Our digestive system is a sensitive, essential powerhouse whose well-being is crucial to our overall health. When something is wrong with our digestion, we certainly know it—whether it’s through the onset of bloating or cramps, burning, inflammation or nausea. In Ayurveda, our digestion is ruled by our agni, or digestive fire; a healthy agni leads to strong digestion and holistic detoxification, while an aggravated agni reflects other imbalances in the body, resulting in dreaded digestive problems.
While digestive ailments, especially those that occur on a long-term or chronic level, may seem mysterious and difficult to resolve, there is a wide variety of Ayurvedic herbs that serve as natural digestive aids. One way to reap the benefits of these herbs is through drinking CCF tea. CCF tea—which stands for cumin, coriander and fennel—is a renowned digestive salve in Ayurvedic practice, known for its ability to combat indigestion, provide a natural detox, soothe gas and inflammation and more. Best of all, it’s a herbal tea you can make in 5 minutes at home for easy incorporation into your everyday routine.
Here’s a breakdown of the benefits of this digestive panacea, and instructions for how to enjoy.
BENEFITS OF CCF TEA
CCF tea is formulated with cumin, coriander and fennel, all of which are commonly used and loved spices in Ayurveda for their flavor and their digestive benefits
Cumin
In Ayurveda, cumin is often turned to as a remedy for indigestion and digestive inflammation. Several studies back up this ancient wisdom, demonstrating that cumin effectively aids and promotes healthy digestion. High in antioxidants and iron, cumin helps to flush out toxins from the digestive system and strengthen agni
Coriander
Coriander is a revered natural ingredient in Ayurveda for its ability to alleviate digestive discomfort and inflammation. Research has demonstrated that it can treat abdominal pains, bloating and discomfort. It also helps to increase the absorption of nutrients into the body, helping to promote smooth digestion.
Fennel
In Ayurveda, fennel is believed to strengthen agni and promote overall sattva, or harmony. Its sweet and cooling properties enable it to help stimulate digestion and ease issues like bloating, gas and acid reflux.
CCF tea’s overall benefits include strengthening agni, improving circulation and natural detox, alleviating gas and bloating, calming inflammation, improving inflammation, easing nausea and food poisoning and more.
The different properties of each ingredient work together to create a tridoshic blend, meaning this tea is suitable for all doshas. However, Pittas may find that the cumin may have too much of a heating effect (though the coolness of coriander and fennel help to balance this out). In addition, Vatas may experience a bit of dryness due to the tea’s diuretic quality. This quality makes the tea especially suitable for Kapha.
The best way to find out how the tea interacts with your dosha, and the digestive benefits it can offer your specific needs, is by trying it out yourself.
HOW TO MAKE CCF TEA
To make CCF tea, first combine equal parts cumin, coriander and fennel seeds to form a base blend. You can do this in large quantities and save the blend for future brewings.
Then, you can steep 1 teaspoon of the mixture over boiling water for 5 minutes. If you want a stronger brew, you can put 1 teaspoon of the mixture directly in a saucepan with water, which you can bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes.
If this is your first time trying CCF tea, we recommend easing into it by drinking it a few times a week. If you find it suitable to your needs, you can then drink it daily, before or between meals.
