The tradition of herbal teas dates back hundreds of years. The natural aroma of plants infused with water makes delicious and healthy drinks. Just like our top 10 best tasting herbal teas post, In this post, we’ll go over the top 10 healthiest herbal teas that you can sip in the morning.
Hibiscus Tea
Hibiscus tea is made from the deep magenta calyces found in the roselle flower (Hibiscus sabdariffa). You can drink hibiscus tea, both hot and cold. The flavour is very cranberry-like and the deep red colour gives a different sensation with every sip.
High cholesterol, various liver issues, and multiple variants of cancer can benefit from hibiscus tea. The antioxidants found in the flower fights tumour growth, the primary reason behind cancer. Some believe that hibiscus tea can even help in weight loss.
To brew a cup of deep red hibiscus tea, all you have to do is collect fresh rosella flower, separate and clean the calyces, and put it in either hot or cold water. Once you get the colour and strength you like, you can finish it off with a few drops of honey or a little sugar.
Chamomile Tea
Derived from the Asteraceae plant family, chamomile is a herb that tastes delicious and has excellent health benefits. Chamomile is a group name for several flowers that look very similar to daisies. Two members of the group are more frequently used for making tea.
Chamomile tea is a great relaxant that you can drink before bed. It contains an antioxidant called apigenin. It influences the receptors in your brain the induce the feeling of sleep. Chamomile tea is known for treating conditions like motion sickness, nausea, and vomiting.
This herbal tea is also great for digestion. Although more research on humans is required, animal studies suggest that chamomile tea can reduce certain gastrointestinal conditions, acidity, and chances of stomach ulcers.
Making chamomile tea is relatively easy. You can collect dried chamomile flowers or dry them yourself after collecting fresh ones. After that, infusing it with hot water is the only step left. You may brew the dried flower for as long as you don’t get the desired flavour.
Blue Lotus Flower Tea
The Blue lotus flower is native to Egypt. That’s why it’s also known as the Blue Egyptian Lotus. It’s also known as water lily to some people. Whatever you like to call, it makes for an excellent ingredient for tea.
Blue Lotus Flower has been used for medicinal purposes since ancient times. It’s a natural aphrodisiac, anxiety reliever, and helps with sleep.
This flower is also packed with helpful antioxidants. Antioxidants are always good for fighting free radicals. Free radicals are responsible for damaging body cells. A cup of blue lotus flower tea might keep diseases like cardiac arrest, diabetes, different types of cancers, etc. away from you.
However, there are psychoactive effects of this flower. Apomorphine and Nuciferine are the two compounds found in the organic herbal tea that might cause euphoria in humans. Although these two components are controversial for their psychedelic effects, they have been used in treatment for erectile dysfunction.
You can make your own blue lotus flower tea with premade tea bags or dried flowers. Infuse 3-5 grams of dried blue lotus in 300-400 ml water and brew for 5 to 10 minutes. Learn more about this exotic flower here.
Rose Petals Tea
Rose is probably the single most popular flower on earth. It’s the symbol of love. But roses are also very well-known for their medicinal properties. Rose is a huge family of flowers containing over 130 species. The best thing is, all of these species are edible. That brings us to rose petals tea.
It’s an aromatic beverage made with fresh or dried petals. It’s swarming with antioxidants. Antioxidants fight free radicals that cause stress to our body cells and result in premature aging.
Rose petals also contain polyphenols. Polyphenols are known for reducing the chances of cancer, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and so on. If infused properly, a cup of rose tea can offer similar benefits to green tea. t shows signs of alleviating menstrual pain as well.
To make yourself a cup of this aromatic herbal tea, collect fresh or dried rose petals. Make sure the petals are free from any kind of pesticides. One rule of thumb is to stay away from nurseries or florists for making rose petals tea.
Steep 1 tablespoon of rose petals in boiling water for about 15 minutes. You may experiment with the steeping time and the number of rose petals to suit your preference.
Chrysanthemum Tea
Chrysanthemum tea is a water-infused beverage made from the Chrysanthemum flower. Chrysanthemum morifolium is the scientific name of the flower and it is very popular in eastern and southeastern Asia.
There are different varieties of the flower ranging from light yellow to bright red. They are beautiful creations of mother nature and edible to humans as well.
Chrysanthemum tea is a very popular anti-inflammatory beverage. It has shown results in bone disorders such as osteoporosis. But there has not been enough research to show whether Chrysanthemum tea is directly helpful for osteoporosis or not.
Chrysanthemum tea preparation is very simple, like most other herbal teas. You can use readymade tea bags or strain the flower in a strainer. You can use either dried or fresh flowers!
The process is as simple as boiling the water and pouring the flower on the water. Using a teabag makes the process easier. Using flowers directly adds another step of straining them.
For further reading, please see our Chrysanthemum article here
Rooibos Tea
Rooibos translates to ‘red bush’, a flower native to South Africa. It’s a member of the Fabaceae plant family. Rooibos tea is also known as red tea or red bush tea and it is one of the most popular drinks in South Africa. Rooibos tea is steadily gaining popularity across the world. It has a similar flavour to black tea and green tea, minus the caffeine.
The antioxidants present in rooibos tea may promote heart health. The angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) present in the tea regulates blood pressure. And controlled blood pressure is a must for a healthier heart.
A study concluded that consuming six cups of rooibos tea every day can result in a reduced volume of LDL a.k.a the bad cholesterol and an increase in HDL, the good cholesterol. Rooibos tea is very rich in antioxidants like aspalatin and quercetin. These antioxidants also work toward boosting immunity.
You can consume rooibos tea, either hot or cold. It’s best to stick with teabags when it comes to this herbal tea. Boil water and steep the tea for around 5 minutes for best results. It might be a good idea to read the instructions on the packaging of the tea beforehand.
Lemon Myrtle Tea
Also known as Sweet Verbena, Lemon Myrtle is native to Australia’s subtropical region. It contains the purest citral (a chemical compound) out of all the citrus plants. When infused in a tea, it gives out an amazing flavour and aroma. The plant has antimicrobial, antibiotic, antiviral, and antibacterial properties.
As stated previously, Lemon Myrtle has the purest citral. It translates to vitamin C in food and drinks. It true for Lemon Myrtle tea as well. The high concentration of vitamin C aids in cell repair and boosts immunity. It also helps with the absorption of iron, an essential mineral for the human body.
Lemon Myrtle tea is also a great source of antioxidants. A combination of lemon myrtle tea and green tea will offer tremendous health benefits like improved heart health, reduced risk of cancer and improved skin quality. Lemon Myrtle tea has anti-inflammatory properties that might come in handy as an alternative to painkillers.
To make Lemon Myrtle tea, you need fresh leaves from the plant and a pot of water. Boil the water and let it cool down a little as vitamin C loses its benefits at extreme heat. Put the fresh leaves in a cup and pour hot water. Brew it for 5 minutes before drinking.
Elderflower Tea
Elderflower comes from the Elder plant, a supposedly toxic one. It belongs to the family of Adoxaceae. There are over 20 species of elderflower all over the world. Black elder, European elder, Mexican elder, etc. are some of the most common variants.
Although the elder plant is considered toxic, Elderflowers have been used for medicinal purposes for centuries. It has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory characteristics. Elderflower tea is beneficial for colds, sinus infections, and a wide array of respiratory diseases. It also contains laxative properties that can come in handy in case of constipation.
The anti-inflammatory benefit of elderflower tea is witnessed in different forms of arthritis. It can reduce pain and swelling in the joints caused by the disease. Elderflower tea might work as natural insulin as well and keep your blood sugar levels in check. All of these benefits come from antioxidants like isoquercitrin, quercetin, anthocyanin, etc.
To make elderflower tea, both dried and fresh flowers work great. Just boil water and pour the hot water on a cup full of Elderflowers followed by straining.
Jasmine Flower Bud Tea
Jasmine belongs to the olive family of plants and is one of the most common flowers around the world. It has a very sweet fragrance to it that makes it ideal for enjoying a cup of tea. Jasmine flower buds have been used for brewing in China for hundreds of years, most notably during the Ming Dynasty. It tastes sweet and has medicinal benefits.
Jasmine flower bud tea can help with weight loss thanks to the chemical compounds that accelerate the metabolism process in humans. This organic herbal tea is also filled with antioxidants, mostly polyphenols. The role of antioxidants is to fight free radicals in the body. Free radical poisoning often leads to heart disease and even cancer.
It also reduces the LDL cholesterols in the body resulting in a healthier heart. Some studies have shown the drinking jasmine flower bud tea can help alleviate the symptoms of diabetes as well.
To make jasmine flower buds tea, you need to collect jasmine flowers that haven’t bloomed yet. In a cup of boiling water, put 1 teaspoon of jasmine buds and cover the cup for brewing. After 5 minutes, you can enjoy this amazing aromatic tea along with all its benefits.
Peppermint Tea
Peppermint tea can help with a variety of stomach problems. The cooling effects of the plant relax the muscles and cure stomach ache. It also stimulates the production of gastric juices to let the food digest as fast and as efficiently as possible.
People with bad breath can benefit a lot from peppermint tea because the plant contains antibacterial properties. It fights against the common cold and soothes a sore throat. Some studies found that peppermint tea can improve focus and mental clarity as well. The antioxidants fight against free radicals which result in improved skin quality. To learn more about the health benefits of peppermint tea, read our post here.
Making peppermint tea is a walk in the park. You can grow your own peppermint plant as well if you prefer a freshly brewed cup of this organic herbal tea. Just boil the water and let the fresh leaves steep for 10-15 minutes.
How Herbal Tea’s Benefit Your Health
Whether it’s winter or summer, a cup of herbal tea goes with all seasons. They not only taste good, but they come with numerous health benefits as well. The health benefits are similar across hot and cold organic herbal teas.
The difference between an herbal tea and a standard tea is that herbal teas belong to a different genus of plants. Standard teas like oolong, green tea, or black tea are all made from the Camellia sinensis plant. But herbal teas are mostly made from dried flowers.
In terms of health benefits, let’s start with how it can boost the immune system. Almost all herbal tea can improve your immune system. The antioxidants found in a cup of organic herbal tea is great for keeping the bodily function in order. Some of the herbs even contain essential vitamins to complement your diet. Overall, regular consumption of herbal tea leads to stronger immunity.
Secondly, herbal teas are known for their ability to prevent and cure chronic diseases. Most of the herbs are ancient and humans have been benefitting from the herbs for hundreds of years.
Most organic herbal tea contains an antioxidant called polyphenols. Studies have been shown that polyphenols help in the prevention of cancer cells. It also works for regulating blood pressure, reducing cholesterol levels, and improve overall blood circulation.
Thirdly, herbal teas are great for gut health. Most compounds found in organic herbal teas can soothe the stomach by relaxing the muscles. They improve digestion efficiency by strengthening the stomach muscles.
What is Considered a Herbal Tea
Teas have become a fundamental part of our lifestyles. Whether it’s green tea or chamomile tea, we seem to love them equally. But there is a difference between the two. A cup of organic herbal tea is not a true tea. Green tea, black tea, and oolong tea as known as true tea.
The criteria to meet here is whether the leaves came from the tea plant or not. More precisely, leaves from the Camellia Sinensis are known as tea leaves. The leaves then go through different levels of processing and oxidation before you can drink it.
On the other hand, herbal teas are actually Tisane, a liquid infusion of plant and hot water, which have numerous health benefits. It can be flowers, buds, fruits, or spices. While the tea plant contains caffeine, herbal pants don’t. True tea is available in four variants. Black tea, green tea, oolong tea, and the rare white tea.
As for herbal tea, you can use any edible plant to make yourself a cup of herbal tea, as long as you don’t face any side effects.
So, when a tea is made by infusing a plant with hot water that doesn’t come from the camellia Sinensis is considered a herbal tea. Herbal teas contain more antioxidants than regular teas and they usually contain fewer side effects.
The absence of caffeine makes herbal teas ideal for any time of the day. A cup of organic herbal tea offers the same relaxing effects like a true tea, but it won’t hamper your sleep cycle at all.
Final Words
If you consider yourself a health enthusiast, this post might be just for you. We’ve covered the healthiest herbal teas that you can get your hands on to begin the journey of a healthier life.
Learn more about herbal teas & their individual benefits in our tea life recipes and journal blogs section here.
