I love herbs to balance seasonal dosha effects. Rose, Fennel, Shitvari and mints are all cooling in nature. On of my favorite ways to cool down pitta season heat is with spearmint. Spearmint (Mentha Spicata) is a member of the mint (Lamiaceae) family. 

This a gentle cousin to peppermint has earned its place in my spice cabinet. Cool down with spearmint in foods and drinks all summer long. Mint is one of those plants that is well loved and used in western herbalism as well as Ayurveda.

Ayurveda’s Take On Spearmint

We all start to feel the effects of heat by mid-august. Pitta can be on fire and out of control.  Ayurveda suggests we figure out ways to cool down and release toxins. Kitchen herbs and spice, both what you choose or what you leave out can help. Skip, or lighten up on the hot, pungent spices like cayenne and move towards digestive support that is cooling. Ayurveda sees spearmint as one of those cooling herbs.

Spearmint moves fluid out through sweat and urine.  It is calming to the nervous system, carminative( helps digestion), pungent in taste (rasa), cooling in energy (virya) , and pungent in post-digestive effect (vipak). The lovely cooling energy helps balance summer heat.

Grow Your Own – Cool Down Pitta With Spearmint

You can buy spearmint in most groceries, but you get a tiny amount that has lost a lot of its freshness and zing. It grows well in a pot on your porch. Why not grow your own? 

Spearmint is a sturdy plant; some might say aggressive in claiming space in your garden. I grow it a corner surrounded by equally space piggy plants or in a pot to contain it. Full sun is not a requirement for success. You can use it fresh all summer long and dry it for use the next spring.

Spearmint is simple to grow as perennial up to zone 5 and has a long picking season. So you plant it in your garden one year and it will come back for many. Be sure to separate the different varieties of mint you grow; otherwise they will cross-pollinate and you will lose flavor. Purple flowers sprout at the top of the plant. Deadhead any flower to maximize your plant yield. Just keep trimming them back. Pick the new leaves for tender tecture and clean flavor.

Bring Spearmint From Garden To Table

How do you use spearmint?  If you have ideas or recipes, please share in the comments. I am always looking for easy ways to include herbs in my life. I add it to flavor water, make tea and in vegetables and main dishes.  Spearmint pairs really well with citrus particularly lemon or lime.

Here is one of my favorite recipes for a summer salad.

Ayurselfcare’s purpose is to educate on the benefits of Ayurveda.This article is not a substitute for professional medical care, treatment or advice. All the material here is for learning purposes only. Always share strategy and work with your health care team.