Sandalwood Glossary |Health Benefits, Nutritional Information + Recipes with Sandalwood

Also Known as
Chandan

Description
Sandalwood is a medium sized evergreen tree with drooping branches, dark rough bark and scented mature wood. It has shiny leaves and small dull purplish flowers and round, purple-black succulent fruits. It is believed to be indigenenous to India. It occupies a very important place in hindu religious rituals.

Sandalwood paste

Sandalwood paste is very easy to make at home. It's not hard at all to make it. But you do need the block of sandalwood which you have to rub against the flat board with a little water. As you rub it you will notice the water taking on the colour of sandalwood and getting thick consistency. You can dilute it with a little bit of water, adding a few drops at a time till you have enough paste. Just have to be careful not to add too much water. And if you have the powder then just add the right amount of water or rose water to sandalwood powder making it not too thin or thick. Mix it thoroughly without forming any lumps. Use as desired.

How to Select
Due to its high price and scarcity, sandalwood is often adulterated. Hence confirm on the quality before purchasing.

Culinary Uses
· It also is used as a flavor for foods and beverages. The wood has been valued in carving because of its dense character.
· Sandalwood oil commonly is used as a fragrance in incense, cosmetics, perfumes, and soaps.
· Sandalwood with honey is excellent.
· Red Sandalwood was used as a food colouring in medieval and renaissance food. Dissolved in alcohol it makes a scarlet colour

How to Store
Sandalwood can be stored indefinitely in a dark, airtight glass container.

Health Benefits
· Sandalwood paste made with rose water is a popular household remedy for prickly heat. It prevents excessive sweating and heals inflamed skin.
· Sandalwood powder mixed with milk or made into pills is beneficial in the treatment of dysuria. Its efficacy can be increased by the addition of ajwain water or infusion of ginger.
· Sandalwood with honey is valuable in gastric irritability.
· Sandalwood oil was used traditionally by herbalists to treat skin diseases, acne, dysentery, gonorrhea, and a number of other conditions. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, sandalwood oil is considered an excellent sedating agent.
· It is bitter, sedative, cooling and cardiac tonic.
· Sandalwood oil is an excellent cleansing, astringent addition to massage and facial oils, bath oils, aftershaves, lotions and creams.
· Sandalwood oil is relaxing, soothing, cooling, centering and sensual.
· It is useful in arresting secretion or bleeding and in promoting the flow of urine
· An emulsion or the paste is a cooling dressing in inflammatory and eruptive skin diseases.
· Regular application of sandalwood paste on the skin during summer has a refreshing effect and heals any summer boil.
· The paste when applied on the temple relieves headache and brings down the temperature in fevers.
· Sandalwood powder mixed with milk or made into pills is beneficial in the treatment of difficult urination.
· It is valuable in gastric irritability and dysentery
· Sandalwood oil commonly is used as a fragrance in incense, cosmetics, perfumes, and soaps. It also is used as a flavor for foods and beverages. The wood has been valued in carving because of its dense character.
· In traditional medicine, sandalwood oil has been used for a wide variety of conditions, ranging from an antiseptic and astringent to the treatment of headache, stomachache, and urogenital disorders.

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