By Dilek Koksal, Ayurvedic Counselor Program
I wanted to create a pitta balancing phanta with what I had in my pantry. Phanta is a hot infusion in Ayurveda. Usually, it is a combination of many Ayurvedic Herbs.
Ingredients
Rose Petals
4 teaspoons rose petals
1/2 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp saffron
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
I mix them and put them in my tea bag
and placed in boiled water about 0.5 ml
ROSE: balances Sadhaka Pitta, the subdosha of Pitta that governs the emotions and their effect on the heart. Rose is cooling but also enhances the agni. Pacifies Vata and Pitta Dosha: Since it carries the sweet and unctuous properties, it pacifies Vata dosha – the sweet rasa, or taste, pacifies vata. The rose’ssnigdha or unctuous property also balances vata, since vata that tends to be dry. Any dravya or item that has the unctuous lubricating guna or property is pacifying to vata. Then due to its cooling virya or potency, as well as bitter and astringent taste, it is pacifying for Pitta dosha.
Coriander: Rasa (taste): madhura (sweet), katu (pungent), tikta (bitter) and kshaya (astringent). Guna (physical property) is laghu (light) and snigadha. Virya (potency) is ushana (hot). Vipaka (post digestion effect) is madhura (sweet). Pacifying Vata, Pitta and Kapha dosha.
Fennel: According to Ayurveda, fennel may be used to decrease all three doshas: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. It has a sweet, slightly astringent, and bitter taste, or rasa. It is cooling and its after-taste or vipak is sweet. Ayurveda advises against cooking fennel, as its active ingredients will die. It is better to steep fennel. Fennel is used as a digestive tonic, a mild laxative,and a diuretic. It helps remove toxins from the body.
Saffron: In texts of Ayurveda the herb Crocus Sativus or kumkuma or saffron is grouped under “Varnya” gana. Varnya means the one which imparts fairness and glow to skin. According ayurveda pharmacology, saffron is bitter to taste and increases body fire. It balances tridoshas (vata, pitta and kapha).
