“If you are cold, tea will warm you; If you are too heated, it will cool you; If you are depressed, it will cheer you; If you are excited, it will calm you.”
William Ewart Gladstone
Cultures around the world have revered tea for it’s numerous benefits. In Ayurveda, tea is a wonderful remedy for dosha balancing. In particular, people who are considered a Kapha type or have a Kapha imbalance can benefit greatly from a cup of Kapha balancing tea.
Here’s what you need to know about making the perfect cup of Kapha tea.
Ingredients in Kapha Tea
According to Ayurveda, the Kapha dosha is balanced by diet, exercise and lifestyle that has qualities opposite to its cool, heavy, slow, smooth, soft, static, and oily nature. That means the ingredients for a Kapha tea should be warm, light, rough, dry, sharp (and fiery), clear, and subtle. They should also be bitter, pungent and astringent.
In general, Kapha tea should be light, invigorating and energizing.
Kapha Kitchen Herbs and Spices
To find ingredients for Kapha tea, you don’t have to go very far! Nearly all cooking spices are balancing for Kapha. Consider using any of the following ingredients in your Kapha tea:
- Ajwan
- Allspice
- Anise
- Basil
- Bay Leaf
- Black Pepper
- Caraway
- Cardamom
- Cayenne
- Cinnamon
- Cloves
- Coriander
- Cumin
- Dill
- Fennel
- Fenugreek
- Garlic
- Ginger (fresh or dried)
- Hing (Asafoetida)
- Mace
- Marjoram
- Mint
- Mustard Seeds
- Neem Leaves
- Nutmeg
- Oregano
- Paprika
- Parsley
- Peppermint
- Pippali
- Poppy Seeds
- Rosemary
- Saffron
- Savory
- Spearmint
- Tarragon
- Thyme
- Turmeric
- Vanilla
- Wintergreen
Kapha Medicinal Herbs
Many people also like to incorporate Ayurvedic medicinal herbs into their tea to enjoy extra healing benefits. Herbs that are known for helping Kapha ailments include: Bibhitaki, Chitrak (Plumbago zeylanica), Ginseng, Haritaki, Holy Basil, Triphala, Trikatu, Punarnava (Boerhavia diffusa) and Moringa (Moringa oleifera).
Kapha Sweeteners
Since the sweet taste is generally not supportive to the Kapha dosha, most sweeteners should be avoided. The only exception is raw honey because it is light and warming. It’s important to note that honey should always be added to tea after it has slightly cooled since honey becomes toxic when heated.
Kapha Milks
In general, Kapha types should avoid overdoing dairy milk and alternative forms of milk, as they tend to be sweet and heavy. The best tea for Kapha is plain, but warm goat’s milk, almond milk and rice milk are acceptable in moderation when they are consumed with spices.
Kapha Tea Recipes
Although you can experiment with the above herbs and spices to create your own Kapha balancing tea, here are several examples of simple, tried and true tea recipes for the Kapha dosha.
Invigorating Spicy Tea
Feeling sluggish and fatigued is a sign of too much Kapha. It’s good to wake up the body with pungent, warming spices. For a simple spicy Kapha tea blend, try this recipe:
- 1/4 teaspoon ginger (freshly grated)
- 1/8 teaspoon cardamon (ground)
- 1/8 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- Pinch of cloves or 1 clove
- 2 cups boiling water
- 1 tsp honey
Add boiled water to the herb and spice mixture. Steep the tea, covered, for five minutes. Strain and discard the herbs and spices. Add honey and enjoy.
Detoxifying Dandelion Tea
Dandelion tea is wonderful to incorporate in the springtime when the Kapha dosha prevails. Dandelions help support liver and detoxification pathways, which typically need extra help during this season. To make dandelion tea, you’ll need:
- 2 tsp roasted dandelion root
- ½ teaspoon of honey
- Optional: Kapha balancing ingredients, like ginger, turmeric and black pepper
- 2 cups boiling water
Add boiled water to the dandelions, herbs and spices. Steep the tea, covered, for five minutes. Strain and discard the herbs and spices. Add honey and enjoy.
Refreshing Mint Tea
Kapha types may find this refreshing mint blend works well in the midday or summer when Pitta is highest.
- 1/4 teaspoon ginger (freshly grated)
- 1 teaspoon tulsi leaves
- 1 teaspoon peppermint leaves
- 1 teaspoon spearmint leaves
- Pinch of cloves or 1 clove
- 2 cups boiling water
- Optional: Turmeric or other Kapha balancing spices.
Add boiled water to the herb and spice mixture. Steep the tea, covered, for five minutes. Strain and discard the herbs and spices.
Chyawanprash Tea
For an easy and balancing Kapha tea, try Chyawanprash tea. Chyawanprash is an ancient herbal jam that is hailed for its numerous health benefits, including boosting immunity, digestion and detoxification. To make Chyawanprash tea, simply mix one to two teaspoons of Chyawanprash in warm water.
For more Kapha food and beverage inspiration, read Kapha Dosha Foods. You can also read about more Ayurvedic tea recipes in our blogs for Vata tea and Pitta tea.
Reviewed by Dr. Jayant Lokhande, MD (Botanical Drugs), MBA (Biotechnology)
