Flower

Chamomile

BotanicalMatricaria chamomilla (syn. Matricaria recutita)Also calledGerman chamomile

Small golden flowers with a soft, apple-like scent, long loved as an evening cup for a settled belly and a quiet mind.

Chamomile, flower

Chamomile is not a classical Ayurvedic herb. It comes to us from European and Mediterranean kitchens, where grandmothers have brewed it for centuries. Modern Ayurvedic teachers have given it a place on the shelf because it does something we often need: it softens.

Open a jar and you smell hay, honey and green apple. The tea is gently bitter with a light, aromatic lift. That bitterness is part of the point. In Ayurveda, bitter taste helps cool and clear, which is why chamomile is so often handed to people who run a little hot, a little tense, or a little sour in the stomach after a long day.

Ayurvedic Properties

Not described in classical Ayurveda; modern Ayurvedic writers describe it as bitter and pungent in taste and slightly cooling, with a pungent post-digestive effect (Frawley and Lad, The Yoga of Herbs, and other modern Ayurvedic teachers).

RasaTastes
  • Bitter
  • Pungent
ViryaHeating or cooling
Slightly cooling
VipakaPost-digestive effect
Pungent
AgniEffect on digestion
Gently supports agni

Mildly bitter and aromatic, it gently settles digestion after meals.

GunaQualities
  • Light
  • Subtle
TridoshaEffect on Vata, Pitta and Kapha
  • Vata: increases in excess
  • Pitta: decreases
  • Kapha: decreases
  • decreases (calms that dosha)
  • increases (can aggravate it)
  • neutral or balancing
  • not known
  • V Vata · P Pitta · K Kapha

Chamomile is a friend to pitta and kapha. Very dry, airy vata types can find large amounts of bitter tea a bit depleting, so they do best taking it warm, with a little honey or in milk.

Traditional Uses

  • Traditionally used to support easy, comfortable digestion after meals.
  • Traditionally used to support a calm mind and restful sleep.
  • Traditionally used to support a soothed, settled feeling when emotions run hot.
  • Traditionally used to support comfortable skin as a cool compress or bath.

How People Use It

  • TeaSteep 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried flowers in a cup of just-boiled water, covered, for 5 to 10 minutes. Covering the cup keeps the fragrant oils in your tea instead of the air.
  • MilkFor a heavier, more grounding evening drink, steep the flowers in warm milk instead of water. This is a kinder way for vata types to enjoy it.
  • TopicalA cooled, strained tea can be used as a soft compress or added to a bath. Do a small patch test first, especially if you react to ragweed or daisies.
Try This

Chamomile and Cardamom Nightcap

A gentle cup to mark the end of the day.

  • 1 cup water or milk
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons dried chamomile flowers
  • 1 green cardamom pod, lightly crushed
  • 1 teaspoon honey (optional)
  1. Bring the water or milk just to a simmer and turn off the heat.
  2. Add the chamomile and cardamom. Cover and steep for about 8 minutes.
  3. Strain into your favorite mug and let it cool a little before stirring in honey.
  4. Sip slowly with the lights low, about an hour before bed.

Pairs Well With

Cautions

  • Little is known about chamomile's safety in medicinal amounts during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. Ordinary tea amounts are common, but please check with your midwife or doctor.
  • Skip chamomile if you are allergic to ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds or daisies. Allergic reactions are uncommon but can be serious.
  • Chamomile may interact with some medicines, including warfarin and other blood thinners, cyclosporine, sedatives and drugs processed by the liver. It may also lower the effect of birth control pills.
  • Because it may act a little like estrogen, talk with your doctor first if you have a hormone-sensitive condition.
  • Keep chamomile compresses away from the eyes, since they can cause irritation.
  • Please consult a qualified practitioner or your doctor before using it regularly, especially if you take any medication.

In Our Shop

Organic Chamomile Flower

Organic Chamomile Flower, from $4.75. Weighed and packed by hand at our Rockville Centre studio.

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From the Journal

Sources and Further Reading

This page shares how herbs are traditionally used in Ayurveda and other herbal traditions. It is for general education only and is not medical advice. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA, and herbs are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Please talk with your doctor or a qualified practitioner before using herbs, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication or managing a health condition.