Why Drink Herbal Teas?
There is a bevy of reasons as to why someone would choose to drink herbal tea. Drinking herbal tea can have both short-term and long-term health benefits. Herbal tea can help you beat a cold quickly and can help you stay healthier in the long run. We advise that you consult a medical practitioner before using replacing your medication with herbal teas. Herbal teas come in a variety of flavors with a host of health benefits that can make you happier and healthier.
Drinking tea is also a great way to relax and enjoy the simple things in life. Whether you try butterfly pea flower tea, turmeric tea, hibiscus tea chamomile tea or rosehip tea, be sure to find exactly tat which you seek. Find a tea type you enjoy and brew it steamy hot or as a refreshing iced tea. You can even find tea samplers that allow you test out multiple flavors to ease the choice making.
What is Herbal Tea?
Herbal teas are made from tisanes, which are blends or infusions of dried fruits, flowers, spices or herbs in water. Tisanes have been shown to offer medicinal effects. Be an informed consumer—many beverages marketed as "herbal tea" with "herbal tea benefits" are nothing more than sugary juice. Is herbal tea good for you? Some herbal teas offer health-promoting properties and have been used as natural remedies for centuries.
Dieticians recommend herbal teas in moderation with medical approval as they can pose some risks to individuals with certain health conditions. Avoid herbal teas that contain added sugar and other additives. Herbal tea should not be used as a substitute for medical treatment.
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Besides having colorful hues, herbal teas have several health benefits. The beauty about them is that they can be drunk both hot and cold.
Herbal teas — unlike standard teas such as green tea, oolong tea, and black tea —are not made from the tea plant known as the Camellia sinensis plant. Herbal teas are derived from a variety of dried flowers, spices, herbs and fruits. This has led to a huge variety of flavors and options when it comes to choosing teas for taste and health benefits. You'll find herbal teas from all over the globe including China, Africa, and the Americas.
It's no secret that tea is a popular selection for individuals who want to improve their health naturally. Unlike coffee and standard teas, most herbal teas are caffeine-free. They also feature nutrients, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that vary depending on the herbal blend.
Typical health benefits from drinking herbal tea include relaxation, pain reduction and the improvement of body systems such as digestive and immune. Some research aslo shows anticancer effects and benefits for people with type 2 diabetes. Here are the top health benefits and the herbal teas that you should consume to get them.
Health Benefits of Herbal Tea
- It Can Help You Unwind
Tea is popularly known for its calming effects and has been used for centuries as the focal point of social events and unwinding after a long day. In the modern world, pressure and stress are often dealt with by taking medication, but the side effects of these medicines can be worse than the stress itself.
Instead, think about using herbal tea to relax and rejuvenate. It's a safer and more natural alternative to prescription medicines and can help with stress and anxiety.
The relaxing properties of teas can also aid in sleep disorders such as insomnia or restless sleep. Millions of people have a hard time getting to sleep at night whether it's because they deal with a sleep disorder, are sick or simply can't wind down at the end of the day. Valerian tea offers strong, natural sedative properties that can help you get to sleep faster and rest better. Since this tea can be powerful, use it sparingly and never consume it for more than two weeks straight.
Teas to Drink: Peppermint tea, chamomile tea, lemon balm tea, passion flower tea
- Tea Boosts Your Immune System
Even people who don't regularly drink tea know the positive effects tea offers when it comes to immunity. It's why most of us opt for a piping hot cup of tea when we're feeling under the weather. Tulsi (holy basil) tea has been used in Ayurveda to boost the immune system during and after illnesses, largely in part because it offers antifungal and antibacterial properties. The medicinal properties of tea mean you can quit your cold or flu sooner.
Teas to Drink: dandelion tea, ginseng tea, licorice tea, cayenne tea.
- Tea Can Help Reduce Pain and Soreness
Like the common cold and flu, pain is often treated by pharmaceutical drugs, which can have adverse side effects. Alternatively, many herbal teas have properties that can help to reduce pain without the negative side effects.
While research is still ongoing, there have been studies that show ingredients such as capsaicin, willow bark and boswellia can help to mitigate aches and pains. Since herbal teas can have strong ingredients, it's important to check with your physician if you are also taking any pain medications before consuming.
Teas to Drink: Turmeric tea, Feverfew tea.
- It Can Help Prevent Chronic Diseases
Herbal teas are often high in antioxidants, which work to eliminate free radicals throughout the body and prevent oxidative stress. Tea also contains polyphenols, which studies have shown result in a lower likelihood of cancer. Teas are often used in Asia to combat or prevent chronic diseases such as high blood pressure and diabetes.
Studies point to the polyphenols, flavonoids and tannins that are present in herbal teas as the reasons for positive health benefits. Polyphenols work to widen the arteries, which can lower blood pressure, reduce cholesterol levels and prevent blood clots. Teas such as rooibos and honeybush have antioxidants that have been shown to prevent brain deterioration and prevent osteoporosis.
Teas to Drink: hibiscus tea, rooibos tea.
- Tea Can Improve Your Digestive System
Tea is beneficial for your digestive system because it can absorb gas, improve blood flow to the entire digestive tract and eliminate free radicals that can cause an upset stomach and indigestion. Herbal teas have phenols that can strengthen both stomach muscles and the muscles in your esophagus, which can reduce acid reflux and heartburn symptoms. Teas also enable your digestive tract to more easily absorb nutrients.
Teas to Drink: ginger tea, chamomile tea, chai tea.
- It Stimulates Brain Function
While you can drink just a cup or two of tea when you're sick to get the health benefits, if you want the brain boosting power of tea, you'll need to drink tea regularly. The main way herbal teas improve brain function is by increasing blood flow to the brain, thus providing it with nutrients and essential oxygen for a healthy mind.
Teas to Drink: ginger root tea, lemon balm tea, ginkgo biloba tea.
- Like Water, It's Calorie-Free
Tea is a better-tasting alternative to water that is still calorie-free. While studies on the direct effects of tea on weight loss are ongoing, tea can be a tasty replacement for plain old water throughout the day. Keep in mind that while tea itself is calorie-free, adding extras such as sugar or honey can up the calories.
Note
To get the most out of herbal tea health benefits, we recommend brewing with loose leaf tea rather than tea bags. Loose tea contains full leaves that are loaded with nutrients while tea bags usually contain the dust and fanning of large-scale tea production processes. If you want a socially-conscious tea, look for varieties that are Fair Trade certified.