Chyawanprash is a very famous Ayurvedic herbal jam, prepared by many Ayurvedic companies. With so much varieties available, choosing the best Chyawanprash is a tricky task. While you can not test chemical constituents of Chyawanaprash, there are few tests which you can do at home to check its quality.
Smell - Sour and spicy taste of Cinnamon, Cardamom and Long pepper.
Taste – Spicy taste, more sourness and less of sweetness.
Water test – When a piece of Chyawanprash is put into water, it should sink immediately. The particles should not spread in water.
Consistency – Pulpy, semisolid paste. Neither too solid, nor too watery.
Such a Chyawanprash of a reputed company will be of good quality.
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Chyawanprash – one herbal medicine, many health benefits
hello .
i am using chyawanprash of venkateswara ayurveda nilayam of chintalur , andhra pradesh as i was told by my grand father that their as the best preparation.is it true ? or any other recommended company
Chyawanprash with above said qualities,
Chyavanprash without preservatives, manufactured in smaller quantities,
Not manufactured in very big batches for commercial purposes,
Which benefits your health and you feel about it, such a Chyawanprash is of good quality.
Company name / brand name is not very important.
hello sir,
i know you do not like specific companies being listed here, but hope you can make an exception for this case.
i would like to post the ingredient list of 2 rasayanas from 2 companies which are kotakkal, kerala and B.V Pundit, Nanjanagudu,karnataka.
chyawanprash (kotakkal) – 10g
dasamula(each),bala,musta,jivaka,rshabhaka,utpala,parniniau(each),pippali,sringi,meda,tamalaki,truti,jivanti,jongaka,draksha,paushkara,chandana,sathi,punarnava,dwikakoli(each),kakanasa,amrita,abhaya,vidari,vrshamula each 0.089g
dhatriphala 3.048g
taila, ghrita .762ml
matsyandika 4.444g
tukakshiri 0.356g
pippali 0.178g
chaturjata(each) 0.022g
madhu 1.143ml
chyawanprash(B.V Pundit nanjanagud) – 100g
amalaka 6.35g
draksha,kasamarda,kundali ,bhringa (each)3.18g
brihati,mandukaparni 1.59g
guda 12.72g
ghrita 2.86g
madhuka,ela,sugandhamaricha,pippali,sariva 0.68g
nagara 0.34g
maricha 0.32g
twak 0.32g
kasisa 0.32g
lavanga,pushkara,patra,nagakesara,kantakari,haritaki,tankana 0.05g
udaka sol
ashwagandha rasayana(100g)(B.V Pundit Nanjanagud)
shunti,maricha,pippali,ela,yestimadhu,ushira,sariva moola, twak, kokilaksha, isabgol, lavanga each 1.1g
amalaki, bala, lavanga 0.4g
tankana 0.3g
draksha 21.2g
guda 50.8g
ghrita 10.6g
ashwagandha 5.6g
udaka sol
ajaashwagandhaadi lehya(kotakkal) (10g)
ashwagandha 0.448g
ajamamsam 2.8g
sita 5.32g
atmaguptaphala 0.448g
madhuyashti 0.224g
salamamisri 0.056g
tukakshiri 0.112g
trijata(each),jatika,kosa,lavanga 0.007g
kshaudra,ghrita 1.2g
in the case of chyawanprash kotakkal has 30% amalaki/dhatriphala whereas b v pundit has only 6%. b v pundit also doesn’t seem to have madhu. udaka(water) isn’t mentioned as a solution base in kotakkal product. even ingredients/ ingredient amount mismatch is there between these 2 company products.
since there is ingredient/quantity of ingredient difference there will also be taste/texture difference. kotakkal chyawanprash is very pasty and flows easily whereas b v pundit is more like solid. coming to taste, kotakkal chyawanprash is very pleasant to taste and is almost like a ‘chaat’ product, whereas b v pundit is more spicy and strong and generates quite a bit of heat in the throat and food pipe when eaten. kotakkal chyawanprash generates almost no heat.
i think i am happy with both the products. i have been eating chyawanprash since 3 months now(have bought 2 jars from these 2 companies) and the most immediate effect was ‘better quality digestion’. the ‘morning breath’ that all of us are so accustomed to almost stopped and breath is generally very clean after having chyawanprash.
coming to ashwagandhadi lehya, kotakkal sells the non veg version(containing aja mamsam), whereas b v pundit sells the veg version.
kotakkal ajaashwagandhaadi leha has a foul smell and is not pleasant to taste(maybe due to aja mamsam), whereas B V Pundit ashwagandhaadi leha is very pleasant to taste.
i wanted to ask is why is there ingredient and % of ingredient mismatch between the 2 companies. i thought these products are prepared from ayurvedic literature and must have similar % of ingredients and similar ingredients.
http://ben77.wetpaint.com/page/Rasayana+chikitsa
this webpage gives the ingredient list of chyawanprash
thank you
1. There are different references for preparation of Chyawanprash in different text books. Companies select one specific formula of Chyawanprash based on the availability of herbs. There is no rule in the rule book to compel companies to manufacture Ayurvedic medicines from one particular Ayurvedic text book (treatise).
2. Water is usually used in manufacturing of 99 % of Ayurvedic medicines. Hence, some companies skip it in the label.
3. Whichever may be the formula, an ideal Chyawanprash should pass this test – http://easyayurveda.com/2011/09/25/how-to-test-chyawanprash-at-home/
4. Honey is an essential ingredient in any Chyawanaprasha.
5. In the example of two companies ingredients above, Kottakkal explains the quantity per 10 grams and BV Pundit explains quantity per 100 grams of the product. So, naturally there will be a few differences. Ideally, ingredients per 10 ml / 10 grams is a good way to display.
Apart from BV Pundit, Alva Pharmacy, Moodbidri also manufactures pure veg Ashwagandhadi Lehyam with pleasant taste and odor.
thank you sir for advice. i didn’t know that many formulations of chyawanprash exist. anyway i was wondering how the ingredients and ingredient percentage vary to quite a high number in this case because nanjanagudu and kotakkal maybe only some 200 km apart. but since they are on opposite sides of western ghats the herb availability may vary in these 2 places.
Availability of herbs is just one criterion. Belief in the text book, tradition are a few other.
Thank you for all the information on Chyavanprash. I use a famous brand Chyavaprash as non/semi-commercial ones aren’t available where I live. I hope the one I use wouldn’t be totally ineffective.
sir you have realy enlightened me about the type of chawanprash we should buy. plz tell me that kotakkal, kerala and B.V Pundit, Nanjanagudu,karnataka. chyawanprash is available in punjab or not. can we make chyawanprash at home by following the recipe given on the website. thanks
A simple visit to an Ayurvedic medical store near you will answer your first question.
Though the manufacturing process of chyawanprash is very difficult, if you can get all the ingredients, you can surely try making chyawanprash at home.
Care to enlighten us how the companies you have so highly recommended freely add Sodium Benzoate(E211) to the Chawanprash making it a deadly carcinogen? One does not have to be an MD in Ayurveda to google and find out Vitamin C(Absorbic Acid in Amla- C6H8O6) and Sodium Benzoate(E211- NaC6H5CO2) creates Benzine(C6H6), a highly Carcinogenic chemical which causes CANCER. Care to shed some light on this, doc??
Formula: 6 NaC6H5CO2 + 6 C6H8O6 = 13 C6H6 + 6 NaO2 + 18 O2
The fact is that many Ayurvedic medicines(including Kotakkal) don’t mention adding E211 on their labels…The fact is that although E211 is a permitted preservative by the Govt. of India, it does not change the outcome of the chemical reaction, now does it?
So, how does consuming a modern day manufactured Chawanprash with preservative benefit our longevity when it’s own shelf life is max 3 years from date of manufacture whereas if made according to authentic Ayurveda texts, it should have NO EXPIRY DATE?
Please enlighten us on this, doc! Would love to hear you dodge this one!
1. I do not recommend adding Sodium Benzoate to Chyawanprash. The Amla itself is a very good anti oxidant, so there is absolutely no need of any preservative, if made in the traditional recommended way.
2. Chyawanprash does not contain Vitamin C. Vitamin C is highly sensitive to temperature. Here we boil Amla, fry in ghee by which time, all the Vitamin C will be extinct.
3. There are expiry dates mentioned even for all Ayurvedic medicines.
In case of Chyawanprash and such other herbal jams, it is one year, as per Sharangdhara Samhita, an authentic traditional Ayurvedic book on pharmaceutics.
The argument that, how can something which has an expiry date benefit our longevity.
See, within one year period, the herbal actives will be potent enough to get into our body system, bring in health benefit, get metabolized and eliminated from our system.
It is like saying, how can apple, which can not live longer than a week, help make us live longer.
Nice reply Dr Hebbar!
There are ways to share your (googles) information without being so rude. However, it is important that you bring this up, because awerness is helpful. It will help people make wiser choices when selecting products. But awerness is all that was nessisary. There are many companies that manufacture chawanprash with quality ingredients. Although I still have to contact the company to confirm the origin of some of the ingredients, Organic India appears to be making a very good product. Furthermore, the heating process does not totally destroy vitamin C in amla. Straight ascorbic acid is highly sensitive to heat. However, real food vitamins are not as sensitive and retain very high quality vitamins, which do not have to be in extream potencies to be benificial. If you care to test this, test the chawanprash itself like I did… Don’t ask google.
Dear Lucas,
Many sorry if my words hurt you. I never mean to be rude with contributors like you. In fact you are doing favor to me by expressing your kind views in this platform. Sorry again.
While making chyawanprash, the Amla is boiled in a Kashayam mix. In a normal batch of say, 50 kg of Chyawanprash, Amla fruits will boil in water (kashayam mix) for a minimum of half to one day (80 – 95 degree Celsius) And then the pulp is separated and fried in ghee for about half an hour, wherein temperature reaches more than 100 degree celsius. Then again, it is further heated along with the sugar syrup base, for almost a day, till Chyawanprash gets finally made.
I really doubt any Vitamin C in Amla would survive that much of a heat for such a long period of time.
However, any company’s certification can not be trusted. As they will surely use alternative, easier short cut methods to make Chyawanprash.
Being an Ayurvedic pharma insider, I can assure you that most of the companies do add sodium benzoate as a preservative to Chyawanprash.
A few other may add Parabens.
This is because, once the Chyawanprash is released into market, it has to stay there for at least three years.
At the end stage of making of Chyawanprash, dry spice powders are added. Usually powders have very low shelf life and contract with moisture pretty easily, which may promote fungal growth.
A perfectly made Chyawanprash does not require any preservative. But a bulk amount of Chyawanprash almost can not be made in a perfect traditional way.
interesting that many chyawanprash manufacturers have in the label that the product very high content of vitamin C, without taking the cooking factor into account. sad.
Cooking does not reduce vitamin C.
Reference please.
Advice on comparison for Organic India’s product? Ingredient list is here: http://organicindiausa.com/product_images/uploaded_images/chyalabel.gif
Please let me know the product name.
Namaste ,
Type 1 diabetic person under insulin can use this Chyawanprash ?
Namaste!
Since Chyawanprash contains sugar, and type 1 diabetes usually has high glucose levels, I do not recommend Chyawanprash.
Dear Doctor,
At what age chyawanprash should be started. My son is 2.6 Years and he loves to eats 1-2 spoon. Will it be safe and fine to give him(increase immunity) or any other alternative.
It is not ideal to give 1 – 2 spoons at a very young age. Generally half a small spoon in the morning is more than good. However, it is best to consult a doctor in person for a clear opinion.