From ghee to herbs – building blocks of balance, health, and healing

In Ayurveda, the kitchen is not just a place for cooking — it’s your first pharmacy. These ingredients, when used daily, help balance the doshas, support digestion, and promote overall wellbeing. Whether you are practicing traditional wellness in India or exploring Ayurveda Stockholm Sweden, these timeless essentials remain the foundation of natural healing.

1. Ghee

Ayurvedic Properties:

• Rasa (Taste): Madhura (sweet)
• Vipaka (Post-digestive effect): Madhura (sweet)
•  Virya (Potency): Shita (cooling)

Balances Pitta and Vata doshas.
Promotes rasa (plasma), shukra (reproductive tissue), buddhi (intellect), tejas (inner radiance), ojas (vital essence), and bala (strength).

Classical References:

Charaka Samhita: Ghee reduces burning sensations, softens the body, supports the voice, and enhances complexion.
Ashtanga Hridaya: Ghee promotes intelligence, enhances memory, supports digestive fire (agni), and prolongs life (ayu).

Benefits:

• Nourishes body and mind, supports immunity. 
• Suitable for children and the elderly. 
• Best among animal fats. 
• Works as a gentle laxative when 2 tsp are taken with warm milk. 
• Applied externally, it soothes skin irritation, reduces redness, and cools the eyes. 
• In small amounts, stimulates digestion (deepana), though large amounts can be heavy to digest (not pachana). 
• Used in snehana therapy to lubricate channels (srotas) and aid toxin removal. 
• Ghee older than 10 years has enhanced medicinal potency. Ghee over 100 years old (mahasarpi) is prescribed in severe Vata disorders. 

Directions for Use:

Add 1–2 tsp to cooked food or drizzle over warm rice, soups, or vegetables.
For Pitta-related skin irritation, apply gently to the affected area.
For dry eyes, place a small drop of liquefied ghee in each eye before bedtime (only under guidance).

2. Black Pepper

Benefits:

• Improves digestion and stimulates appetite. 
• Helps metabolise fat and makes heavy food easier to digest. 
• Clears toxins and opens minute channels in the body. 

Directions for Use:

Grind fresh black pepper and sprinkle over cooked vegetables, soups, or salads.

3. Caraway Seeds

Benefits:

• Warming and digestive stimulant. 
• Supports detox by correcting Vata flow. 
• Promotes breast milk production in lactating mothers. 

Directions for Use:

Add seeds to breads, baked goods, or sprinkle over salads to reduce gas and bloating.

4. Cardamom

Benefits:

• Carminative; eases Vata movement in digestion. 
• Relieves stomach pain and aids in digesting milk and sweets. 
• Helps with nausea and morning sickness. 

Directions for Use:

Mix equal parts cardamom and caraway seed powder, take 1 tsp after meals for better digestion.

5. Cinnamon

Benefits:

• Stimulates digestive fire. 
• Supports healthy bowel function. 

Directions for Use:

Add powdered cinnamon to porridge, curries, or tea. For diarrhoea, take ½ cup yoghurt with ½ tsp cinnamon powder and a pinch of nutmeg twice daily.

6. Cumin Seeds

Benefits:

• Improves taste and supports digestion. 
• Eases the digestion of heavy foods. 

Directions for Use:

Dry roast before adding to dishes, or sauté in ghee for added aroma and potency.

7. Fresh Ginger

Benefits:

• Strong digestive stimulant. 
• Works on jatharagni (digestive fire) at the stomach and intestine level. 
• Relieves constipation, nausea, and motion sickness. 

Directions for Use:

Add fresh slices to soups, teas, or chew with a little salt before meals to boost digestion.

8. Hing (Asafoetida)

Benefits:

• Digestive stimulant and carminative. 
• Anthelmintic, anti-spasmodic, and slightly laxative. 

Directions for Use:

Fry a pinch in ghee before adding to beans or lentils to reduce gas.

9. Oregano

Benefits:

• Stimulates digestive fire and reduces bloating. 
• Supports respiratory health and eases coughs and colds. 

Directions for Use:

Add fresh or dried oregano early in cooking, or steep in hot water for a herbal tea.

10. Turmeric

Benefits:

• Improves digestion and supports respiratory health. 
• Anti-inflammatory; supports joints and wound healing. 

Directions for Use:

Add ½ tsp to warm milk with honey for coughs and colds. Include in daily cooking for immunity.

Closing Note

These ten ingredients are the pillars of an Ayurvedic kitchen, supporting digestion, balance, and long-term vitality. By incorporating them into daily meals, you can transform food into medicine. For those embracing holistic living beyond India, exploring Ayurveda Stockholm Sweden is a powerful way to reconnect with ancient wisdom while adapting it to modern lifestyles.