This spiced, aromatic Indian soup may boost breast milk supply

“Eat this, not that; do this, not that!” A lactating mother is often at the receiving end of advice about how to breastfeed and how to boost breast milk supply. In the sea of tips is this one interesting suggestion from a nutritionist!

Shivani Bavalekar, Senior Executive Nutritionist, Cloudnine Group of Hospitals, Navi Mumbai, Vashi, suggests that drinking ginger-garlic rasam can work wonders if you’re looking for ways to increase breast milk production.

Rasam is a south Indian soup tempered with a mix of spices, which makes it high on medicinal value.

“A lactating mother can enjoy this recipe as it will be beneficial for boosting the breastmilk output,” says Bavalekar.

“Garlic is a galactogauge food and from many years, it has helped to stimulate breast milk production and increase the supply of breast milk,” adds the expert.

For the unversed, galactogogues aid in initiating and maintaining adequate milk production. Garlic, as the expert says, is considered an excellent galactogogues.

According to the US National Library of Medicine, the odour in garlic is transmitted to breastmilk, and this increase infant sucking time acutely. It may also enhance the breastfed infant’s food choices in the long term. Some mothers in Turkey reportedly use garlic to improve the taste and quality of their milk, as per the study.

Apart from a drink to boost milk supply, the benefits of rasam also include better digestion, treatment of cold and cough, improved immunity and even weight loss! So, let’s get down to know the ginger-garlic rasam recipe.

How to increase breast milk production
A mother must eat right foods for increased breast milk production. Image courtesy: Shutterstock

Here’s how to make Garlic–Ginger Rasam to boost breast milk supply

Ingredients
Tomato: 1 medium sized
Tamarind water: 1 cup
Ginger-Garlic Paste: 2 tbsp.
Toor Dal: 2 tbsp.
Salt to taste
Black Pepper: cumin powder: 1 tsp
Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp
Oil/ghee: 2 tsp
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds/ Methi seeds – 1/2 tsp
Hing: A pinch
Red chillies: 1 or 2 according to taste.
Coriander leaves for garnishing

Method:
1. Soak the Toor dal for half an hour.
2. Chop the tomato finely and grind it in mixture.
3. Add ginger garlic paste, pepper cumin powder and toor dal and grind it to fine paste
4. Take a pan, add chopped tomatoes pieces, tamarind water and turmeric powder. Bring it to boil
5. Add grounded paste to it and boil it for 7-10 min until raw smell goes away.
6. Add water and salt as per the taste, then boil it till you get required consistency.
7. In another Pan, take oil, preheat to add mustard seeds till it splutters, and add fenugreek seeds, red chilies until it turns golden brown.
8. Pour it on the top of rasam and garnish it with coriander leaves.
9. Serve hot and enjoy this yummy soup!