How Adding Pakhala Rice to Our Diet Improves the Gut Health

A natural probiotic which our ancestors ate to stay fit

Pakhala means Washed/fermented rice in the Odia language. The same fermented rice is called by different names in other states of India. Earlier Pakhala was eaten by poor or middle-class families, but nowadays people realized its nutritional value and made it a popular dish across various restaurants in Odisha.

In today’s lifestyle, everybody is dependent on artificial probiotics and supplements. People think following a particular diet like keto, vegan, paleo will improve their health. But it won’t, the Human body is not designed for a particular diet. As per Ayurveda, a person should eat food depending on the season and location. With people eating more packaged and processed foods nowadays, they are weakening their gut health by increasing bad bacteria and reducing good bacteria. Also, when a person is suffering from any fever, they start consuming antibiotics for no reason. Now I am not against antibiotics, however, antibiotics not only remove the bad bacteria but also cleanses the good bacteria. Reduction in good bacteria ultimately leads to leaky gut and several other gut issues. This is where fermented food comes into the picture.

So, what makes Pakhala rice unique and nutritious? Pakhala is resistant starch, which means it resists digestion in the small intestine and goes directly to the colon (large intestine) where it feeds and increases good bacteria, eventually improving our gut health. The water in which the rice is soaked is called “Torani” which provides a cooling effect on our body and this makes Pakhala a perfect dish to beat the summer heat. Let’s dive into the benefits.

Benefits of eating Pakhala

• Helps in weight loss: Pakhala/Fermented rice contains 50–60% fewer calories than cooked rice. When the rice is soaked in water overnight in an earthen clay pot, the rice changes its state and ambiance. Hence if you are suffering from obesity/weight loss issues, make it a part of your daily diet.
• Helps in cooling: Fermented rice can help in cooling the body when it gets heated due to excess consumption of acidic foods or spicy foods. The water in pakhala rice which is called Torani has to be taken at the end of the meal to get its cooling effect. Hence, it the best dish to consume during the summer.
• Helps in digestion: Fermented rice is a natural probiotic which contains lots of good bacteria. In today’s busy world we forget to consume natural probiotics and always crave instant recipes. Your health will be at optimum condition if you consume lots of natural probiotics on a moderate basis.
• Helps in constipation: Consuming pakhala increases the production of good bacteria in the gut, which ultimately improves the state of the colon(large intestine) which is responsible for a smooth bowel movement. Add some ghee with pakhala rice for getting faster results.
• Helps in stomach ulcers: Most of the stomach problems arise due to the non-availability of good bacteria and a leaky gut. Natural probiotics like fermented rice improve gut health and eliminate stomach ailments.
• Balance of Nutrients: Pakhala contains fewer calories as compared to cooked rice. Likewise, the sodium content is less with potassium, magnesium, and calcium content a bit higher.
• Helps in diarrhea: People suffering from diarrhea should consume pakhala rice till their condition normalizes. As people who are suffering from diarrhea are very low on good bacteria due to the consumption of antibiotics. Also, Pakhala rice helps in retaining water that is lost due to dehydration during loose motion.
• Helps in inflammatory bowel disease(IBD): People having a weak gut always suffer from IBD. For these types of people, fermented rice is a superfood which improves gut health by providing good bacteria in the colon and reduces inflammation on the lining of the colon.
• Helps in improving skin: As the health of the skin is directly connected to the health of the gut, dull and wrinkled skin indicates a weak gut. Improving gut health by adding more probiotics to your diet could in turn provides radiant skin.
• Helps in balancing Doshas: As per Ayurveda, tridosha(humors or forces of the body) should always be in a balanced condition in the human body. Diseases only occur when there is an imbalance in tridosha. Fermented rice balances the Vata, pitta, and Kapha doshas of the human body. It may increase Kapha if consumed three times a day. People who are suffering from pitta diseases or acidity could consume Pakhala rice in their breakfast.
• Good source of carbs: People always think of rice as a simple and bad carb. But our ancestors ate rice every day and stayed healthy, how? Because they didn’t just consume plain rice, they also ate legumes, pulses, and vegetables to make it a balanced carb, protein, and mineral-rich food. In Odisha, people consume Pakhala rice with fried fish/grilled fish and other vegetables to make it a complete meal.

Types of Pakhala

• Fresh Pakhala: This rice is made without fermentation and is preferred when you are in a hurry or having less time to cook. Take a bowl of cooked rice, let it cool down to room temperature. Take a separate bowl, put the rice which has been cooled down, add water. Then add lemon juice, cilantro leaves, and onion. There you go, fresh Pakhala is ready, try to have it with crispy snacks or any other cooked vegetables.
• Dahi Pakhala: This is the curd variation of Pakhala rice. In a steel bowl, put some cooked rice that has been cooled down at room temperature, add some water. Then add natural homemade curd, add some cilantro leaves, one green chili, and onion for adding flavor. There you go, Dahi Pakhala is ready.
• Basi Pakhala: This is the traditional and most nutritious variant of Pakhala rice. Take a bowl of cooked rice and let it cool down to room temperature. Then put the rice in an earthen clay pot, add some water and cover the earthen clay pot and store it for at least 8 hours. This is where the dish attains its superfood property. When you soak rice in water in an earthen clay pot for 8 hours, the earthen clay vessel absorbs moisture and fermentation begins. Due to fermentation, good bacteria begin forming and it acts as a natural probiotic. After storing for 8 hours, you can have rice with snacks or any cooked curry. Also, don’t forget to drink the liquid part “Torani” which is high in nutrition and cools down the body.

Conclusion

Although Pakhala is considered a natural Probiotic and superfood. It should be consumed in moderation. Ayurveda always suggests taking everything in moderation. Excess consumption of any food will cause diseases in the body. Pakhala can be eaten once a day for breakfast or during lunch, it’s better to avoid it during the night as it cools the body. So next time when you are thinking of having a natural probiotic, consider adding Pakhala rice to your diet.