Ayurvedic Gastronomy of Kṛtānna Varga: The Process of Food Preparation in the Light of Modern Nutrition and Food Science

Background: Ayurveda gives great importance to Āhāra (food) and also has an extensive list of food preparations called Kṛtānna Varga. Various processes, like washing, boiling, milling, roasting, frying, drying, and mixing of ingredients are involved in the process of preparing these foods. This may have an effect on the digestibility, nutritional profile, and sensory quality of the food that is prepared. Modern food science offers a platform for studying these changes in terms of starch, protein, lipids, phytochemicals, and products of processing. Objective: To review the selected Kṛtānna Varga products in terms of modern nutrition and food chemistry, especially with regard to gelatinisation of starch, digestibility of proteins, variations in anti-nutritional factors, lipoxidation and Maillard reactions. Methods: The study consisted of a literature review of the available Ayurvedic sources combined with contemporary sources on rice, wheat, pulses, milk, ghee, ginger, turmeric, and reactions in food processing during heating. Results: From the reviewed literature, it is clear that cooking procedures related to Kṛtānna Varga could be linked to many possible changes in the characteristics of the foods. Cooking of rice through boiling can cause starch gelatinization, while cooking of rice with pulses can affect protein digestibility and lower the presence of some antinutritional components. Heat treatment of milk causes denaturation of proteins and may encourage the reaction of lactose and lysine. Ghee is prone to lipid oxidation if heated excessively. Likewise, browning and frying of wheat products can cause Maillard reactions and, under certain circumstances, acrylamide production. Conclusion: The ways of preparation explained in Kṛtānna Varga can serve as good reference points in studying the link between traditional food processing and nutritional/chemical modifications of products. But still, the effects on nutrition or medicine need to be explored more by employing standardized recipes and processing techniques. Keywords: Ayurveda, Kṛtānna Varga, Āhāra, rice, wheat, ghee, starch gelatinisation, protein digestibility, glycaemic response, food processing