The 7 Best Herbal Teas for Your Gut Health

The Role of Ayurvedic Herbal Teas

Ayurvedic herbal teas are a unique blend of herbs and spices brewed together to restore balance in your body. Try incorporating these herbal teas into your daily routine instead of tea and coffee and see the difference for yourself!

Principles of Ayurvedic Herbal Teas You Cannot Miss

“Authentic ayurvedic herbal teas are not packets of any herbal mixture you can buy off the stores. Choosing the right herbal tea has a lot of importance when you are looking to improve your health. For this, just reading the ingredients and benefits does not help”, says Dr Aswathi Krishnan. Ayurvedic Consultant at Nirva, specialised in ayurvedic pharmacology and herbal medicine.

The basic principle of choosing the right herbal tea is to understand your body type and what dosha (bioenergy) imbalance (Vata, Pitta, Kapha) occurs in your body. 

Each dosha represents a unique combination of elements (ether, air, fire, water, and earth) and qualities (cold, hot, dry, oily, heavy, light, etc.). The selection of herbs and spices for Ayurvedic teas is guided by their qualities and their ability to balance or pacify specific doshas in your body.

1. Balancing Doshas

The Ayurvedic herbal teas restore the balance of the doshas, which cause various health issues when imbalanced. So, select your tea flavour accordingly.

• Vata-balancing teas calm the nervous system, promote relaxation, and improve digestion.
• Pitta-balancing teas reduce excess heat in the body, support digestion, and soothe inflammation.
• Kapha-balancing teas stimulate metabolism, clear congestion, and uplift the clogged senses.

These are just some of the basic methods of selecting a tea flavour. However, there are more principles on which your Ayurvedic healthcare expert can give you opinions.

2. Health Benefits

So, what will you gain if you change your regular tea and coffee habits to herbal teas?

• Improved digestion and metabolism.
• Stress reduction and relaxation.
• Enhanced detoxification and elimination of toxins.
• Support for immune function.
• Regulation of hormonal balance.
• Alleviation of minor discomforts like bloating, indigestion, and mild joint discomfort.
• Reduces inflammation etc

Blend of different herbs with active constituents to improve your immune health, physiological functioning like digestion and metabolism, and cognitive wellness, herbal teas are the best and easiest natural remedies you can start with. 

Top Ayurvedic Herbs to Prepare Tea for Digestive Health

Digestive health, as per ayurveda, is the most vital part of healing. Your body starts functioning from digestion and metabolism. If things start going wrong at that stage,then rest of the functioning in the body worsens.

Ayurvedic herbal teas, made with natural ingredients, have been used for centuries to aid digestion and restore balance to the gastrointestinal system. Some of them include:

1. Triphala (Three Fruits):

Triphala is literally translated as "three fruits". So the three fruits that make the combinationof thriphala are Amalaki (Emblica officinalis), Bibhitaki (Terminalia bellirica), and Haritaki (Terminalia chebula). Triphala is known for its gentle and effective gut-cleansing property.

Consuming Triphala tea will help your bowels promote regular defecation, thus getting rid of constipation. It is known for its gentle and effective cleansing and detoxifying properties, promoting regular bowel movements, alleviating constipation, and aiding in the removal of accumulated toxins from the digestive tract. It also contains powerful antioxidants like polyphenols and flavonoids that help reduce inflammation and protect the cells from oxidative stress.

Benefits

• Reduces bloating and gas
• balances gut microbiome
• Improves nutrient absorption
• Soothes gut inflammation
• Detoxifies digestive tract
• Improves liver function 
• Relieves indigestion and acid reflux

2. Ginger

Ginger (Shunti) is a herb with bioactive compounds like gingerols and shogaols. These are well-known for digestive wellness improvement. The compounds stimulate digestive fire (Agni), promote enzyme secretion, and improve gastric motility. Moreover, ginger's anti-inflammatory properties soothe the gastrointestinal tract, further reducing discomfort and supporting overall gut health.

Benefits

• Improves digestion
• Reduces bloating and gas
• Alleviates nausea and motion sickness
• Promotes smooth digestion
• Soothes inflammation in the gut
• Boosts appetite
• Improves nutrient absorption

3. Peppermint

The most important compound in peppermint is the menthol. This is the one that gives you that cool soothing feel when you consume mint flavoured drinks or products. Menthol has the ability to calm the digestive system. It relaxes the muscles of the gastrointestinal tract and soothes the gut lining.

Benefits

• Relieves spasms and cramping
• Eases gas, bloating and indigestion
• Soothes gut lining
• Supports relief from IBS
• Promotes comfortable digestion
• Alleviates nausea and heartburn

4. Fennel

Fennel, the little spices, are like filled with health benefits. Fennel seeds are rich in essential oils like anethole, fenchone, and estragole. These have carminative properties which help in reducing bloating, gas and abdominal discomfort. They also relax gastrointestinal muscles .

Benefits

• Reduce gas bloating and abdominal discomfort.
• Promotes healthy gut motility.
• Relieves indigestion and heartburn.
• Supports detoxification.
• Freshens breath 
• Soothes the digestive tract.

5. Coriander

Coriander seeds are packed with essential oils like linalool and borneol which balance the three doshas. The tea especially balances pitta dosha (reduces everything that burns). It has cooling and ani-inflammatory properties which makes it a great source of hydration for a Pitta person.

Benefits

• Improves digestion
• Reduces gut inflammation
• Eases gas, bloating and abdominal discomfort
• Supports detoxification 
• Cleanses digstive system
• Manages acid reflux and indigestion.
• Promotes liver health

6. Cumin

Cumin contains thymol and cumin aldehyde. these stimulate production of digestive enzymes and promote efficient digestion. They have mild warming effect that helps alleviate discomfort, reduce gas and support overall digestive function. Cumin is a great tea option for Vata and Kapha body type.

Benefits

• Boosts production of digestive enzyme
• Improves gut motility
• Reduces digestive discomfort by mild warmth
• Helps manage IBS
• Prevents cell damage
• Boosts immune cell function in the gut
• Promotes production of Vitamins (K, B12 and Biotin)
• Maintains a healthy gut barrier

7. Liquorice (Yashtimadhu)

Liquorice root contains glycyrrhizin, a compound that soothes and protects digestive tract lining by its anti-inflammatory property. It also protects the mucosal layer of the gut. However, the tea must be used cautiously in those with high blood pressure.

Benefits

• Soothes stomach ulcers and inflammation
• Relieves heartburn and acid reflux
• Eases digestive discomfort
• reduces IBS symptoms
• Inhibits inflammatory cytokines in the gut
• Alleviates symptoms of colitis
• Protects gut damage against NSAIDs(Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs)
• Has antimicrobial properties

Note: Excessive consumption may lead to electrolyte imbalance and potassium depletion. 

Always consult a health expert before consuming any of the herbal teas. 

How to Prepare Your Herbal Tea?

After collecting the right herbs and spices for your body type and health condition, let's start preparing the tasty tea. It's tea-o-clock, everyone!

Materials 

• Fresh or dried herb
• Tea infuser or strainer
• Teapot
• Cup
• Water
• Honey or sweetener (optional)

Method 1: Infusion

• Measure 1-2 teaspoons of dried herbal powder (or 2-3 tablespoons of fresh herbs) for one cup of tea.
• Place the herbs in a tea infuser or strainer
• Pour boiling water over the herbs
• Steep this for 5-7 minutes
• Strain and enjoy the warm tea!

Method 2: Decoction

• Measure 1-2 of dried bark or roots per cup of tea.
• Combine herbs as you desire and add water to the pot.
• Bring the mixture to a boil.
• Reduce heat and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes
• Strain and enjoy the tea!

Say bye-bye to your coffee!

Craft Your Personalised Ayurvedic Herbal Tea Blend

Did you know that making your own Ayurvedic herbal tea blend is a great way to customise the herbs to match your body constitution, health goals, and even the changing seasons? Plus, including this tea in your daily wellness routine can do wonders for your health and overall balance. So why not give it a try?

Knowing the right ayurvedic way to blend herbal tea is the art of understanding your body and keeping it in rhythm with your environment. Some of the points you must be well aware of are;

1. Know Your Dosha

Identifying your dosha (Vata, Pitta, or Kapha) is key in Ayurvedic practice. It helps you choose herbs that balance and support your constitution. Choose the base ingredient based on your dosha type.

Find out what dosha type you are by taking this quiz! - Click Here

Base Herbs : 

Let the base herbs be as per your body type

• Vata: Fennel, liquorice, ginger.
• Pitta: Peppermint, coriander, hibiscus.
• Kapha: Ginger, cinnamon, clove.

Supporting Herbs:

Let the supporting herbs be as per the dosha imbalance you are facing.

• Vata: Ashwagandha (calming), cardamom (warming), chamomile (soothing).
• Pitta: Gotu kola (cooling), rose petals (heart-opening), turmeric (anti-inflammatory).
• Kapha: Holy basil (stimulating), black pepper (digestive), tulsi (immune support).

1. Consider Taste and Energetics:

Even selecting your taste must complement your body type. Let's see what you can choose from!

• Vata: Sweet, sour, salty.
• Pitta: Sweet, bitter, astringent.
• Kapha: Pungent, bitter, astringent.

1. Mind the Seasonal Variations:

Adjust your tea blend based on the season. Use cooling herbs in summer, warming herbs in winter, and adaptogenic (e.g., Ashwagandha) herbs during stress.

2. Consult an Expert

Finally, this is something you must never miss. Herbs and herbal teas are not to be used without knowing how it works in your body. No one can explain this better that your ayurvedic health expert.

"At least 26 herbal teas contain toxic ingredients, many of which have caused serious gastrointestinal, hematologic, cardiac, and nervous system disease. Most of these teas are available in health food stores."
Toxic Effects of Herbal Teas, PubMed

So, yes, get in touch with them to know what you can take or not, and how long you can take the herbal tea for!

Gut-Healing Potential of CCF Detox Tea

Why CCF tea, you say? CCF tea is one of the most recommended tea by our health experts for your gut health. This blend has detoxifying and soothing properties, making it a natural gut support remedy.

The acronym CCF refers to a blend of Cumin, Coriander, and Fennel seeds. How will this mixture help you?

• Cumin seeds stimulate digestion, ease bloating, and alleviate discomfort.
• Coriander seeds are renowned for their cooling effect, reducing inflammation and aiding digestion.
• Fennel seeds possess carminative properties, supporting gas relief and soothing the gastrointestinal tract.

CCF detox teas can help you with the gentle elimination of toxins and waste products. This cleansing effect is from the seeds' capacity to stimulate digestion, boost metabolism, and encourage the body's natural detox mechanisms.

It's time for a CCF tea!

• Combine equal parts of Cumin, Coriander, and Fennel seeds.
• Use approximately one teaspoon of the blend per cup of hot water.
• Steep for 5-10 minutes, strain, and consume the infusion.

 Conclusion

Herbal teas are one of the most effective and simplest ways to boost your health. It's like magic in a teacup, helping us to understand our needs and explore our own problems. By curating an individual recipe for ourselves, we can reap the benefits of this natural remedy.