Coffee or Tea? How to get your Morning Started according to Ayurveda.
If you don’t yet know your dosha, take a free dosha quiz ( there are a lot of them on-line ). And, then take a look at some coffee and tea drinks that may help you stay in balance.
Vata
Vata types can have a hard time focusing on one thing at a time, and an overdose of caffeine doesn’t help that. One cup of regular coffee, decaf coffee, or tea are great choices. If the more delicate Vata digestion can tolerate it, add dairy, almond, or coconut milk. Even better, add some cream or half and half for extra grounding, and cinnamon for warming.
Café drinks to avoid: double or triple espressos or iced drinks.
Pitta
Pitta types love to get revved up for the day, but really, decaf or tea is best for them. Their natural high-energy state doesn’t need much of a boost. Adding dairy, almond, or coconut milk can be cooling to already warm pitta and dairy milk can calm any aggressive pitta energy. Add a pinch of ground cardamom to lower acidity.
Café drinks to avoid: double and triple espressos.
Café drinks to try: matcha or chai latte with coconut milk.
Kapha
Slower moving Kapha types can benefit from a little caffeine charge. For this type, skip the milk, or if you must, use just a bit of low-fat dairy, almond, or rice milk. Add a bit of turmeric or ginger for warming, and maca for extra energy.
Café drinks to avoid: iced, blended, creamy drinks.
Café drinks to try: flat white with low-fat milk or almond milk.
Try the above suggestions and see how you feel. If you have a combination of two doshas, see where they overlap. For example, a Pitta-Vata type might do well with a half-caffeine Americano with almond or coconut milk.
by ROBYN HASTIN