A Beginners Guide to Herbal Teas

Introduction

Drinking herbal teas are a great way to spend an evening. You are giving time to your brain to relax while also providing beneficial supplements to your body.

Herbal teas provide you with great health benefits while at the same time keeping your body hydrated. They are good for your physical as well as mental health.

Not only are you ingesting nutritional supplements, you can have a great time while doing it. You can have tea while reading a book in the evening, or share tea with your friends while hanging out at the cafe or you can just lay back and have some tea at your home with your partner while watching television.

There are as many ways to enjoy herbal teas as there are combinations of herbs that can be used to make tea and the benefits they provide.

How to Make Herbal Tea

Making herbal tea is very easy. All you need to know is how to boil water. The same method will be used for all herbal teas, although you can add other herbs or condiments like honey if required.

• Boil 1 cup of water
• Crush the herb leaves and put them in a teapot.
• Pour the water over the herbs. Let it stay for at least 10 minutes to derive maximum benefits of the herb.
• If you are using a tea bag, immerse the tea bag in the cup for 10 minutes.
• After 10 minutes, strain the tea from the teapot and into a teacup.

Popular Herbal Teas for Health & Wellness

Chinese Tea

Did you know that tea was first discovered by the Chinese and used as medicine? It then evolved into a type of beverage, and quickly became an integral part of Chinese culture.

Chinese tea is packed with unique ingredients such as tea polyphenol and Theine, which contribute positively to overall physical health.

What are the exact advantages to drinking this incredible tea?

Regularly consuming Chinese tea may lower your chance of developing cardiovascular disease, help you with weight loss, enhance your memory, increase bone density, and even improve muscular endurance.

Chinese tea is one of the best herbal teas you can consume for your health and a fan favorite among herbal tea connoisseurs.

Peppermint Tea

The peppermint herb is a decongestant and contains anti-spasmodic as well as cooling properties. Drinking peppermint tea can help deal with abdominal gas and bloating. It is a great digestive and is often used after meals to soothe digestive tracts and during nausea.

But in case you are suffering from heartburn or any other heart problems, you should avoid peppermint altogether because it can worsen your condition.

It is also one of the easiest herbs to grow, meaning you can have your herbal tea homemade by planting a peppermint herb in your garden.

Ginger Tea

Ginger tea is a very common beverage in the South Asian continent, especially India. Ginger is a strong anti-inflammatory herb that is oft used for preparing Indian dishes.

It is an anti-viral and can, therefore, be used as a cold or flu remedy. It also improves blood circulation, lowers blood pressure and is a well-known cure for nausea, travel sickness, and indigestion.

You can make fresh ginger tea by adding a ginger root to boiling water and letting it simmer for 10-15 minutes. Then strain the water. You might also like to add honey or lemon juice. Ginger tea can also be made from powdered ginger, especially if you are looking to ward of a chill.

Drink ginger tea after a meal to avoid indigestion, flatulence or bloating. It can also be used for stomach cramps.

Chamomile Tea

Chamomile is an age-old medicinal herb that was used in Egyptian, Greek and Roman civilizations for treating a variety of conditions like cold, fever, stomach problems, inflammations, and skin diseases among others.

Chamomile flower tea is the second most commonly consumed tea in the world. The tea helps you relax as the chamomile has soothing properties. It is also a good source of magnesium.

Chamomile tea, when taken during times of stress, is very effective in making you feel relaxed as it is mildly sedative; so you might prefer to take it closer to your bedtime. The tea also works great for countering nausea and anxiety.

Rooibos Tea

Rooibos, also known as Red Bush, is a herb that is grown in South Africa, and whose leaves are used to brew healing teas. When brewed, it makes a beautiful red colored beverage as sometimes called red tea.

Rooibos contains zinc, magnesium, copper and vitamin C, among others. It helps to develop strong bones and teeth. The herb also has anti-carcinogenic, anti-mutagenic, anti-inflammatory and anti-viral properties.

Rooibos tea can help prevent cancer by getting rid of free radicals in the body. It relieves tension, stress and combats nervousness by inducing calm. It is also helpful in dealing with respiratory problems.

Drinking rooibos tea battles high blood pressure, hypertension, and diabetes. It can also be an effective remedy for stomach cramps and abdominal pains, especially if children are suffering from stomach pains.

It is good for the skin and can be used to treat skin conditions like eczema.

Add 1 tbsp of tea leaves to a cup of boiling water and then strain it after 5 minutes. You can add a few drops of lemon juice if you like.

Milk Thistle Tea

Milk thistle is a flowering herb related to the daisy family. It is also known as holy thistle or Mary thistle.

Thistle has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, ant carcinogenic, hepatic-protective, immune-stimulating properties.

It has been approved as a natural treatment for liver problems and is often used to treat jaundice, hepatitis and gallbladder infections, among others. It helps repair liver cells damaged by alcohol and other toxic substances while also promoting liver cell growth.

Some sources even claim that milk thistle can substitute a proper detox program for alcohol, nicotine, marijuana or other drugs. In reality, herbal teas are not potent enough to stimulate flushing of drug metabolites.

Nevertheless, detox drinks that work for drug test do exist, as stated in this independent review by MedSignals. Many people were able to cleanse their urine from drugs in less than 24 hours.

There has also been research to suggest that milk thistle when combined with other medical treatments, can improve diabetes by reducing sugar levels in the blood and improving cholesterol levels in people with type 2 diabetes.

Add 1 tablespoon of milk thistle leaves to a cup of boiling water and strain it after 3-5 minutes. You can also add cream, sugar or honey.

Lemon Balm Tea

Lemon can help raise your spirits and improve your mood. This easy to grow plant is great for treating winter blues. Lemon balm also helps you concentrate better. It also helps you calm your nerves and relax under tension.

Lemon balm tea is delicious when hot, but if you fancy iced tea, lemon balm tea is fantastic when cold. What I like to do is enjoy a nice hot cup after a brew but turn the rest into iced tea to enjoy during the week. This is one of my favorite teas during the summer months.

You can use 1 tbsp of fresh or dried leaves that have a strong lemon scent for 1 cup of water. One of the best Lemon Balm dried leaves suppliers is Black Leaves, one of the major Australian tea companies.

Sage Tea

Sage is a part of the mint family and has long been used to treat a variety of ailments ranging from mental issues to gastrointestinal problems. It has a number of anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant compounds which can help you boost your health.

Drinking sage tea can also help you have a good night’s sleep as it helps eliminate night sweats and relax your mind.

Sage also has other medicinal benefits like; it can help with your memory and prevent Alzheimer’s. It is also an effective remedy for reducing cholesterol levels in your blood.

To make sage tea, put 4 tbsp of dried sage leaves in 1 cup of boiling water. Immerse the leaves in the water and cover it tightly, leaving it for 4 hours. Then strain it, and drink.

Thyme Tea

Thyme contains many compounds that are helpful in preventing diseases and promoting good health. It also a rich a source of minerals like potassium, iron, and manganese as well as vitamins including vitamin A, E and C.

Thyme tea can help deal with bronchial spasms that lead to coughing. It is also a good remedy for a sore throat, laryngitis or cold.

To prepare thyme tea, take 2 tsp of thyme leaves and them to a cup of boiling water. Let it stay immersed for 10 minutes and then drink for 2-3 times a day.

Rosemary Tea

Rosemary is a sweet-scented herb that has long been used for strengthening memory and the heart. Crushed rosemary leaves have a spicy aroma.

Drinking rosemary tea can ward off stress-related headaches. It is also good for the heart as it keeps the blood vessels dilated. Rosemary tea is a natural remedy for forgetfulness and helps make your mind agile.

This herbal tea can also be an effective remedy in dealing with fatigue and ensuring a good digestive process, especially of starchy foods.

Use 1 teaspoon of dried rosemary leaves for 1 cup of boiling water.

Rosehip Tea

Rosehip is the fruit of a rose. It is the richest source of Vitamin C, about 50% ahead of oranges. As they have such a high content of this vitamin, they provide an effective boost to your immune system.

Drinking rosehip tea can prevent or treat cold. It can also be used to improve digestion to help with a mild case of constipation and relieve the symptoms of kidney problems.

This tea is also used to deal with rheumatoid arthritis by reducing pain and improving the overall mood. Dinking rosehip daily is also beneficial for skin as it helps to regenerate skin cells, heal wounds and scars, and prevent wrinkles.

To make the tea simply pour a cup boiling water over a tablespoon of crushed, dried rosehips and let steep. After 5-10 minutes, strain it. You can add honey if you like when you drink it.

Conclusion

As a time tested method to extract the medicinal properties of dried flowers, fruit, leaves, seeds or roots, herbal teas are a quick, simple, and tasty way to improve your health and wellness. 

Now you know how to make a basic herbal tea and we’ve even taken a look at some of the most popular herbal teas out there to get your started.

Of course, the sheer number of herbal teas out there is seemingly limitless. You can pretty much create an herbal tea using any combination of dried flowers, fruit, leaves, seeds or roots that you see fit.

That being said, herbal teas aren’t going to replace your daily brew of coffee anytime soon, as herbal teas contain no caffeine. Though, traditional teas such as a green tea do and they also offer many health benefits.

About Shannon Clark

Shannon holds a degree in Exercise Science and is a certified personal trainer and fitness writer with over 10 years of industry experience.