder

USES & BENEFITS

Arthritis

Helpful for arthritis, especially when Vata is trapped in the joints.

The unripened fruit is also helpful for rheumatoid arthritis: Unripened tamarind paste that will suck the expanded ama (undigested toxic food material) to one place, then it is easier to get out of the place with some elimination therapy.(2)
Note that tamarind is not the herb of choice for arthritis.

Digestion

Tamarind is a good pre-biotic. It acts as a laxative and enkindles digestive strength.

Add the Sour Taste for Wholesome 6 Tastes

In Ayurveda, a balanced diet means having all six tastes (sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, astringent). Tamarind is a great way to include the sour taste. You can do this by adding tamarind pulp, paste or tamarind water (see recipe below) filtered or not.

Sour taste characteristics:

Mahābhūta (elements): earth and fire.
Vīrya (energy): heating
Gunas (qualties): laghu (light), snigdha (unctous)
Vipaka (post-digestive effect): amla (sour) – (in general)
Doṣas: PK+ V-
Karmas (actions): enkindles agni (dīpana), metabolises ama/ undigested toxic food materials (pacana), moves liver stagnation, increases bile, building (bṛṃhaṇa), stopping (stambhana), contraction (contraction), nourishes and energises the body, awakens the mind, nourishes the heart (hṛdaya), satisfying, soothing and appeasing (prīṇanam), washes or clears oral cavity.

Tamarind is part of the recipe for Six Tastes Drink: A Sweet Drink to Enliven the 6 Tastes and Agni (Digestive Fire)

To learn more about the six tastes and how to help recognise the medicinal qualities of food in any food item or substance, check out Vital Veda’s Essence of Ayurvedic Nutrition course.

Ally to Purify Food, Herbs and Cleanse in General

Tamarind water is used to wash and purify fruit and vegetables.

To make tamarind water, add 1 tablespoon of tamarind pulp to 1L of water, mix and mash well. Leave for 15 minutes, mix again and filter.

Tamarind water is a form of tartaric acid – it helps remove fertilisers and chemicals that are on non-organic food.

Tamarind is used for cleaning metals like brass and copper.

Purify pumpkin

The common yellow pumpkin is considered a vata aggravating vegetable, and a vegetable to not have too much of. Cooking pumpkin with tamarind and cumin is an antidote to the vata aggravating qualities of pumpkin.

Antidote to Sliminess of Okra (Lad’s Finger)

For those who don’t like the slimy quality (picheela guna) of the okra vegetable, using tamarind during the cooking process will prevent it from getting too slimy.

Ayurvedic Medicines Containing Tamarind

Krishna Paste

Tamarind seed bhasma and tamarind seed root is used in the skincare product Krishna paste.

Shankha Vati (a.k.a. Shankar V)

A classical Ayurvedic medicine used for gastric conditions, dyspepsia, anorexia, high pitta in the gut, and other digestive disorders.

Rasnadi Chūrnam

A powder to apply over the scalp and crown of the head. Used to relieve headache sinusitis or Kapha in the head, and is good to apply after shirodhara/takradhara and/or after bathing post shirodhara/takradhara treatment.

Tamarind Tree (Imlī / Amlikā / Tamarindus indica)

Sanskrit name: Amikā

Hindi name: Imlī

Sanskrit synonyms:

Cukrikā

Amlī

Cukrā

Dantaṣaṭhā

Amlā

Ciñcikā

Cincā

Tintiḍīka

Tintiḍī

Focus: The Ripe Fruit…

Rasa (taste): amla (sour), madhura (sweet)Vīrya (energy): heatingVipaka (post-digestive effect): amla (sour)Gunas: ruksa (dry) & guru (heavy)Doshas: KV- P+Can increase Kapha and rakta (blood) together if had in excess.

Parts used: flower, seed, fruit, kshara (alkali bark ash / fruit skin), leaves.

Karmas (Actions):

Dīpana (increases digestive fire), the ripe fruit

Laxative (1)

Vasti shuddhikrut – cleanses urinary bladder

USES & BENEFITS

Arthritis

Helpful for arthritis, especially when Vata is trapped in the joints.

Digestion

Tamarind is a good pre-biotic. It acts as a laxative and enkindles digestive strength.

Add the Sour Taste for Wholesome 6 Tastes

In Ayurveda, a balanced diet means having all six tastes (sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, astringent). Tamarind is a great way to include the sour taste. You can do this by adding tamarind pulp, paste or tamarind water (see recipe below) filtered or not.

Sour taste characteristics:

Mahābhūta (elements): earth and fire.

Vīrya (energy): heating

Gunas (qualties): laghu (light), snigdha (unctous)

Vipaka (post-digestive effect): amla (sour) – (in general)

Doṣas: PK+ V-

Tamarind is part of the recipe for Six Tastes Drink: A Sweet Drink to Enliven the 6 Tastes and Agni (Digestive Fire)

To learn more about the six tastes and how to help recognise the medicinal qualities of food in any food item or substance, check out Vital Veda’s Essence of Ayurvedic Nutrition course.

Ally to Purify Food, Herbs and Cleanse in General

Tamarind water is used to wash and purify fruit and vegetables.

To make tamarind water, add 1 tablespoon of tamarind pulp to 1L of water, mix and mash well. Leave for 15 minutes, mix again and filter.

Tamarind water is a form of tartaric acid – it helps remove fertilisers and chemicals that are on non-organic food.

Tamarind is used for cleaning metals like brass and copper.

Purify pumpkin

The common yellow pumpkin is considered a vata aggravating vegetable, and a vegetable to not have too much of. Cooking pumpkin with tamarind and cumin is an antidote to the vata aggravating qualities of pumpkin.

Antidote to Sliminess of Okra (Lad’s Finger)

For those who don’t like the slimy quality (picheela guna) of the okra vegetable, using tamarind during the cooking process will prevent it from getting too slimy.

Classical Food Recipes With Tamarind

Tamarind Rice is a classic prasadam (holy) dish that is offered in many Hindu temples. It is also used in Vedic astrology in combination with other ingredients to pacify the nine planets. Check out this Nine Planet Tamarind Rice Recipe

Tamarind is a common ingredient used in small amounts in the classical south Indian dishes Sambar and Rasam, light, nutritious soups that are great for dinner or as part of the main, noon meal.

Ayurvedic Medicines Containing Tamarind

Krishna Paste

Tamarind seed bhasma and tamarind seed root is used in the skincare product Krishna paste.

Shankha Vati (a.k.a. Shankar V)

A classical Ayurvedic medicine used for gastric conditions, dyspepsia, anorexia, high pitta in the gut, and other digestive disorders.

Rasnadi Chūrnam

A powder to apply over the scalp and crown of the head. Used to relieve headache sinusitis or Kapha in the head, and is good to apply after shirodhara/takradhara and/or after bathing post shirodhara/takradhara treatment.

Tamarind Flower Properties and Medicinal Uses

Ripe Fruit of Tamarind Properties and Medicinal Uses

atyamla – extremely sour

laghu – light to digest

asruk krut – causes blood disorders (1)

doshas: PK+ V-

Constricts channels (2)

Clears the urine passage (2)

For rheumatoid arthritis: Unripened tamarind paste that will suck the expanded ama (undigested toxic food material) to one place, then it is easier to get out of the place with some elimination therapy.(2)

Semi-Ripe Fruit of Tamarind Properties and Medicinal Uses

grahi – absorbent, useful in diarrhoea, IBS

dīpana

ruchya – improves taste, useful for anorexia

doshas: VK-

REFERENCES:

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Rasa (taste): amla (sour), madhura (sweet)
Vīrya (energy): heating
Vipaka (post-digestive effect): amla (sour)
Gunas: ruksa (dry) & guru (heavy)
Doshas: KV- P+
Can increase Kapha and rakta (blood) together if had in excess.