Eat curd rice to soothe an upset stomach, says my mom

A day after eating too many spicy snacks at a friend’s wedding, I started passing loose and watery stools. Diarrhea can easily increase your trips to the washroom, and it can be very annoying and disturbing. That is exactly what I was experiencing. This was not my first tryst with diarrhea. Since I love eating a lot, especially from outside, I often have diarrhea. Popping a pill is my last option, so I follow what my mom told me. According to my mother, curd rice can soothe an upset stomach, and an expert agrees!

What is curd rice?

Curd rice or yogurt rice is a combination of steamed rice with fresh curd on top of it. The unsweetened dish is seasoned with green chillies, curry leaves, cucumber, and ginger. There is also tempering of mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafoetida and black gram. This dish helps to soothe the stomach lining, aids in cooling and helps in digestion after a meal, says nutritionist Haripriya. N.

What makes curd rice a healthy dish?

Curd contains bacteria such as lactobacillus bulgaricus and streptococcus thermophilus that are healthy microbes beneficial for the gut lining, and improving digestion, says the expert.

• It is also a good source of calcium for strong bones and teeth.
• It prevents muscle cramps and DOMS (delayed onset of muscle soreness) post-workout.
• It is a good source of protein, so it aids in muscle recovery and building.

How does curd rice help to get relief from an upset stomach?

When we have diarrhea or viral or bacterial infection, they destroy the good microbes present in the colon and affect the nutrient absorption, worsening the symptoms. When curd rice is consumed during sick days, it can aid in production of good microbes that prevent symptoms like stomach cramps, reduce the diarrhoeal episodes and promote healing, says Haripriya. Rice helps in bulking up stools and getting relief from diarrhea. As for curd, it is a natural probiotic, which provides good bacteria to gut, improving gut health.

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According to a 2011 study published in the Sao Paulo Medical Journal, when used alongside rehydration therapy, probiotics have clear beneficial effects in shortening the duration and reducing stool frequency in case of acute infectious diarrhea.

How to make curd rice?

Seasoning or additional ingredients like chillies can further worsen diarrhoea symptoms, so make a simple curd rice by following this recipe:

Ingredients

• 1 cup of rice
• 3 cups of water
• 1 1/2 cup of curd
• 1/2 cup of milk

Method

• Put water and rice in a pressure cooker and cook it.
• Mix the rice a bit. Then add curd and milk to the rice and mix well.

This is the simplest way to make curd rice, but if you want you can mix it with green chilli, ginger, carrot and coriander leaves to it. As for tempering, you will need oil, curry leaves, red chilli, mustard seeds, asafoetida and black gram. Once it is ready, pour it over the curd rice in a bowl.

If you just want to have curd, you can make that at home too. You just need 200 ml of milk and 2 tablespoons of curd starter.

Method

• Boil the milk in a clean container to help in getting rid of harmful bacteria.
• Allow the milk to come down to normal room temperature.
• To the boiled and cooled milk, add the curd starter (made from previous batch or store-bought culture), mix evenly and keep it aside for fermentation.
• After 6 to 7 hours, the curd will get set after which you can eat.

If you are lactose intolerant, then you must consume curd rice with caution. Though curd rice can help with an upset stomach, make sure to have ORS or salt-sugar-water mixture.