Introduction
Ayurveda is a science of life existing since more than 5000 years. Diet is a prime important factor to maintain health and to increase longevity of life. Ayurveda systematically explains role of diet and its importance in health. Every Aacharya had explained the importance of diet and explained them in two main categories. One is liquids we consume under the name ‘dravdravya vidnyaniy’/ dravdrvyavidhi and another one annapanvidhi. Charak divides food in 12 categories, including all solid and liquid variety; in which ‘shukdhanya’ is one category which includes rice, wheat, jav and millets variety. We found lots of types in rice variety, and commonly labeled as carbohydrate storage. Ayurveda gives different view to study rice and wheat, Where to consume? Why to consume? When it is good to avoid rice and wheat? This article will enlighten common people and medico people about the ancient wisdom of rice and wheat varieties. These are actually strength giving grains and they are staple food of Indian diet.
Materials and Methods
Ayurveda original texts, original research work, web articles, Ayurveda articles are the main source of information. Data is collected, studies, extracted, and summarized for better understanding of rice and wheat varieties.
Rice origin
‘Shuklavrihi’ is name of rice in Krishna yajurveda, in 3000 B.C., 4 types are mentioned there, krushnanam vrihi-black rice, asunamvrihinam-fast growing rice-shashti rice, and mahavrihinam- long grained rice and Naivaram-wild rice-grown without cultivation. In Atharva veda, naivaram mentioned as Nivara and krushna shali, raktashali and shashti shali are additional variety of rice mentioned. Also in Atharva veda de-husked rice is named as ‘tandula’, which we use today also. The word ‘vrihi’ is first mentioned in Upanishad.1
Types of food
Sushruta explains Two main varieties, First one is dravdravyavidnyaniy, in which water, milk and milk products, oils, ghee, honey, sugar cane products, alcohol varieties, Ayurveda arishta, dhanyaml, urine qualities are explained. Another solid variety which we eat is explained under the name ‘anna pan vidhi’.2 In this category, he explains, shalivarg [rice varieties], shami dhanya [pulse variey], kudhanya [millets], meat variety, fish varieties, fruit variety, dry fruits, vegetables, spices, flowers, roots, leaves, salt variety, cooked food variety, and anupan or liquids to be consumed with food. After that the pots in which food should be served, the way to eat food and serve food, all this is explained in ‘annapan vidhi’ of Sushruta.2 Charaka explains food in 12 main categories.3
Table 1
Shali rice varieties and its properties
Table 2
Varieties of Shashti and its properties
Table 3
Varieties of vrihi and its properties
Table 4
Types of wheat and its properties
Shukdhanyavarg- unicoat grains
Shimbidhanya- bicoat grains-like pulses
Mansavarg-meat variety
Shakvarg- all vegetables
Falvarg-fruit variety
Harit varg- green variety- ginger, garlic, onion, radish, carrot, coriander, tulsi.
Madyavarg- variety of wines
Jalvag- all kind of water-quality according to its sources
Goras varg- milk qualities according to its source, milk products, their properties’
Ikshu varg- sugar cane and its products, honey varieties
Krutannavarg- cooked food
Aharpyogivarg-oils, salt, asafoeida, dry ginger, cumin, black paper, used to enhance taste of food.
Bhavprakash divides grains in a different way. In Dhanyavarg-means class of grains, he classifies grain in 5 varieties-a) shali dhanya b) vrihi dhanya c) shuk dhanya d) shimbi dhanya e) kshudra dhanya. In this he includes monocoats and bicoats like pulses, under the same category dhanya-grains.5
Shali dhanya- white good quality rice, which is white although its outer covering is not removed. It is grown in winter. He describes its properties according to its origin, rice grown in burned land, rice with plenty of watered land, rice grown without planting, rice grown with proper plantation, rice grown in land, rice grown after cutting.
Vrihi dhanya- rice is white after its outer cover is separated; it is grown in plenty of water, in rainy season.
Shasti dhanya- rice is ripen in 60 days without corn breaking.
Shukdhanya- yava- it has white needle like cover, atiyava-without needle like structure and tokya is green colored without needle like structure, also known as ‘jai’. Wheat is divided into three varieties. Its Sanskrit name is godhum, and suman. Mahagodhum, madhuli, and dirghgodhum are three varieties of wheat mentioned n bhavprakash. Mahagodhum is from panjab, madhuli is from middle area from country, like agra, Mathura. Dirgha godhum is without shuk-needle like structure-it is also called as nandimukh.
Shimbi dhanya- it is bicoat- all pulses are included in it
Kshudra dhanya- it is also called as kudhanya, trundhanya. Book dedicated to diet like ‘Ayurveda mahodadhi’ mentions that shyamak, kodrav, these kudhanya grain variety is recommended especially for ill patients and are not wholesome for healthy people, hence avoid to explain in regular diet book.
Shukdhanya
All these grains are included in category-shukdhanyavarg by maharshi Charak and Sushrut. ‘Shuk’ means beak- all these grains have a beak like small structure; also these grains are favorite food of all birds, hence the name shukdhanya. All these grains have outer fibrous coat, which also names them as ‘shukdhanya’. 2, 3
Sushruta categorise these shukdhanya in 2 types;
A] Shalivarg,
B] Kudhanya.
A] Shalivarg has 3 types-
1. Shali- these are sweet, cold, and light for digestion, strength giving, pitta pacifying, unctuous, slightly kapha and vata increasing, constipating and less stool producing. These are more shukra and urine producing. These are three dosha balancing. 3 Shali are good quality rice. It has many varieties, red rice, kalam (rice which is cut and grown), kardamak, pandu (ramjavan- having yellow Florence), sugandhak (basmati rice), shakunahrut (hansraj), pushpandak, pundarik, mahashali (long grain basmati), shitbhiru, rodhrapushp, dirghshuk, kanchanak,mahishshuk, mahashuk, hayanak, dushak, mahadushak. 2 Turnak, gaur, langul, lohval, sariva, pramodak, patang, tapni, these are some more varieties of good quality rice-shali, by shree Charak. Red rice is superior in them. 2, 3 Figure 5 shows red rice. 4 It is also called as navar rice. It is highly nutritious. It is grown in Waynad, kerala. 4 These are cultivated in winter-hemant season. 2 These are three dosha pacifying, shukra and urine producing, aphrodisiac, and good for eyes. It is good for complexion, throat and voice, strength giving, thirst pacifying, satisfying, nourishing, and good in all diseases. It promotes appetite. Rice is good to consume in fever patients, poison patents and wound or ulcer patients. 2, 6 Red rice is good for asthma, cough and patients of burning sensation. 6 As per sequence these varieties of rice are gradually less in quality. 2 As per charaka, red rice is superior, mahashali, and kalam shali are gradually of less quality. Yavak, haynak, pansu, vapya, naishadhak, these are inferior than above mentioned verities, having same properties in less quality. 3 chakrapani says that, these grains are opposite in quality as compared to above superior shali. They are all three dosha increasing, and also thirst increasing. 7 yavak variety grains are sweet, hot in potency, heavy for digestion, unctuous, after digestion effect in sour, kapha and pitta increasing, urine and feces increasing by quality.fig.1 and2 shows different varieties of rice. 8
Mahashali3- these are three dosha pacifying, sweet by taste and after digestion effect. It is wholesome for, chronic fever (jirn jwar), any abdominal diseases like gastritis, colitis, pancreatitis, gall bladder disease, it is compatible to everyone, it is a wholesome diet for, babies, old people, very rich or poor people, and delicate people.
Different varieties are explained by Sushen-rakta, bhiruk, pundarik, kalam, turnk, mahapushpak, dirgh, kanchanak, hayanak, sit, asit, pushpandak, panduk, pundrakhya, tapaniy, shkunak, lodhra, sugandhik, patang, dushak, all These are good variety of shali. All these are good quality shali adored by all. In all shali, raktashali, mahashali and kalam are good quality rice. 7
Patang shali is three dosha balancing when consumed with ghee, sweet by taste, light for digestion, after digestion effect is sweet, good for heart, aphrodisiac, and strength giving. 7
Krushnshali -black rice is three dosha balancing, sweet by taste and after digestion effect, sticky by nature, enhances complexion, and strength of person. Fig4 is of krushnsali. 4 It is also called as kala namak rice. It is highly nutritious rice. It is grown in Siddharth nagar, and extends of Gorakhpur and Gonda. 4
Qualities of shali according to its cultivation: 2, 6
Shali which is grown in grass burned land are light for digestion, slightly astringent, constipating1, dry, kapha pacifying, by nature. 2, 6
Bhavprakash mentions it as slightly laxative, promotes expulsion of urine and feces, which is contradictory to its astringent, dry property. 6
Grains grown in dry land (jangal) are kapha pitta balancing, astringent, sweet, pungent, bitter, appetite, and vata increasing by property. 2, 6 It’s after digestion effect is pungent 6
Grains grown with kedar-plenty water, are strength giving, shukra increasing, aphrodisiac, sweet, astringent, less stool producing, heavy for digestion, kapha nourishing, vata 6 and pitta pacifying by nature1,6. It is good to nourish intelligence. 6
Crop which is cultivated by uprooting from one place and cultivated in another place are light for digestion, dosha balancing, pitta pacifying, strength giving, urine increasing by nature1.if these ‘ropit shali’ are new then they are aphrodisiac, if they are old, then are light or digestion. 6
Crop which grows after cutting, are dry, constipating, bitter, astringent by taste, pitta and kapha pacifying, and light for digestion.
Shali which are grown by proper cultivation by farmer, are sweet, aphrodisiac, strength giving, pitta pacifying, kapha producing, less stool producing, heavy to digest and cold by nature. Shali grown without cultivation are of same properties in less quality.
2. Shasti- shashtic shali-rice which requires 60 days for cultivaton are of good quality, they are ripen inside corn, cultivated in summer-grishm season. Shashtic, kangu (fox tail millet), mukundak, pitak, pramodak, kakalak, asan, pushpak, mahashashti,churnak, kravak, and kedar are varieties of shashtik rice1. They are also considered as ‘vrihi’ because of similar properties.
Shastik, shatpushp, pramodak, mukundak, mahashasti, these are varieties of shasti. 6
Shashti are sweet, astringent by taste, after digestion effect is sweet, light for digestion, unctuous, soft; when consumed they gives strength, balances vata and pitta dosha. It is strength giving, kapha, and shukra increasing grain. It is wholesome to consume shasti every day, it reduces tiredness, balances all three vitiated dosha,7 and it is aphrodisiac by property. 2 These are cold in potency, balance all three dosha, and stabilize body. 3, 7 It is good for asthma, bronchitis, tuberculosis, chest injury (kshat) patients.7 These are good to nourish voice; it is strength giving, increases longevity of life, reduces anorexia, increases appetite, it satisfies, thirst, hunger, tiredness, and it is wholesome in all diseases.7 in all vrihi, shashti is wholesome.
In all of these varieties white shasthi is more superior in quality; these are light for digestion, soft, unctuous, all three dosha balancing, strength giving, constipating, having properties like red rice.2 These are taste giving, satisfying, good for heart, kapha nourishing, digesting pitta, heavy for digestion, strength giving and wholesome for everyone. Other varieties of shashtik with black and other color are of less quality.3, 6 It is good to cure fever.6
Crop cultivated in rainy season and harvested in sixty days are of less quality, than crops cultivated in summer season. Varak, uddalak, china,sharad, ujjwal, dardur, gandhan, kuruvind, are its name.
3. Vrihi- Vrihi is cultivated in rainy season. Black small rice, shalamukh, jatumukh, nandimukh, lavaksh, twaritak, kukutandak, paravatk, patal, these are varieties of vrihi. 2 Bhavprakash mentions only five varieties; black vrihi, patal, kukkutandak, shalmukh and jatumukh. He explains them in detail. 6
Krushnvihi- the vrihi whose outer cover and rice both are of black color.
Patal- its colour is like patal flower- it is trumpet flower-Stereospermum squveolens-yellow snake- have pale yellow flowers with purple tinge. 9 It is yellowish purple tinged rice.
Kukkutandak- vrihi of a shape like egg of chicken is called as kukkutandak.
Shalamukh-it has black needle like structure- shuk, and grains are black colored.
Jatumukh- grains having red mouth like lakh is called as jatumukh.
These are ripened late, when triturated then the grains are white colored. Black vrihi-small size rice, is superior; it is light for digestion and sweet, slightly astringent by taste, after digestion effect is sweet, cold by nature, do not increase bad water content in body- anabhishyandi, constipating. 2, 6 It is less in quality than shali and shashti, but superior than kudhanya/kshudradhanya. 2 Vrihi are sweet, pitta increasing, heavy for digestion, and after digestion effect is sour. 3 Patal variety is hot in potency, all three dosha increasing, and more urine and feces producing. 3
White vrihi is more beneficial. 7 it is all three doha balancing.
New rice is heavy for digestion, sweet, and promotes weight gain.
Old rice is capable to rejoin body tissue and good for diabetes patients.
Badaraml is recommended anupan for all shukdhanya and millets.
Region wise variety of rice
9There is around 6000 rice varieties found in India, some popular ones include brown rice,Basmati, Sonam, mogra rice, jasmine rice, Sona Masuri, Kolam, Gobindo Bhog, Ponni,wild rice, black rice, red rice, indrayani rice, white rice, sushi rice, sticky rice and Swarna. Here is a description of rice varieties available in India, categorized by region:
Northern India
Basmati: Known for its distinctive aroma and long grains, Basmati rice is primarily grown in the states of Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana, and Uttarakhand. It is exported globally and highly prized for its aromatic flavor. India grows 8, 90,207 tone basmati rice every year. It is of two types, white and red. Mahashali or mahatandul 10 and Rakt shali are its name in Ayurveda text.
Sonam: Grown in the Northern states, especially Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir, Sonam rice has a rich taste and is known for its quality. It is often used to prepare traditional dishes. Patang shali may represent it.
Eastern India:
1. Sona Masuri: This medium-grain rice is widely grown in Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana. It has a delicate fragrance, cooks quickly, and is commonly used in everyday dishes. Kardamak, kushmandak may resemble it.
2. Kolam: Predominantly cultivated in West Bengal and Jharkhand, Kolam rice is known for its pleasant aroma and soft texture. It is popular for making sweets and desserts. It may be kalam rice.
3. Katrni rice:It is grown in ancient Magadh –todays west central bihar state- Shakunahrut resembles this 10
Southern India 11
Ponni: Grown in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh, Ponni rice is a medium-grain variety. It has a unique fragrance, is non-sticky when cooked, and is commonly used for idlis, dosas, and biryanis.
Jeerakasala: Primarily cultivated in Kerala, Jeerakasala rice is small-grained, aromatic, and has a natural aroma of jeera (cumin). It is commonly used in traditional dishes like ghee rice and biryani.
Samba rice is cultivated in Tamilnadu.
Weastern ghat11
Gobindo Bhog/ joha rice: Popular in West Bengal and parts of Assam, Gobindo Bhog rice is a short-grain variety characterized by its aromatic flavor and soft texture. It is highly regarded for making payesh (rice pudding) and other traditional sweets. Devshali grown in gaud desh means todays west bangal. 10
Jirasar: Predominantly grown in Gujarat, Jirasar rice has a strong aroma and is known for its long, slender grains. It is commonly used to prepare biryanis and other rice-based dishes.
Maharashtra4
Aambemohor rice- grown in western ghat of Maharashtra-have typical flavor like mango bloom. saugandhik may resemble it. fig 3 is of ambemohor rice. 4
Indrayani rice-It is a stcky and tasty rice grown in konkan, pune, nashik area.
These are just a few examples of the many rice varieties available in different regions of India. Each variety has its own unique characteristics.
B] Kudhanya
Kordush, shyamak, nivar, shantanu, varak, uddalak, priyangu, madhlika, nandimukh, kuruvind, gavedhuk, sarbaruk, todparni, mukundak, venuyava- bamoo rice, all these are kudhanya- less quality grains.2, 3
Yava and Atiyav- Yava are sweet, astringent, cold, after effect is pungent, kapha, patta balancing, Atiyava is inferior in quality to yava.
Madhulika and nandimukh are sweet, cold, an unctuous.
Varak and mukundak, gradually dries water content in body.
All grains obtained from grass variety are capable to cure all diseases, all skin diseases and it immediately clears mouth problems (mukh vishodhan). 7
Bamboo rice is dry, hot in potency, after digestion effect are pungent, urine reducing, sweet, and astringent, kapha, pitta reducing, and vata increasing by its properties. 2, 3 Bamboo rice is anti-helminthic, anti-poisonous, and strength giving by nature. 3, 7 Bamboo rice is good to reduce frequency of micturation, and diabetes. 7 It is constipation by nature. 6
Wheat
Godhum (good quality wheat) is vata pacifying, has capacity to join broken bones, sweet by taste, increases longevity of life, strength giving, aphrodisiac, unctuous, heavy for digestion, stabilizes body. 3 it is sweet, heavy, strength giving, stabilizing, increases taste, and shukra in body; it is very unctuous, very cold, pacify vata and pitta, 6 increases kapha and mild laxative. 2, 3, 7 It is wholesome diet to eat in madhumeha. 5 It enhances complexion, improves taste, good in wound patients, increases stability of body. 6 it enhances power to retain memory (dhruti) , and it is good for diseases of mind (chetavikarapah). 7 Mahagodhum is cultivated in Panchadash means Punjab. Madhuli cultivated in Madhya-middle desha-Agra-Mathura. Nandimkh do not have outer covering, it is also called as dirgh godhum.
Nandimukh, madhuli are sweet, unctuous, and cold by potency. These are inferior variety of wheat. 2
Madhuli and nandimukh is cold, unctuous, reduces pitta, appetite, sweet and light for digestion. It is shukra increasing, strength giving, wholesome to eat regularly. 6
General instructions to eat grains
It is advised to eat grains which are grown in their natural season. Non seasonal grains, grains with disease, unripen, not grown in good soil and; new grains are not good to eat.2, 3, 10 new grains-grains within one year after harvest contains lot of bad water- abhishyandi- increases stickiness, heaviness in body. Grains should be used more than one year and less than 2 year old. After one year it is light for digestion and free of bad water content. After two years it lacks its potency.2 Yava and godhum are recommended to eat when they are new, after aging they become tasteless and less neutritious.3 Rice and wheat both are enumerated in wholesome diet. 12 Krutannavarg- cooked food prepared from rice and wheat.
Cooked rice has different names, bhakt, anna, andh, kur, odan, bhissa, didivi.
Method to cook rice-wash rice properly, they absorb some water and increase by size, then add 5 part water in it, after cooking, turn off flame and, remove the watery part floating over cooked rice. This rice is very healthy to eat. It is light for digestion, non-sticky, wholesome, satisfying, appetizer, increases taste. Rice cooked without, wash and without removing water is heavy for digestion, it do not improve taste and increases kapha. 6, 12
Cooked rice is sweet, tridosha pacifying, aphrodisiac, complexion enhancing, satva buddhi- good quality intelligence enhancing and strength giving by nature. 7 It is advised to serve dry food in a pot made up of gold. 12
Peya- It is good when appetite is low; to pacify thirst, hunger, weakness, abdominal discomfort, fever. It increases appetite and decreases flatulence and constipation.
Vilepi- light for digestion gives satiety, well for heart, and also in diarrhea.
Mand-increases appetite, reduces flatulence, cleans and sooths channels, induces sweat, can be recommended after undergoing panchakarma, also in convalescence phase of disease.it is prepared from shashti rice and other shukdhanya.
Lajpey- this is prepared from pop up unpolished rice. It is very good for extremely weak patients.
Shali saktu- good quality rice when consumed in the form of roasted flour, it is sweet, light for digestion, cold, constipating. It is good for patients of thirst, vomiting, hemorrhagic disease (raktpitta) and fever. 3, 10
Wheat/rice food: the food prepared from wheat or rice flour like papad-parpat, and pop up rice and wheat are light for digestion.
Wheat dishes: Many food dishes are prepared with wheat flour, ghee, oil, and with or without sugar are heavy for digestion, satisfying, strength giving, aphrodisiac, and good for heart.3, 10
Many dishes can be prepared from rice and wheat, explained in our text, which are tasty and healthy.
Discussion
Since Vedic era, we are using rice as a staple food. Rice is considered as important grain to nourish human being. It has many varieties since its cultivation. Table 1, Table 2, Table 3 is compilation of varieties of shali-good quality rice, Shashtic-some rice and millet varieties, vrihi-inferior quality rice and millet varieties, its action against three dosha, its properties, and its peculiar role in disease.
Wheat is also major staple food in Indian diet. It is sweet, unctuous, cold, and very cold by nature. It is good to balance vata and pitta. It is specifically good for bones, and for weak people to give strength. It is recommended to eat in diabetes. Wheat has three varieties in which godhum are good quality, madhuli and nandimukh are inferior by quality.
We can see that some of the varieties of shashtic rice are actually small millets. They are less by quality as compared to good quality shali rice, but they are good to reduce bad water content in body hence light for digestion, and healthy for diabetes patients. China is indian millet, kang-fox tail millet, varak, uddalak, nivar are its examples. Old rice and wheat are considered as wholesome for diabetes. New rice and wheat is strength giving, having capacity to rejoin and can be used for weak patients to give strength. Rice washed, cooked in 5 part of water and after cooking rice water is drained, is wholesome for every one including diabetes. This is an ideal method to cook rice. Badaraml-a recipe prepared from indian plum-jujuba is helpful to digest rice and wheat.
In different regions, different varieties of rice are grown. Basmati rice- dirghshali is famous today also. Local rice-red rice resembles to navar rice or red basmati is of highest quality in all varieties.
Conclusion
In Ayurveda different varieties of rice and wheat are explained. Rice is major grain to give strength and longevity to human being. Shali, shashtic and vrihi are three major varieties of rice. Proper cooking method of rice removes its bad water part and can be used for every-one. Rice grown in dry land, some varieties of shashtic rice and old rice is useful for obesity and diabetes patient; rice grown in excess of water is more urine and feces producing, hence not good for diabetes. Wheat is strength giving grain and wholesome for diabetes. Old wheat is not recommended to eat as its quality gets reduced. Rice should be used when it is old for more than one year and less than two years.
Limitation of study- this study gives idea about qualities of rice and wheat as per text, clinical evaluation of these qualities is necessary for its therapeutic use.
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