Herbal Tea Health Benefits
What is Herbal Tea and Its health benefits
You can make so many other varieties of tea, without using actual tea. There are hundreds of herbs that will produce a delicious cup of tea, and they're good for you too.
Herbal teas have many health benefits and they taste great too. Chamomile tea will sooth an upset digestive system and it seems so relaxing. Rooibos tea is a wonderful antioxidant. Mint teas are aromatic and very flavorful. There are many varieties and blends of herbal teas that are available in grocery stores, tea and coffee shops, and natural foods stores. If you drink more than one cup of coffee per day, try replacing some of that coffee with herbal teas. Most herbal teas don't have caffeine, however green teas do. Of course green teas have many health benefits as well.
The medicinal benefits available are varied, ranging from refreshing pick-me-ups and relaxing soothers, to extra help for digestion, sleep and your immune system. So pick carefully, or choose a selection in readiness for every health need!
Digestion : Aid your digestion at the end of a meal with a freshly brewed cup of peppermint tea.
Sleep : Encourage restful sleep with a cup of camomile or valerian tea. Or try a special mix designed for consumption at night.
Nausea : Ginger is great for aiding nausea and quietly sipping a hot pure or mixed ginger tea can help relieve feelings of sickness. It's a good alternative to take ginger capsules and a bag can easily be carried around by those likely to suffer travel sickness, or by pregnant women concerned about morning sickness.
Immune system : The popular herb echinacea can also be found in tea form. It's often included with a fruity companion and offers an extra way to boost your immune system and encourage natural cold-fighting abilities.
Concentration : If you have a busy job or are studying hard, then you could give your concentration a natural boost by drinking ginkgo biloba tea. It may even boost your memory skills, too.
Skin cleansing : There are even herbal teas that could offer help for cleansing your skin. In particular, look out for teas such as nettle, lemon balm or red clover.
Calming : Lemon balm produces a sweet aroma and as a tea it’s ideal for calming you down and soothing away any stresses and strains. It’s also believed to have some anti-depressant properties, too.
Headaches : If headaches are a problem, you could give rosemary tea a go. This herb contains antiseptic properties and can help relieve niggling headaches. Sometimes it can taste quite bitter, especially if it’s not blended with another herb, so if you don’t like the taste try adding a teaspoonful of honey to make it more palatable.
Herbal Tea Recipes
Damiana Delight
By Sean Paajanen, About.com
Damiana can be a little bitter as an herb on its own, but you'd never know it will the fresh taste of mint and zesy orange flavour. A great floral tea for a summer day.
Ingredients:
1 tbs chamomile
1 tbs damiana leaves
1 tbs lemongrass
1 tbs spearmint leaves
1/4 tbs jasmine flowers
1/4 tbs orange peel, grated
Preparation:
Combine herbs in two cups of water, and simmer for 15 minutes. Strain out herbs and serve hot.
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Lavender Verbena Tea
By Sean Paajanen, About.com
A simple mix of lemon verbena and a little bit of lavender. You don't need too many lavender blossoms to really create a floral-tasting herbal tea.
Ingredients:
1 cup lemon verbena leaves
3 tbs lavender flowers
Preparation:
Mix the herbs thoroughly, and store in an air tight container. For a cup of tea, use 1 tsp in a cup of boiling water. Steep for 5 minutes and strain out the leaves. Enjoy with a bit of honey.
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Peppermint Tea
By Sean Paajanen, About.com
Mint makes an excellent herbal tea on its own, but you'll have something special with the addition of fennel and lemonbalm. An added bonus is that this blend will ease an upset stomach as well.
Ingredients:
8 oz peppermint leaves
8 oz lemon balm leaves
8 oz fennel seeds
Preparation:
Mix the herbs thoroughly, and store in an air tight container. For a cup of tea, use 1 tsp in a cup of boiling water. Steep for 10 minutes and strain out the herbs.
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Rosemary Punch
By Sean Paajanen, About.com
You might not have thought to brew a tea punch with rosemary, but the flavour of steeped rosemary compliments the pineapple juice. Add some sparkle with the ginger ale, and you have a punch fit for a party.
Ingredients:
2 handfuls of dried rosemary
2 cups water
1 litre ginger ale
12 oz frozen pineapple juice
Preparation:
Heat water and rosemary until boiling, then simmer for 5 minutes. Let cool then strain out the rosemary. Combine with the pineapple juice. Add ginger ale right before
serving.
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Sage Tea
By Sean Paajanen, About.com
The flavours of the sage and lemon blend nicely. It's a very herbal taste, which would be good for those of you who enjoy green teas.
Ingredients:
1/2 oz fresh sage leaves
1 oz fine sugar
1/4 oz grated lemon rind
Juice from one lemon
1 quart water, boiling
Preparation:
Keep water at a simmer, and add the rest of the ingredients. Steep for 30 minutes. Strain out the herbs and serve hot or iced.
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Tropical Herb Tea
By Sean Paajanen, About.com
A fruit and herb tea that you will need to let steep in the fridge overnight, so prepare to make this recipe the day before you want to enjoy this exotic and tropical drink.
Ingredients:
3 tbs hibiscus flowers
3 tbs mint leaves
3 tbs lemongrass
1/2 cup chopped pineapple
2 oranges, sliced
1 papaya, sliced
1 mango, sliced
Preparation:
In 2 quarts water, bring herbs to a boil and let steep for 20 minutes. Strain out herbs. In a large jar or bowl, mix the fruit and pour the tea over top. Let refrigerate overnight. Serve chilled, with or without the fruit.
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Anise Tea
By Sean Paajanen, About.com
No actual tea in this, just anise, which gives it a distinctive licorice flavour. If you enjoy strongly flavoured herbal teas, then you should try this anise tea recipe.
Ingredients:
1 cup water, boiling
1 tsp dried anise leaves
1 tsp honey
Preparation:
Steep anise leaves in hot water for about 5-6 minutes. Strain out leaves and sweeten tea with honey.
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Almond Milk
By Sean Paajanen, About.com
Not quite a tea recipe, but so many people enjoy my almond tea recipe, that I thought this would also appeal to the more adventurous reader. It's spiced up with peppercorns.
Ingredients:
1 cup almonds
4 cups water
4 black peppercorns
1/2 cup sugar
Preparation:
Blanche the almonds, and place them in a blender with the water and peppercorns. Blend until smooth, then strain through a few layers of cheesecloth. Mix the strained almond milk with sugar and serve cold.
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Catnip & Chamomile Tea
By Sean Paajanen, About.com
Catnip isn't only for cats, you know. This herbal blend of catnip, chamomile, lemon balm and more will soothe you even after the toughest day at work.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup dried catnip
3/4 cup dried chamomile
1 cup dried lemon balm
1/4 cup dried mint
1/4 cup dried lemongrass
Preparation:
Mix the herbs thoroughly, and store in an air tight container. For a cup of tea, use 2 tsp in a cup of boiling water. Steep for 5 minutes and strain out the herbs.
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Chamomile Chai
By Sean Paajanen, About.com
A twist on the traditional chai recipe, with chamomile and other herbs. The chamomile may be relaxing but all that fresh ginger will perk you right back up again.
Ingredients:
3 tsp fresh ginger root, grated
1 tsp coriander seeds
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp caradmom
1/16 tsp allspice
2 tsp chamomile
Preparation:
Combine everything except chamomile in water and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and add chamomile. Steep for another 10 minutes. Strain out herbs and serve hot.
