Ayurveda Aahara Products List, Purpose, Authenticity and Significance

Context: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), in collaboration with the Ministry of Ayush, has issued an official list of Ayurvedic food products classified under the “Ayurveda Aahara” category.

About Ayurveda Aahara

• Meaning: Ayurveda Aahara refers to food products prepared according to the holistic dietary principles of Ayurveda — an ancient health and wellness system.
• Core principles: These foods focus on balance, seasonal appropriateness, and the use of natural ingredients and herbs with therapeutic properties.
• Regulatory background: The initiative follows the Food Safety and Standards (Ayurveda Aahara) Regulations, 2022, which officially recognise foods based on traditional Ayurvedic recipes, ingredients, and processes.
• Authenticity: The newly issued list is based on authoritative Ayurvedic texts mentioned in Schedule A and issued under Note (1) of Schedule B of the regulations.
• Purpose: Designed to help Food Business Operators (FBOs) by offering a clear, credible reference for manufacturing Ayurveda Aahara products.
• Impact: Enhances regulatory clarity, boosts confidence among consumers and businesses, and promotes Ayurveda-based nutrition for improved public health.
• Significance: Integrates India’s ancient food wisdom into the mainstream food sector with authenticity and standardisation.

List of Ayurvedic Food Products classified under the “Ayurveda Aahara” Category

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), along with consultation from the Ministry of Ayush, has now issued a final list of Ayurvedic food products under the “Ayurveda Aahara” category. The list, which is as per the Food Safety and Standards (Ayurveda Aahara) Regulations, 2022, has been issued to offer clarity to consumers as well as food firms.

While a comprehensive, itemised list of all such products is vast and mostly available in the gazette, FSSAI’s order points out that they are placed under “Category A” and derive from recipes provided in authoritative Ayurvedic texts. Some of the general classes of food preparations, or Aahara Kalpana, which are included are:

• Churna (powders)
• Lehya (semi-solid, lickable preparations)
• Medicated ghee
• Herbal decoctions (kwath)
• Sweetened milk
• Black gram fritters
• Curd-based preparations
• Soups
• Gulkand (a preserve made from rose petals)
• Steamed rice cakes
• Buttermilk curry
• Kichdi (a rice and lentil dish)
• Manda (a type of porridge)
• Parched rice tea
• Raw mango drink

The list is not definitive, and the regulations permit new products to be included in the list with the proviso that they are backed by references from the governing Ayurvedic texts specified in Schedule A of the regulations.

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