Time to beat the summer heat with buttermilk! A look at the health benefits of the refreshing beverage

Ramesh Arvind, a resident of Chennai, is trying numerous ways to beat the intense summer heat. This includes staying indoors as much as possible, especially during noon when the sun is at its peak, taking bath twice daily, and wearing clothes made of cotton. In spite of taking these measures, he falls ill one day. So, what could have been the reason?

The following day, he visits the doctor who reveals that his diet is the culprit. The doctor advises him to incorporate buttermilk into his diet. Because one of the health benefits of buttermilk is that it is a proven cooler.

What is buttermilk?

Traditionally, buttermilk is the liquid that is leftover when butter is made from cream. It's a rich-tasting liquid that is low in fat content.

Drinking buttermilk is one of the best ways to cool yourself down on a hot and sultry summer day. But, if you think that buttermilk is just about cooling down, then you are mistaken. For, along with its cooling properties, buttermilk offers several health benefits such as weight loss, healthy skin and hair, and plenty of other uses too!

This article covers everything you need to know about buttermilk! Also, learn how to prepare a yummy buttermilk recipe at home!

Buttermilk nutrition value (per 100g)

• Calories 40 kcal
• Protein 3.31g
• Total fat 1.1g
• Cholesterol 4mg
• Sugar 5.4g
• Sodium 148 mg
• Iron 0.05 mg
• Calcium 116 mg
• Potassium 151 mg

Data based on USDA - National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference

When to drink buttermilk?

The sweltering heat in summer has children and adults staying indoors and adopting various measures to stay cool. In most cases, having a cool glass of buttermilk helps. And, it is healthy too!

Known by different names - chaas, chaach, mattha, etc, buttermilk is a miracle summer drink indeed. This curd and water-based drink often blended with chosen spices such as black salt, asafoetida and jeera powder is truly refreshing. Read on to learn how to prepare a yummy buttermilk recipe! This article covers everything you need to know about buttermilk!

Health benefits of drinking buttermilk in summer

Cools down body temperature

The primary and most beneficial property of drinking buttermilk is that it cools down the body temperature during the hot season. Drinking buttermilk can prove beneficial for women suffering from hot flushes that mostly occur during menopause. In fact, not just women, men can avail the benefits of buttermilk. Men who have a high metabolic rate and body temperature can drink buttermilk to cool down.

Buttermilk also provides essential probiotic vitamins and minerals that get depleted due to the intense summer heat.

Aids digestion

We all know that buttermilk is a curd-based drink and that curd is naturally loaded with probiotics. This increases the growth of a healthy gut in the body. Further, the spices added in buttermilk prevent indigestion and cause burping which helps in soothing your digestive tract.

Buttermilk also acts as an effective cooling agent in certain gastrointestinal disorders like Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and Crohn's disease (a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that causes severe pain, fatigue, diarrhea, and weight loss).

Helps wash down oily food

During the hot season, consuming oily foods can cause discomfort. A glass of buttermilk can make you feel much better. The ginger, cumin powder, coriander, and other spices wash down the oils and fats, which can line the inner walls of the food pipe and stomach leading to ulcers and other digestive problems. Also, these spices help expel gas from the stomach. Drinking a glass of buttermilk after a heavy meal will help one feel much better.

A storehouse of nutrients

Buttermilk provides several health benefits as it is loaded with nutrients. It contains calcium and protein, which supports cell communication and the contraction of muscles. Calcium also helps prevent bone disorders such as osteoporosis. Apart from Calcium, buttermilk is a rich source of proteins, vitamin B, vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, and potassium. All these nutrients are essential for an active and healthy lifestyle.

A glass of buttermilk is also a rich source of lactic acid that helps fight harmful pathogens and bacteria. This provides a boost to the immune system.

Helps in lowering cholesterol and blood pressure

Regular consumption of buttermilk can help lower cholesterol and control blood pressure. Buttermilk contains significant amounts of bio-active protein, which lower cholesterol level and help lower blood pressure. It inhibits the absorption of cholesterol by the intestines.

Buttermilk for weight loss

Another benefit of drinking buttermilk is that it aids in weight loss. It contains riboflavin that converts food into energy. It has all the nutrients that keep you full and satiated. This easy drink is also low in fat and calories, so you can always swap your energy drinks with buttermilk.

Beneficial for hair and skin

The huge amount of lactic acid and milk proteins present in buttermilk is beneficial to hair and skin. It rejuvenates the dead skin cells leaving behind glowing and smooth skin. External application of buttermilk can strengthen the hair strands and fight dandruff and dryness.

Other benefits

Apart from the above-mentioned health benefits, buttermilk also prevents yeast infections, rejuvenates sun-damaged skin, and eases constipation.

Summer is here. This is a season for tasty fruits, picnics, school vacations, and fun-filled days. But, it is also the season when diseases come knocking at our doors.