Malts may be a confusing concept for some people. More so for newcomers to the Ayurvedic scene. A polyherbal formulation that resembles jams in texture? Quite confusing indeed. And if one is unaware of the origin or nature of a product, using or consuming it correctly is definitely out of the picture. But, of course, we wouldn’t be talking about a possible problem without providing an acceptable solution to it. So join us on this little trip through the nature of Malts and we’ll help clear out any doubts or queries!
What are Malts?
Ayurvedic practitioners have used Malts to treat various conditions and sicknesses throughout the course of history. Although the malt-making process has evolved with time, the basic principle of hand brewing and extracting every bit of medicinal element from the ingredients have remained unchanged. Each and every batch of malt that we produce at Amrutam is made lovingly from naturally sourced herbs and spices. Making even a single batch of malt is extremely time-consuming (it takes around three months of processing!). However, we at Amrutam continue to manufacture them as we understand the potent curative nature of these formulations. Now that we have some clarity about the process, let us talk about the product itself.
Malts have a thick, jam-like texture with varying colors (depending on the type of Malt and ingredients used). At a first glance, one might not be able to distinguish between a normal fruit preserve and an ayurvedic malt. If one were to taste both ‘jams’ they would notice that the fruit preserve tastes sweet while the malt may have varying flavor notes (ranging from slightly bitter to sweet). It is however the properties attributed to Ayurvedic malts that truly set them apart from normal jams and fruit preserves.
How are they Different from Jams and other Traditional preserves?
While they may not taste as sugary-sweet as normal fruit jams, Ayurvedic malts are chock-full of medicinal herbs and spices. Different malts have different base ingredients lending each a unique curative ability. For example, the Amrutam Kuntal Hair Care Malt has Brahmi, Jatamansi and Aloe Vera as its primary ingredients, among others. Reports indicated that these ingredients have potent hair-growth-related properties. They are extremely effective in helping new hair growth, preventing hair loss, getting rid of dandruff, etc. Similarly, we have the Brainkey Gold Malt. Regular consumption of the Malt helps in improving mental immunity, enhancing memory retention and improving concentration. Researchers identify Shankhpushpi and Ashwagandha as potent rasayanic agents and they are the primary ingredients in the Brainkey Malt.
(Hey there! Follow the links if you would like to learn more about the Brainkey Gold Malt or the Kuntal Hair Care Malt.)
The Malts mentioned above are signature Amrutam recipes (which you can check out in our shop!). However, they are by no means the only Ayurvedic malts out there. The single, most relevant example of an Ayurvedic malt would be the classical Chawanprash formulation. We have refined the age-old recipe over multiple years to create the current iteration of the formulation. Other classical examples of classical malts would be Prasham (runnier malt than normal) and Avaleha.
The Ayurvedic Way to Consume Malts
Now that we have understood just how different Malts are from the normal fruit preserves and jams let’s move on to the proper way to consume Malts. Ayurvedic practitioners advise individuals to consume Malts with an appropriate 'delivery agent' or anupaan.
In the case of Amrutam Malts warm water or milk is the perfect carrier and ensures that the malt is optimally absorbed into the body and reaches the desired organs. Apart from water and milk, you can eat the malt directly like one does with Chawanprash. You can also use it as a jam, and apply it on bread or parantha (think of the endless malt-sandwich combinations). And that’s it! Simply consume the desired malt twice a day in the manner described and you are bound to observe positive changes very quickly. No additional steps or hassles. What more could you ask for? Simple to use Ayurvedic condiment that is tasty AND helps heal your mind and body? That’s an easy yes for me, as it should be for all of you!
The Science Behind It
An additional factor that you should keep in mind is that malts express the best results when taken on an empty stomach. This greatly magnifies the benefits of the malt and has a deeper meaning behind it rather than being just a thing. Consuming malts on an empty stomach helps in doing two things.
- It helps ensure that the malt itself is properly digested along with the food and efficiently absorbed into the body
- It boosts your appetite and greatly increases the amount of nutrition available to your body.
(If you liked reading this, you might also want to check out our blog on आयुर्वेद के मुताबिक “खाने के नियम".)
These two factors work synergistically to boost the performance of the malt and bring about quick and observable changes. Another thing to watch out for is how the malt reacts to you. Sometimes when you eat any malt, in the initial few days, it can mess with your bowel movements. This is indicative of the fact that the malt is clearing up blocked passages. Slowly it recovers and heals your internal digestive system and subsequently improves your health in the long run. Now that you are aware of every aspect of our Malts, it is now time to go try some out (click here to head to the shop).
