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8 Health Benefits of Herbal Tea
Herbal teas are some of the healthiest things you can drink. The vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants found in many herbs have shown to provide many short and long-term health benefits. These teas can be a great alternative to your daily sugary and caffeinated drinks, while still providing great taste and a natural boost to your day. In this blog, we’ll explain what herbal tea is, provide a list of the health benefits of herbal tea, and the best herbal teas to drink.
What is Herbal Tea?
Despite the name, herbal teas are not actually made from the tea plant. Instead, they are made by steeping herbs, flowers, or roots. The origins of herbal tea date back to Ancient Egypt and Ancient China, used for thousands of years for its great taste and medicinal properties. There are hundreds of different herbal teas you can drink, all with varying tastes and benefits. These benefits can range from treating a cold to relieving stress, to anti-aging properties. In addition, unlike other teas, herbal teas do not contain any caffeine.
Health Benefits of Herbal Tea
Fights the Cold
Herbal teas are great for treating a cold. The elder tree herb is one of the best for fighting a cold as it has properties that clear the nasal passages and stops heavy coughs. It can also reduce the symptoms of asthma.
Improves Digestion
Many herbal teas help with the breakdown of fats and speed up the emptying of the stomach. Doing so, they can reduce symptoms of indigestion, bloating, and vomiting. Some of the best teas for these symptoms are dandelion, chamomile, cinnamon, peppermint, and ginger tea.
Boosts Immune System
The antioxidants and vitamins found in herbal teas are great for helping fight disease and infections. They can protect against oxidative stress and lower the risk of chronic disease. Some of the best herbal teas for boosting your immune system are elderberry, echinacea, ginger, and liquorice root tea.
Reduces Inflammation
Daily drinking of herbal tea can greatly help those that suffer from arthritis. Herbal tea can reduce pain, swelling, and tiredness in joints. Ginger is actually one of the best herbs to relieve inflammation, due to its main component, gingerol. This makes the tea an ideal treatment for joint and muscle pain.
Anti-ageing
Doesn’t everyone wish they could look and feel younger? Well, the antioxidants found in herbal teas have shown to aid in slowing down the ageing process. They prevent free radical damage and reduce the ageing of cells in the body. This makes your skin and hair look and feel younger.
Relieve Stress and Anxiety
Herbal teas calm and relax the mind, relieving stress and anxiety. Since it calms the mind, drinking herbal tea before going to sleep also helps people who suffer from insomnia. Chamomile tea is one of the best teas for stress relief and difficulty sleeping. The comforting effect may also act as a mild anti-depressant for some as it stimulates the brain to reduce feelings of depression.
Lower Blood Pressure
Instead of taking pills, try drinking herbal tea to lower your blood pressure instead. Herbal teas such as Hibiscus can decrease blood pressure without any negative side effects due to the chemicals it contains. High blood pressure can negatively affect the heart and kidney, so if you’re looking for a natural treatment, Hibiscus tea is the way to go.
Great for Skin Health
Herbal tea is a useful treatment for acne, without the side effects that some medications cause. The tea can either be ingested normally or by directly applying the tea onto the skin. Rooibos and chamomile tea are some of the best teas for treating the skin due to their antioxidants and antibacterial properties. Spearmint tea may also work as it reduces the breakout of acne.