Katuki (Stem)

Also Known As : Kurroa, Black Heliebore, Katki, Kaur, Anjani, Karu, Karwi

Technical Name : Picrorhiza kurroa

Descriptions
details

Vegetarian

Taste Profile

It is slightly bitter in taste and when digested it turns pungent.

Usage Tips

Katuki is heat-sensitive, therefore it should not be stored in any place where heat is produced. It should be stored at a temperature of 50-degree celsius.
It can be used to prepare khichdi, dosa, idli, etc and that too with ample health benefits.

Description

Picrorhiza kurroa which is also known as Katuki is a Sanskrit word that means bitter. It has variant medicinal properties which has been affirmed in the Ayurvedas. It belongs to the Plantaginaceae family. This sui generis herb is a native to the Himalayan region across India, Pakistan, Nepal, Burma and so on. In India, it is found in the alpine Himalayas of Jammu and Kashmir Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim. It is said to be a cooling agent and hence helps in the elimination of excessive fire energy from the body.

Health benefits

Good for the heart : Katuki is accounted to be beneficial for the heart, as it is rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory, thus serves great for the overall cardiovascular health. And for that reason, it is given as a cardio-tonic to ward off heart-related ailments.⁽¹⁾
Boosts the digestion power : Katuki is regarded to be good for the digestive system. It enhances the digestion power and cut down on problems like constipation, gastroenteritis and other bowel-related problems. With additional laxative properties, constipation nausea, and vomiting is being treated.⁽¹⁾
Boosts immunity : Katuki herb is said to have the potential to boost the immunity system easily. The extracts from this herb helps in increasing the lymphocytes, that is the white blood cell, which happens to be a vital part of the immune system.⁽¹⁾
Good for the skin : On having being rich in antioxidants, katuki significantly reduces skin problems, thereby making the skin radiant. In fact, if anybody is having skin allergies, dermatitis, consuming katuki can commendably reduces them down to a recognisable extent.⁽¹⁾

Note

Katuki should be avoided at the time of pregnancy. It can also cause dizziness, breathing difficulty, headache, vomiting, and abdominal pain.⁽²⁾

Resource & Links

(1,2) https://www.healthbenefitstimes.com/kutki/

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