Tea and coffee are the most preferred beverages, but a healthy drink that can cure different ailments and has a calming effect on the mind is herbal tea. There are umpteen number of herbs, so the array of herbal teas is equally diverse.
A lot of fuss has been made about herbal teas and tisanes, as a 'healthier' option to drinking traditional tea. For starters, what are herbal teas? Any brewed hot concoction, made from a plant other than the tea bush, can be called a herbal tea.
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Unlike tea which uses the leaves of the tea bush, herbal teas can be made from seeds, fruit, peels, roots, branches, flowers, etc.
Extracts and tea bags of various herbs are produced for commercial use. Taste, texture and aroma can vary from tea to tea, depending on the ingredients used. Herbal teas have many benefits to their consumption: they are caffeine free and have great medicinal use. In this article, the different types of herbal tea are listed, with their respective benefits.
Types of Herbal Tea and Their Benefits
Main Ingredient: Seeds or leaves of the anise plant. Benefits:
Reduces flatulence
Aids in treating an upset stomach
Used as an expectorant to reduce phlegm congestion in the throat and lungs
Anise
Caraway Tea
Main Ingredient: Caraway fruits or seeds plant. Benefits:
Relieves pain due to gas in the stomach
Soothes irritable bowel syndrome symptoms
Cleanses the digestive tract
Can be used as a breath freshener
Relives digestion issues like colic, cramps and gas
Increases the flow of breast milk
Stimulates the appetite
Soothes a sore throat
Reduces the pain of menstrual cramps
Chrysanthemum Tea
Main Ingredient: Chrysanthemum flowers Benefits:
Cleanses the liver
Helps with conditions like influenza, sore throat and eye problems
Helps treat varicose veins and atherosclerosis
Cinnamon
Main Ingredient: Cinnamon bark Benefits:
Eases menstrual cramps
Lessens the impact of a cold
Comforts an upset stomach
Chamomile
Main Ingredient: Chamomile flowers Benefits:
Acts as a mild and natural sedative
Aids in digestion and acts as a laxative
Helps with irritable bowel syndrome
Can be used as a gargle to rinse a sore mouth
Eases cold and fever symptoms
Dill
Main Ingredient: Dill seeds Benefits:
Helps ease coughs, flu and colds
Improves digestion
Stops flatulence, soothes an upset stomach
Eases colic in children
Elderberry
Main Ingredient: Dried elderberry flowers Benefits:
Aids in treating allergies
Helps treat mucus-related diseases like colds and bronchitis
Fennel
Main Ingredient: Fennel seeds Benefits:
Helps in breaking down kidney stones
Can be used as a mouthwash
Eases symptoms of asthma, bronchitis and whooping cough
Aids in digestion and reduces a bloated stomach
Acts as an anti-depressant and can treat jaundice
Effective in hastening weight loss
Reduces feelings of pain and fever
Ginger Tea
Main Ingredient: Ginger rhizomes (root) Benefits:
Home remedy for colds
Eases vomiting and nausea
Soothes an upset stomach
Helps ease morning sickness
Gets rid of bad breath
Ginseng
Main Ingredient: Ginseng root Benefits:
Increases the libido, cures sexual dysfunction in men
Eases feelings of stress
Improves appetite and digestion
Strengthens the immune system
Hibiscus
Main Ingredient: Hibiscus flower Benefits:
Reduces high blood pressure
Reduces cholesterol levels
Strengthens immune system
Hydrangea
Main Ingredient: Root of the hydrangea plant Benefits:
Reduces size of kidney stones and eases their passing
Cleanses the urinary tract and prevents infections
Is thought to be effective against gout, malaria and prostate issues
Acts as a diuretic and flushes out toxins
Encourages the body to sweat and hence cools down
Kava
Main Ingredient: Kava roots Benefits:
Mood enhancer, eases the mind and gets rid of stress
Eases muscle tension and pain
Helpful in treating gout, prostate issues and rheumatism
Can be used to treat depression and anxiety disorders
Helps treat urinary tract diseases
Lemon Peel Tea
Main Ingredient: Peel of a lemon Benefits:
Strengthens the immune system and blood vessels
Reduces symptoms of varicose veins
Increases blood circulation especially in the extremities
Relieves digestive tract problems
Used to treat colds, flu and scurvy
Lemon Grass
Main Ingredient: Fresh or dried herb
Benefits
Aids in digestion
Calms the nerves
Lowers body temperature during fevers
Reduces cholesterol and blood pressure levels
Possible effectiveness against cancer
Labrador Tea
Main Ingredient: Leaves of the plant
Benefits
Helps treat colds, flu and coughs
Relives an upset stomach
Reduces symptoms of a hangover
An ideal source of Vitamin C, for those suffering from scurvy
Helps treat respiratory infections and ulcers
Purifies and cleanses the blood
Lime Blossom
Main Ingredient: Flowers of the linden tree
Benefits:
Eases headaches and migraines
Helps treat insomnia
Lowers blood pressure levels
Calms the mind and reduces anxiety
Relieves urinary tract infections
Mint
Main Ingredient: Dried or fresh mint leaves
Benefits:
Anti-bacterial properties rids the mouth of germs after eating
Treatsallergic reactions, asthma and irritable bowel syndrome
Relieves stomach pain
Rooibos
Main Ingredient: Leaves of the Aspalathus Linearis plant
Benefits:
Revitalizes the skin
Aids with insomnia and headaches
Relaxes the nervous system
Eases colic and stomach cramps in infants
Eases digestive system issues (indigestion, ulcers, constipation)
Increases immune system strength
Helps in calming down and easing mental tension
Rose Hip
Main Ingredient: Fruit of the rose plant Benefits:
Strengths the immune system
Can treat colds and flu
Eases rheumatoid arthritis
Cleans and clears the urinary tract
Rosemary
Main Ingredient: Leaves of the rosemary herb Benefits:
Eases the symptoms of arthritis and rheumatism
Improves a person's memory and concentration
Aids in relieving an upset stomach and headaches
Reduces skin damage such as wrinkles
Sage
Main Ingredient: Sage herb Benefits:
Relaxes the nervous system
Eases coughs and chest congestion
Eases throat pain due to laryngitis or tonsils
Gets rid of constipation
Treats sores and ulcers in the mouth
St. John's Wort
Main Ingredient: Dried flowers of the herb
Benefits:
Very effective herbal anti-depressant
Helps ease insomnia
Relieves hangovers and after-effects of drinking alcohol
Helps with chest congestion, sinus, cold and flu
Eases the mind and elevates one's mood
Thyme
Main Ingredient: Thyme herb Benefits:
Aids in digestion and relieves flatulence
Eases colds and coughs
Eases menstrual cramps
Tulsi (Holy Basil)
Main Ingredient: Tulsi extract or leaves
Benefits:
Lowers blood pressure and cholesterol levels
Increases the strength of the immune system
Eases the symptoms of colds and flu
Improves respiratory and metabolic functions
Valerian
Main Ingredient: Dried Valerian root Benefits:
Can induce peaceful sleep
Eases headaches
Acts as a mild sedative
Eases menstrual cramps
Yarrow
Main Ingredient: Dried yarrow herb Benefits:
Eases the symptoms of colds and fevers
Relieves stomach problems like cramps and flatulence
Aids the flow of menstruation
Acts as an appetite stimulator
From the above list, green tea, oolong tea and black tea are missing. This is because such teas are prepared by adding various plant parts to conventional tea made from the tea bush. As such, they are considered flavored teas. The extensive types of herbal tea means a smorgasbord of tastes, flavors and aromas to enjoy as well as different situations of use.
Whatever your ailment, there seems to be a herbal tea for it. Keep in mind, that such brewings and beverages are not meant to replace medicines and treatments, when it comes to diseases.