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Coming from the tradition of Indian Ayurveda, there are twelve Ayurvedic herbs noted since ancient times for their balancing virtues: these are the cooling plants, the refreshing herbs.
Perfect for preparing infusions and herbal teas, these twelve plants are an exceptional remedy to give us relief from the high temperatures of Summer... and more!
Want to know more? Keep reading!
According to Ayurvedic medicine, refreshing herbs are plants capable of balancing the excess of Pitta energy in our body, caused by the increase in temperatures typical of the hot season.
The Pitta energy is the vital force composed of the Fire and Water elements, which governs metabolic activity, digestion, and transformation of our body. Pitta is located in the heart and in the small intestine, respectively the seat of the spirit and emotions, when in balance Pitta energy ensures extroversion, self-awareness, ability to manage emotions, and general well-being.
With the arrival of Summer, a season dominated by the Fire element, the balance of Pitta energy is at risk of being compromised. The scorching heat and the hectic routine of the summer season can indeed produce an excess of heatfatiguing the heart and small intestine, causingfatigue, irritability, poor digestion, bloating and cardiovascular problems. But it is precisely on these occasions that Ayurvedic refreshing herbs come to our aid!
Rich in cold energy, the twelve refreshing botanicals are capable of rebalancing the excess heat of Pitta by increasing Vata, the vital energy composed of the elements of Space and Air. Cooling our body, these herbs not only help us better withstand the summer heat but above all play a very important role in protecting the heart, the organ most subject to the influence of Fire, preventing the onset of cardiovascular pathologies.
The main property of cooling plants is therefore to reduce Pitta and increase Vata, cooling our body to balance the excess heat brought by the Fire element. But the benefits of these plants do not stop there!
In Ayurveda, the property of botanicals is determined by their flavors: these are attributed the ability to act directly on our body, increasing or reducing the concentration of vital energies. Ayurvedic medicine identifies six main flavors, each with its particular properties, but only four of these characterize refreshing botanicals
● bitter taste: rich in purifying and detoxifying properties, it acts on excess heat helping to purify the mind and promoting concentration;
● astringent taste: gives the idea of a dry taste and possesses balancing virtues. It balances the concentration of Pitta in the intestine, helping in case of bloating and gastrointestinal disorders;
● spicy taste: it is the hottest of all Ayurvedic flavors and helps to restore the body's balance eliminating excess heat through sweating. It also stimulates blood circulation, digestion, and increases concentration. Precisely because of its direct action on the heart and circulation, botanicals and foods rich in spicy flavor are not recommended in case of hypertension;
● sweet taste: the most important and nourishing taste of Ayurveda, helps balance Pitta favoring the expulsion of toxins and providing strength and resistance;
What happens when different or opposite flavors are present in the same plant? In these cases, the properties of the tastes do not cancel each other out. Rather, the two flavors act independently and collaborate in rebalancing the body's energies by integrating each other's effects.
Do cooling plants also refresh in Winter?
This does not mean that cooling plants cannot be used at all in Winter: their benefits on digestion, mental clarity, and heart health are useful at any time of the year. Taking cooling herbs together with warming botanicals (ginger, fennel, cinnamon, ashwagandha) will allow you to integrate their purifying and rebalancing properties without causing an excess of cold energy in our body.
Now that we know the main qualities and functions of cooling herbs, let's discover what they are.
The twelve plants with cooling properties indicated by Ayurveda are: dill, cardamom, hibiscus, mint, lemon balm, moringa, passionflower, rose, sumac, spirulina, green tea, and tulsi. Let's get to know them better!
Discover Ayurvedic Herbal Teas too
An aromatic herb of ancient origins, dill was regularly used by the ancient Egyptians as a culinary spice.
Typical of Southwest Asia, dill is a plant not very common in the Mediterranean but widely used as a flavor enhancer in Eastern and Northern European cuisine, especially for marinating meat and fish.
The sweet, minty, and pungent flavor is reminiscent of star anise and makes this plant an excellent digestive aid, similar to the more well-known ginger: its use is particularly recommended in case of colic or abdominal bloating because, by relaxing the intestinal muscles, it allows the elimination of excess air.
Try Dill
The seed of the fruit of a tropical plant characteristic of Indochina, cardamom has been used since ancient times for its multiple therapeutic virtues and - along with turmeric and ginger - is one of the main spices in Indian curry.
Extremely versatile, it is a spice easy to use in numerous recipes: it can be used to season meat and vegetable stews or to give a more oriental touch to a rice dish. A cardamom seed can make the flavor of a simple cup of coffee more enveloping or scent an apple pie, used instead of the more common cinnamon.
The floral, dry, and pungent flavor reminds the sense of smell of the aroma of eucalyptus and gives this plant extraordinary balsamic properties: consumed as a tea or by nibbling on its seeds helps in case of heavy digestion and its delicate aroma is an excellent remedy for bad breath!
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Obtained from the red hibiscus flower, karkadè is a ruby-colored infusion. Considered sacred to the goddess Kali in Indian tradition, it is often used during meditation to enhance the strength of prayer.
The astringent and pleasantly acidic flavor, similar to that of a blueberry tart, gives this infusion anti-inflammatory, soothing, and vitaminizing virtues. The cold energy of karkadè promotes the lowering of blood pressure while the high concentration of vitamin C and minerals (Calcium, Phosphorus, and Iron) has an antioxidant and purifying function on the body, making it an effective remedy for the treatment of constipation.
The high refreshing power makes karkadè the perfect infusion to quench thirst and balance excess heat during the summer, but it can also be enjoyed in winter as a hot tea.
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Famous for its fresh and penetrating scent, mint is the most used refreshing herb in cooking and as the main ingredient in infusions and teas. Its properties have been known since ancient times: the Egyptians used it for its digestive properties, the Romans used it during wedding rituals to wish harmony to the newlyweds, and the Jews considered it important for spiritual elevation.
The pungent and slightly spicy flavor gives mint purifying and stimulating properties, useful for promoting digestion and blood circulation. Its cold energy also allows it to have a tonic and energizing action on our body, making it a perfect aid in case of headaches, fever, or menstrual pains.
Typically used during the summer for making granitas and refreshing drinks, mint can also be used to decorate salads, pasta dishes, or risottos with its scent. Mint infusion can be used for making cold teas in hot months or hot teas during winter. As an essential oil, it is recommended for treating abdominal pain and combating mental fatigue.
Choose the Mint you prefer
Widespread in Europe and Western Asia, lemon balm is described as a plant "that cheers and comforts the heart." Used in ancient times by Romans, Greeks, and Arabs as a natural remedy for melancholy, lemon balm is a botanical rich in precious essential oils from which it obtains a sweet and citrusy aroma reminiscent of lemon.
The sweetly sour flavor gives lemon balm its therapeutic qualities. In addition to its sedative capacity useful to calm anxiety and induce sleep, its cold energy acts as an anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic, facilitating digestion, relieving abdominal cramps and menstrual pains, and alleviating headache symptoms.
Like mint, lemon balm can also be consumed as a cold infusion in summer, in winter as a hot herbal tea along with chamomile, or in the form of essential oil mixed with vegetable oils for a relaxing massage.
Although little used, lemon balm can also be an excellent ingredient in the kitchen. Its delicately aromatic leaves can flavor salads, legume soups, but also meat dishes.
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Typical of India and Pakistan, moringa is also known as the "miracle tree" for its miraculous virtues. In India, the moringa tree is used in all its parts: the leaves are used for making herbal teas, while the bark, seeds, and flowers are appreciated for their high nutritional power.
The taste of moringa is slightly spicy, similar to that of radish. Rich in minerals, proteins, and trace elements, moringa has an antioxidant and liver purifying function, and also acts as an exceptional digestive.
The high concentration of polyphenols makes it an excellent reconstituent, useful as a supplement to promote concentration and support study and work fatigue.
Its beneficial qualities for the body are accompanied by great versatility in the kitchen: moringa leaves can be used not only for making herbal teas but also for energizing smoothies and as a seasoning for salads and cold dishes. Finally, moringa powder can be used at breakfast to flavor plain yogurt, ensuring a full day of energy.
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Originally from South America, passionflower spread to Europe starting from the seventeenth century. Mainly known for its calming and relaxing properties, the benefits of this botanical are manifold.
The high concentration of flavonoids, alkaloids, and phytosterols makes passionflower an excellent natural sedative, useful for promoting falling asleep and calming states of anxiety and high stress. In addition, its abundant cold energy gives it anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic properties, useful for women to combat menstrual pain and hot flashes typical of menopause.
It acts as a heart protector, facilitating blood circulation and reducing pressure. Finally, its calming action has a beneficial effect on digestion, reducing abdominal bloating and containing nervous hunger.
A sweet infusion with a marked acidic note is obtained from passionflower flowers, perfect to consume cold in summer and prepared hot with chamomile during winter. However, it is recommended to drink it shortly before bedtime, precisely because of its high sedative power.
Try the Passionflower Herbal Tea
Queen of flowers, eternal symbol of beauty and uniqueness, the rose possesses beneficial properties that perhaps not everyone is aware of.
With a sweet and aromatic flavor, the rose flower is perfectly edible (except for the branch and root): the dried petals and buds can be used to garnish drinks, decorate cakes or other pastry products, and for making teas and beverages with extraordinary virtues.
Rose petals are known in Ayurvedic tradition for their astringent and refreshing properties, effective in promoting digestion and purifying the liver. Its cold energy and high concentration of Vitamin A and C stimulate the immune system, helping in case of respiratory tract inflammations, cough, and bronchitis. Cold-infused rose petals provide a refreshing drink perfect for the summer months.
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Sumac, also known as sumac, is a shrub common in the Middle East and southern Europe, from which dried fruits a spice rich in beneficial properties is obtained.
With a tangy, pungent, and spicy flavor, sumac has a high anti-inflammatory and antibacterial power, useful in treating gastrointestinal disorders and reducing fever. It also protects the heart and cardiovascular system, purifying the blood from toxins and lowering blood sugar levels. In addition to its astringent and purifying properties, this spice regulates cholesterol levels in the blood and can be consumed as a salt substitute in case of hypertension.
Extremely versatile, sumac can be enjoyed as a cold tea or as a flavor enhancer for meat, legume, fish dishes, or to create delicious yogurt-based sauces.
African and Mexican salt lakes are the natural habitat of spirulina, an algae with a vibrant blue color and extraordinary properties that have earned it the name of "food of the gods."
With an intense aroma and the salty taste typical of seaweed, the percentage of proteins in spirulina is three times higher than that of meat, allowing the assimilation of all essential amino acids. It is no wonder that it is considered a superfood loved by athletes and those following a vegan or vegetarian diet.
Rich in vitamin A, B vitamins, minerals, and trace elements, spirulina is an excellent restorative for our body. With a tonic and anti-inflammatory action, it helps to face seasonal changes strengthening the immune system.
Commonly used in powder form, spirulina can enrich smoothies and fruit or vegetable-based drinks. Alternatively, it can be used to prepare salad dressings by adding it to yogurt or tahini sauce. For those more concerned with aesthetics, spirulina can be added to whipped milk to create a beautiful intense blue cappuccino.
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Certainly the most well-known and used refreshing herb, green tea is a beverage with a millennia-old history used for its tonic, antioxidant, and stimulating properties.
With an intense and delicate flavor, often enriched with toasty and bitter notes, green tea contains the highest percentage of natural antioxidants, capable of combating cellular aging by acting against the formation of free radicals.
Its high concentration of catechins makes it the perfect drink to reduce cholesterol levels and ensure the proper functioning of the heart and cardiovascular system.
Its cold energy gives it a highly refreshing power and diuretic properties useful to ensure the proper functioning of the intestine, preventing abdominal bloating and heaviness.
Consuming green tea does not have any particular contraindications. However, it would be preferable to avoid drinking it during meals because the high concentration of polyphenols can reduce the absorption of Iron and other dietary minerals. Since it stimulates thyroid function, it is important to not exceed the consumption of green tea in case of hyperthyroidism. Finally, if you suffer from insomnia or caffeine sensitivity, it is a good habit to drink green tea only during daylight hours.
Choose your Green Tea
Known in Hindu tradition as "holy basil," tulsi is a plant from which a herbal tea full of beneficial properties for the balance of our body is obtained.
Its flavor resembles that of thyme and licorice, enriched by a spicy note that makes it a powerful anti-inflammatory and antibacterial: not only is it a remedy for colds, fever, and flu, but it preserves the health of the body by preventing the proliferation of bacteria. For this reason, it is also considered an excellent remedy for inflammatory skin conditions, such as acne or rashes.
The cold energy, the presence of Vitamin A and C, and minerals give tulsi calming and anti-stress qualities that, also acting on the intestine, help to improve digestion.
Tulsi is traditionally taken in the form of herbal tea, using its dried leaves. Fresh leaves can instead be used to flavor meat dishes, salads, or omelets.
Taste Tulsi
We have learned about all twelve cooling plants of Ayurveda and their extraordinary properties. Now all that's left is to choose our favorite and prepare our refreshing herbal tea!
To fully enjoy the cold energy of these plants, the preparation of the herbal tea or infusion is a delicate process that must follow a few necessary precautions.
The perfect temperature for infusing these plants is around 80°C: be careful not to boil the water, as this could reduce the inherent cold energy of the botanicals, causing them to lose their benefits. Alternatively, especially during the summer, you can opt for a cold preparation, letting the plant infuse in water at room temperature for a few hours.
To enhance the refreshing power of the drink, we can take advantage of the memory of water: this element has the ability to absorb the energy of the color of the container it is in. Therefore, we can choose to store or serve our refreshing drink in pitchers or glasses of cool colors, preferably blue.
Despite being refreshing drinks, be careful not to consume them too cold! Contrary to what one might think, drinking cold water or beverages in high temperatures increases the sensation of heat and decreases the thirst-quenching power of the infusion. Instead, it is better to enjoy our refreshing herbal tea at room temperature, letting the cold energy rebalance the excess heat in our body, making us feel immediately cooler and recharged!
Did you know about the twelve cooling plants of Ayurveda and their properties? Let us know which one is your favorite and how you like to use it!
