Making Ayurveda accessible for all
Anantamul can be boiled with water to make tea.
• Arqa Ayurveda makes medicinal herbs a part of everyday diet
• The brand features 23 Ayurvedic herbs and ingredients
Ayurveda
In recent times, the ancient system of Ayurveda has come to be associated more with wellness than medicine, with skincare brands drawing on it to craft radiance creams and emulsions.
But with busy urban lifestyles leading to ailments such as gut issues, stress and anxiety, experts believe it is time to shine a spotlight on the medicinal aspects of the system.
“Ayurveda is a way of life and can lead to physical and mental well-being,” says wellness expert Vasudha Rai, who has authored the book Glow—Indian Foods, Recipes And Rituals For Beauty, Inside And Out.
She has partnered with Foodhall to create a contemporary range of products, as part of brand Arqa Ayurveda, which can be incorporated in everyday diets. Prices range from ₹120-150 per 100g and go up to ₹1,200 for some ingredients.
Launched in late August, the brand features 23 Ayurvedic herbs and ingredients, such as Lakadong turmeric, gotu kola,yashti madhu, bilva and jatamansi, sourced directly from their places of origin. “We wanted to start with single herbs in their natural form. Only triple tulsi and triphala are a mix of three ingredients.
The main task was to look for organic produce thriving within its natural ecosystem,” says Rahul Kapoor, category head, Arqa, Foodhall. The packaging, in warm earthy colours, mentions the healing properties of ingredients.
According to Ayurveda, doshas are three elements—vitta, kapha and pitha—present in the body. Arqa hopes to use single herbs that are suitable for most doshas.
For instance, the bottle of gotu kola mentions that it is for the tridoshic and helps improve cognitive function. It can be taken as a teaspoonful with honey on an empty stomach in the morning.
