Gotu Kola is one of India’s tasty and powerful herbs we here in the West have repeatedly overlooked. It’s a bit like spinach in flavor, making it rather mild and easy to use in foods as well as for teas and other preparations. Traditionally, Gotu Kola has been used as what Maria Noel Groves calls a calm-energy adaptogen, helping balance the effects of stress in the body of people of all ages for centuries.
Despite Gotu Kola’s gentle and subtle nature, it engenders change at the most basic levels of body-mind-spirit. Used daily, Gotu Kola can help us manage many chronic conditions and improve overall health. Gotu Kola is linked to improved moods including anxiety reduction and improved sleep, improved memory and focus, heathy circulation and healing of skin and connective tissues.
Growing Gotu Kola: Lovin’ it Damp and Swampy
In India, Gotu Kola is a weedy vine that loves damp, swampy conditions. You can find it in some of the messiest places, like growing on dunghills and amid poorly-drained areas. Gotu Kola is truly a plant-medicine for cleaning up the lax, damp, stagnant areas in the landscape, be that in nature or in our bodies.
If you’re looking to get your hands on some fresh Gotu Kola, you’ll want to ensure you find a good, clean source. Like spinach, Gotu Kola can harbor Escherichia coli, aka E. coli. It likes tropical conditions, warm to hot and damp or humid. For folks in sub-tropical through artic areas, Gotu Kola may make a good indoor plant so long as you can get it plenty of light. Gotu Kola likes full to partial sun.
Wherever you’re planning on growing it, Gotu Kola likes to dig into rich, damp soil. It’ll take well to potted conditions so long as you keep an eye on the water levels and don’t let it dry out. Since Gotu Kola’s medicine is so gentle and palatable, you may need to keep it protected from local wildlife, too. Maria Noel Groves grows hers in hanging baskets out of reach of the local woodchuck family for good reason.
How to Harvest and Use Gotu Kola
Gotu Kola makes good eating! K.P. Khalsa likes to use half Gotu Kola and half Spinach in his Saag Paneer, a classic Indian dish that blends spinach (and Gotu Kola if you’re lucky) with paneer cheese and cumin, coriander, black pepper, and potentially other digestive spices. Gotu Kola can be tossed into salads, steamed, stirfried, and added to soups and stews. If the recipe calls for spinach, chances are you can substitute Gotu Kola successfully.
As an Herbal Medicine, Gotu Kola works well as a tea, tincture, vinegar, and potentially as a honey, too. You can begin with fresh or dried Gotu Kola, so when you’re deep in harvest season it’s absolutely okay to hang your Gotu Kola to dry while you work on making medicines with the herbs that require fresh preparation. Gotu Kola will happily share its properties with you when you’re ready, no worries!
Cautions for Gotu Kola
Gotu Kola is generally considered safe for all ages and conditions. Pregnant women would be wise to use Gotu Kola internally or as food under the supervision of their healthcare team and birthing team, as Gotu Kola is linked with increased circulation. Folks on blood thinners or who have problems with blood clots are advised to talk with a qualified medical professional before adding Gotu Kola to their daily diet for similar reasons. Topically, Gotu Kola is considered generally safe for all.
Herbal Nerd Society Members: Read more about Gotu Kola this month!
