Ancient Wisdom Meets Modern Muffins
Last week, I discussed a workshop I was hosting yesterday. It was about using food combinations to improve the health value of the foods combined. The whole is more than the sum of its parts.
I chose to look at traditional recipes because this is where you can find the best food combinations. Our ancestors knew what they were doing, even though the reason they might have given would not be the reason the science of today can provide.
I gave many examples during the workshop, but I wanted to pick one with research to support the idea that food combinations can make a difference. In my world, my colleagues and I tend to like the weird stuff, especially when it may have health benefits.
So, I picked Triphala powder. Not because it tastes good. You may think it might be because it's a combination of fruit, but you’d be wrong. And I'm not providing this information because I think anyone will run out and buy it.
But when you hear what it can do, you may be inspired to try it.
Triphala is an Ayurvedic remedy with roots in ancient India. It has been used for centuries to support overall health and vitality. It's a blend of three fruits—Amla, Haritaki, and Bibhitak—that delivers health benefits through their synergistic action, creating a combination more effective than the fruits alone.
Amla delivers water-soluble antioxidants like Vitamin C, while Haritaki and Bibhitaki provide fat-soluble antioxidants, protecting cellular fluids and membranes from oxidative stress. For gut health, Haritaki enhances bowel movement and reduces inflammation, Amla acts as a prebiotic to support nutrient absorption, and Bibhitaki balances gut bacteria. Together, they optimize digestion, prevent leaky gut, and foster a healthy microbiome.
In detoxification, Haritaki aids gut and kidney cleansing, Bibhitaki supports liver detoxing by boosting bile production, and Amla removes water-soluble toxins and aids tissue repair. Additionally, Haritaki and Bibhitaki enhance the stability and absorption of Vitamin C from Amla, ensuring the body benefits thoroughly from all active compounds.
Modern science supports these benefits. Triphala promotes greater gut microbiota diversity compared to the individual fruits. A study published in the Ayu Journal (2015) showed that Triphala offers superior glucose management and triglycerides/cholesterol regulation compared to its components. These findings support the ancient Ayurvedic wisdom behind Triphala and its modern applications for health and wellness.
Its stats are impressive, but in order to consume it as a powder, something else is needed to make Triphala taste good. If you're like me, you want the benefits but would prefer not to take it as a supplement, which is available. But I need to make it palatable.
This is easier than you think. If you understand mixing tastes like sweet, sour, bitter, spicy, etc., it's not complicated. Triphala is bitter, so you have to do quite a bit to block its aftertaste.
One suggestion is to make Triphala "jam." It's not really jam, but it's simple. Mix 1 tsp Triphala powder with 1/2 tablespoon raw honey and 1 tablespoon ghee (clarified butter). Have 1-2 tsp per day.
According to Ayurveda, having this in the morning helps with energy, and in the evening, it helps with relaxation.
However, it still doesn’t taste good, so I added 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. That did the trick, and I can't taste the bitterness of the Triphala.
Honey and ghee also work together and act as carriers to help deliver nutrients to the cells in our body. Cinnamon and Triphala, as well as many other herbs and spices, have a synergistic relationship with ghee and honey.
If you want to avoid taking the Triphala jam straight from a spoon, it works well when added to other recipes. The more ingredients in a recipe, the easier it is to mask the bitter taste. Soups, stews, and smoothies are easy examples that would work well with the jam.
Now, if this isn't weird enough for you, I've always wanted to bake with Triphala. I once made a muffin by mixing amla powder with gluten-free flour. They exploded and made a mess.
Ever since, I have wondered how Triphala would work in a muffin with the other two fruits possibly balancing out the Amla. Would the combination help the texture of the muffin but prevent an explosion? This week, I finally got my answer. Triphala works well.
Don't ask me why it works well. I don't know. I didn’t add that much Triphala; again, I added cinnamon and nutmeg to ensure I couldn't taste the bitter.
The muffin's texture was very nice, and its taste was pleasant. I was shocked because nothing in the recipe would make it so moist. Most muffins get moisture from adding ingredients like bananas, apples, or carrots. But Triphala is a combination of fruits, and I added some water that would have been in the original fruit. It makes sense that this would help the texture. I also chose to make it with ghee—it was my first time baking with it—and it worked well, too.
You can purchase ghee and Triphala powder online or at any large health food store.
Here's the recipe. If you don't want to use Triphala, any nutrient-dense fruit powder like blueberry, cranberry, or goji berry will work. One of my favorites is the maqui berry—it turns things purple.
Triphala and Ghee Muffins
Makes 12 muffins
Dry Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups whole all-purpose flour (or 2 cups white rice flour)
1 cup almond flour
4 tsp Triphala powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional, for flavor)
1/2 tsp nutmeg
Wet Ingredients:
1/2 cup ghee (melted and slightly cooled)
1 cup coconut sugar or brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup plain yogurt (or dairy-free alternative)
3-4 tbsp water – if needed
1/2 cup chopped nuts (walnuts, almonds, cashews) - optional
Topping:
1/4 cup coconut or brown sugar mixed with 1 tsp cinnamon. Sprinkle on top of the muffins before putting them in the oven
OR
1/4 cup raw honey mixed with 1 tsp cinnamon. Drizzle on top of the muffins after baking.
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease lightly with ghee.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour, almond flour, Triphala powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
Combine Wet Ingredients: Cream the ghee and sugar until smooth in a mixer bowl. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix again. Add the dry ingredients, yogurt, and nuts (if using). Mix until smooth. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl to ensure everything is mixed in. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Bake for 18–22 minutes or until the muffin springs back to the touch.
Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Serve or store in the refrigerator in a container with a lid. They will keep for a few days. Freeze for longer shelf life.