In Indian mythology, the cowherd God Krishna used to get his fellow playmates to distract his mother while he went into the kitchen and stole the butter. Nobody knows whether he stole the rich creamy yoghurt, too, but you can be certain that his mother gave him large servings of plain yoghurt with every lunch. That is because we know that yoghurt is one of the best aids to digestion, having really useful  Probiotic bacteria and best of all, it is such a soothing delicious dish, when you are waving your palm in front of your tongue, having taken an extra large helping of extra spiced vegetables and meat!

We call yoghurt “curds” or “Dahi” in India. You can ask your milkman to get you freshly made dahi and wonder how it tastes so delicious. The main reason is that he makes it in an earthenware bowl, instead of in an ordinary metal or plastic utensil like you do. The red clay of the bowl gives the yoghurt its distinctive taste, flavor, and even aroma of freshly sprinkled wet, dusty earth. And of course, we need lots of yoghurt to thicken the delicious meat gravies.

Some people are under the impression that yoghurt should not be given to pregnant women and babies. Well, if the milk is properly pasteurised, and your doctor allows you to eat yoghurt, it is definitely not going to do you any sort of harm. And I missed out on eating yoghurt at night as a kid, because somebody told my grandmother that I would catch a cold. So I normally avoid eating it at night in winter. I do not know if there is any justification for the cold idea, but I do not want to take a chance! In fact, yoghurt helps you sleep better and if you are an insomniac, try a bowl of yoghurt, instead of the hot milk cure.

Yoghurt is also definitely one of the most important ingredients in a natural beauty lotions and face masks. Not only is this a really good moisturizer, but it is also going to exfoliate your skin. So mix it up with honey, glycerin, oatmeal, and there you are, rich, glowing skin. Naturally, I scrub myself from head to toe, every Sunday with yoghurt and oatmeal. It smells, you say. What is the shower for? And then smother yourself with rose water!

One of the best cures for dandruff is yoghurt and lemon juice; rub this mixture into your scalp and leave it for about an hour before you shampoo. Hey, your hair is conditioned naturally and totally dandruff free. Why waste money on those expensive antidandruff chemical-based shampoos and conditioners?

Plain Yoghurt is also one of the easiest ways in which you can get rid of thrush. Eat lots of it, and wear cotton underwear (yes, so boring and not sexy at all, but oh so healthy because it allows your skin to breathe!), and there you are, no infection, ever. If you find your yoghurt too sour to eat, apply it on your body, and then rub off the dirt and dry skin. Or add it to meat gravy, and get delicious, thick juicy gravy! Yoghurt, I cannot do without it!

Photo credit: Ale Paiva