Riim Lagerwerf 
Using the Healing Power of Everyday Kitchen Spices
In the heart of every kitchen lies a secret pharmacy. The jars of spices you reach for every day—ginger, cinnamon, fennel, peppermint, lemongrass, black pepper, coriander—are the very substances Ayurveda has used for thousands of years to bring balance to body and mind.
With just three herbs or spices, you can create powerful teas that warm, cool, energize, ground, or calm you depending on your Ayurvedic constitution, or dosha: Vata, Pitta, or Kapha.
In this guide, you’ll find nine simple and deeply effective 3-herb tea recipes, each carefully formulated to support a specific dosha or combination of doshas—using ingredients that are already in most kitchens.
Let’s open the spice drawer, step into the world of Ayurvedic energetics, and brew the tea your mind and body are craving.
Understanding Doshas Through Your Tea Cup
In Ayurveda, balance comes from working with your constitution, not against it.
Vata (air + ether): cold, light, dry, mobile
Needs warmth, moisture, grounding calmPitta (fire + water): hot, sharp, intense
Needs cooling, soothing, softeningKapha (earth + water): heavy, slow, moist
Needs warming, drying, stimulation
Many spices fit beautifully into these patterns. Ginger warms Kapha. Rose cools Pitta. Cinnamon grounds Vata. Chamomile calms all three.
With a little intention, your tea becomes medicine.
Ayurvedic 3-Herb Tea Recipes
Each recipe uses 1 cup of water (240 ml) unless otherwise noted.
Vata Teas
Vata Tea #1 – Grounding Nervine Tea
Water: 240 ml (1 cup)
Ingredients:
• 1 tsp licorice root
• ½ tsp cinnamon chips
• 1 tsp chamomile
Preparation: Pour 240 ml boiling water over the herbs and steep covered for 10–15 minutes.
Vata Tea #2 – Warm Digestive Calm
Water: 240 ml (1 cup)
Ingredients:
• ½ tsp dried ginger
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• ½ tsp ashwagandha (or a pinch of nutmeg)
Preparation: Simmer the herbs in 240 ml water for 5 minutes, then cover and steep for 10 minutes.
Vata Tea #3 – Sweet Heart Soother
Water: 240 ml (1 cup)
Ingredients:
• 1 tsp rose petals
• 1 tsp lemon balm
• ½ tsp cardamom (crushed)
Preparation: Pour 240 ml hot water over the herbs and steep for 10 minutes.
Pitta Teas
Pitta Tea #1 – Cooling Heart Tea
Water: 240 ml (1 cup)
Ingredients:
• 1 tsp rose petals
• 1 tsp hibiscus
• 1 tsp chamomile
Preparation: Use hot but not boiling water (about 85–90°C / 185–195°F) and steep for 7–10 minutes.
Pitta Tea #2 – Mint & Lemon Calm
Water: 240 ml (1 cup)
Ingredients:
• 1 tsp peppermint
• 1 tsp lemon balm
• ½ tsp lavender
Preparation: Pour 240 ml hot (not boiling) water over the herbs and steep for 7 minutes.
Pitta Tea #3 – CFC Cooling Seed Tea
Water: 240 ml (1 cup)
Ingredients:
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
Preparation: Lightly crush the seeds, add 240 ml hot water and steep for 10 minutes.
Kapha Teas
Kapha Tea #1 – Energizing Morning Tea
Water: 240 ml (1 cup)
Ingredients:
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1 tsp tulsi (holy basil)
• A pinch (about ⅛ tsp) black pepper
Preparation: Simmer in 240 ml water for 5 minutes, then steep for 10 minutes.
Kapha Tea #2 – Light Digestive Tea
Water: 240 ml (1 cup)
Ingredients:
• 1 tsp lemongrass
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp orange peel
Preparation: Pour 240 ml boiling water over the herbs and steep for 10 minutes.
Kapha Tea #3 – Respiratory Clarity Tea
Water: 240 ml (1 cup)
Ingredients:
• 1 tsp thyme
• ½ tsp ginger
• 1 tsp licorice root
Preparation: Simmer in 240 ml water for 5 minutes, then steep for 10 minutes.
Combination Dosha Teas
Vata–Pitta Tea – Cooling + Grounding
Water: 240 ml (1 cup)
Ingredients:
• 1 tsp gotu kola
• 1 tsp rose petals
• 1 tsp lemon balm
Preparation: Pour 240 ml hot water over the herbs and steep for 10 minutes.
Pitta–Kapha Tea – Cooling + Activating
Water: 240 ml (1 cup)
Ingredients:
• 1 tsp tulsi
• 1 tsp peppermint
• ½ tsp ginger
Preparation: Steep in 240 ml hot water for 7–10 minutes.
Vata–Kapha Tea – Warming + Lightening
Water: 240 ml (1 cup)
Ingredients:
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1 tsp fennel
• 1 tsp chamomile
Preparation: Simmer in 240 ml water for 3 minutes, then steep for 10 minutes.
How to Choose Your Tea
Use these questions:
If you feel cold, anxious, or restless → Choose Vata Tea
If you feel hot, irritated, or intense → Choose Pitta Tea
If you feel heavy, sluggish, or foggy → Choose Kapha Tea
If you feel mixed → Choose a combination dosha tea
Your body already knows what it needs.
Tea helps you listen.
