Discomfort and cramping
Banyan Botanicals Pitta Digest
A two-tablet Ayurvedic blend of amla, guduchi, cumin, coriander, fennel and licorice, sold for post-meal heat and discomfort and described by the brand as cooling.
- Format
- Tablet
- Type
- Herbal and traditional herbal
- Tradition
- Ayurvedic formula
- Cost
- $0.62 per day at two tablets ($27.99 for 90 on the brand site; $29.99 on Amazon); the label allows one to two tablets once or twice a day, $0.31 to $1.24
- Customer rating
- 4.5 out of 5 from 199 ratings from Amazon
What customers consistently report
- Cooling after rich or spicy meals
- Easier digestion overall
- A gentle tablet with fresh-smelling herbs
Those are the themes that recur across the reviews. Moderate review confidence — Amazon shows 4.5 from 199 ratings and Banyan’s own Judge.me widget shows 4.70 from 44 reviews, but no Trustpilot product score or other independent retailer rating was read.
The mechanism, as the brand describes it
Banyan describes this as a cooling blend for the digestive heat and sharpness the tradition links to excess pitta, with herbs it says are traditionally used to kindle the digestive fire (agni) without aggravating pitta. Cumin, coriander and fennel are the carminative seeds Banyan also sells as a tea; amla, guduchi, licorice, cardamom and cinnamon are the other ingredients. Amla and licorice have human trials in reflux and dyspepsia at defined doses, while guduchi, cardamom and cinnamon have no digestive trial found. The label gives one blend weight for nine herbs, so how much of each is in a serving is not checkable.
What has actually been tested
No trial of this blend was found. Single ingredients have trials: 2 g a day of amla tablets reduced heartburn and regurgitation in 68 people over 4 weeks, a standardized licorice extract at 75 mg twice a day lowered dyspepsia symptom scores over 30 days, and a curcumin and fennel oil combination reduced IBS symptom scores in 121 people. Those used single ingredients or extracts at doses that cannot be compared with a 1,000 mg blend of nine herbs.
What the panel prints, and what it leaves out
The panel is a single 1,000 mg proprietary blend per two tablets, with nine herbs listed in order and no per-herb amounts, so the amounts of licorice and guduchi cannot be read. Banyan states third-party testing for arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury and compliance with the ANSI 173 and AHPA guidelines, but publishes no results or certificate for this product. The bottle states it is made in India and certified organic by QAI.
Herb entries for what is in it: Amla, Fennel, Licorice, Cardamom, Cinnamon. Each one gives the plant, what the traditions use it for, the trials, doses and the safety record.
When it makes sense
The symptoms it is scored against are general abdominal discomfort, symptoms that follow particular foods and heartburn or reflux. It fits someone whose priority is day-to-day comfort or handling meals. Which product the quiz lands on also turns on what you have already tried, the format you prefer, and any exclusions that apply to you.
Where it falls short of the brief
The dietary claims the label makes are gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan. One group does not see Pitta Digest in their results: people pregnant or breastfeeding or taking prescription medication. The product is not the problem; the person who should decide is. It is a tablet taken as often as the label directs, and the quiz asks whether that is a routine you will keep.
Side effects and what to be aware of
One reviewer found the full dose too strong and used two tablets a day, and another noted the tablet color changed. Guduchi has been linked to liver injury in a 43-person Indian case series and licorice contains glycyrrhizin, which can raise blood pressure in heavy or long use; the label gives only the standard pregnancy, nursing and medication line.
Questions people ask
Does Banyan Pitta Digest work?
No published trial tests this blend. Amla at 2 g a day reduced heartburn and regurgitation scores in a 68-person trial and a licorice extract lowered dyspepsia scores over 30 days, but both used single ingredients at doses the one blend weight cannot be compared with. On Amazon 75 percent of 199 ratings are five stars.
Is Banyan Pitta Digest safe?
The label says not to use it during pregnancy and to consult a practitioner if nursing, taking medications or with a medical condition. Guduchi, one of its nine herbs, was linked to liver injury in a 43-person Indian case series, and licorice contains glycyrrhizin, which NCCIH says has caused serious effects at small amounts in people with high blood pressure or heart or kidney conditions. The label does not print the amount of either.
What are the side effects of Pitta Digest?
The label lists none beyond its warnings. One reviewer said the full amount was too intense and found two tablets a day better. Banyan lists the blend as cooling and balancing for all doshas, especially pitta.
How much does Pitta Digest cost?
$27.99 for 90 tablets on the brand site and $29.99 on Amazon, which is a 45-day supply at two tablets a day, or about $0.62 to $0.67 a day. The label allows one to two tablets once or twice a day, so $0.31 to $1.24 a day at the brand price. Banyan offers a 90-day return for a refund of the price paid.
Pitta Digest vs Vata Digest: what is the difference?
Pitta Digest is a cooling blend of amla, guduchi, cumin, coriander, fennel, celery seed, licorice, cardamom and cinnamon. Vata Digest is a warming blend led by amla, cumin, black pepper, celery seed and ginger, with black cumin, long pepper, mineral salt, fenugreek and asafoetida. Both are 1,000 mg proprietary blends per two tablets.
Before you take this. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist first if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or taking prescription medication. Pitta Digest is a supplement, not a medicine, and this page is information rather than advice.
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Further reading
The guides behind the category, written from the trials rather than the labels.