Dhānyaka
The cooling seed of the coriander plant, the classic soother of burning digestion, acid rising and hot-weather irritability.
Herb · Seed (and fresh leaf as food)
Energetics
Taste (rasa)
- Sweet (madhura)
- Pungent (kaṭu)
- Bitter (tikta)
Properties (guṇa / vīrya)
- Cooling (śīta vīrya)
- Light (laghu)
- Mild (mṛdu)
Dosha effect
- Neutral for vāta
- Balances pitta
- Neutral for kapha
Traditional indications
- Cools burning digestion, acidity and acid reflux (pitta-type complaints)
- Gentle diuretic of the classical list (mūtrala), urinary comfort
- Cooling teas in fever and hot weather
- Fresh leaf chutney as a daily pitta-pacifying condiment
Indications record traditional ayurvedic usage for study, they are not medical claims and not a recommendation to treat yourself.
Contraindications & cautions
- Culinary amounts are essentially safe for everyone
Herbs interact with medications, conditions and pregnancy; review anything here with a qualified practitioner before use.
Traditional preparation
Coriander seed tea: steep 1 tsp of lightly crushed seeds in a cup of hot water for 5–10 minutes, for a stronger cooling effect, the classical move is to steep overnight in cool water and drink it in the morning. Seeds also temper dals; the fresh leaf is chutney and garnish.
In the tradition
Dhānyaka is the answer to the question every pitta summer asks. Cooling where its cousin cumin is merely calm, it is one of the few spices the tradition hands freely to inflamed stomachs and feverish bodies, the whole plant, root to leaf, is food.
Sources & further reading
- Bhāvaprakāśa Nighaṇṭu , Bhāvamiśra (dhānyaka, sweet, cooling, digestive and thirst-quenching)
- Ayurvedic Cooking for Self-Healing , Vasant Lad & Usha Lad
Classical citations mark where a tradition is drawn on; modern references are further reading, never prescriptions.