Vanilla Lattes and Frappuccinos are all the rage. While they taste nice and look good with your name spelled wrong on Instagram, they provide little nutritional value and few health benefits. On the other hand, there’s a whole host of herbal teas out there that provide incredible health benefits.
In this article, we’ll look at some of the different types of herbal teas and what health benefits they provide. From stress relief to preventing common colds - we’ve got you covered! Prepare a selection box of herbal teas at home to make sure you are ready for whatever life throws at you.
Green Tea – Energy & Mental Boost
Green Tea contains a small amount of caffeine and is a healthier option compared to coffee. This herbal tea is packed full of antioxidants that fight free radicals in the body. Free radicals can lead to disease.
The caffeine in Green Tea provides a serene kind of stimulation. It’s perfect to drink on a morning or as mid-morning mental boost. Pair it with Dark Chocolate to kickstart a flow state and become ultra-productive in your work. With 3-4 times less caffeine than in a standard coffee, there’s no dreaded crash after drinking tea of the green variety.
While Green Tea provides a nice amount of stimulation, it also provides a sense of calm and serenity. It sounds like an odd combination but try it and you’ll be doing it every day of the week.
Matcha – Energy, Mental Boost & Fat Loss
Matcha is a strong form of Green Tea. It comes in powder form following being starved from sunlight to make the leaves darker. One serving contains about 70mg of caffeine which is roughly half the amount of caffeine that’s in a coffee.
This stronger form of Green Tea is high in an amino acid called L-Theanine. L-Theanine slows down how quickly the body absorbs caffeine. After drinking a mug of Matcha, you can expect 3-6 hours of sustained energy. The caffeine in coffee is absorbed much quicker and causes a crash soon after.
Like standard Green Tea, Matcha is thriving with antioxidants. It contains a high concentration of a powerful antioxidant called EGCG. This antioxidant boosts your metabolism and stimulates fat burning.
So, Matcha is great to have on a morning as it provides energy for a number of hours. It’s also perfect if you’re looking to lose body fat.
Chamomile Tea – Calms the Mind & Body
Chamomile Tea contains a compound called apigenin which has a mild sedative effect. It’s great for calming nerves, and relieving stress and anxiety. The sedative effect also helps us to fall asleep easier.
This herbal tea is anti-inflammatory and helps lower and regulate blood sugar. Chamomile also promotes digestive health. We recommend having a cup of Chamomile in the afternoon if you’re feeling a little stressed. It’s also great to have on an evening before bed due to apigenin promoting sleep.
Rooibos – Lowers Bad Cholesterol
Rooibos is a type of tea native to South Africa that is caffeine-free. It is made from fermented tea leaves and is usually a dark red/brown colour.
This is another type of tea that is full of health promoting antioxidants. A 2011 study also showed that Rooibos decreased bad cholesterol while boosting good cholesterol in overweight adults at risk of heart disease.
More human research is needed, but Rooibos could kill cancer cells and stop tumours spreading. This is due to Rooibos containing the antioxidants quercetin and luteolin.
Ginger Tea – Remedy for Nausea
Ginger is excellent for the digestive system and Ginger Tea has been used for centuries to stop nausea. It relieves indigestion and can prevent stomach ulcers.
Studies suggest that Ginger can help morning sickness subside as well as standard feelings of nausea. In addition, to its sickness and digestive benefits, Ginger Tea is a great booster for the immune system.
Drink Ginger Tea if you’re pregnant and suffering from morning sickness. It’s also recommended if you have digestive problems.
Turmeric – Boosts the Immune System
Turmeric can reduce inflammation, fight infection, and treat digestive problems. Curcumin is the active ingredient in Turmeric that provides most of the health benefits. Curcumin is a powerful antioxidant that goes hunting for dangerous free radicals. It also lowers the levels of enzymes that cause inflammation.
This spice, which is known as a cooking ingredient, can be made into a tea, and now often comes in ready-made tea bags. Turmeric’s incredible anti-inflammatory properties can also help relieve osteoarthritis pain.
Turmeric can help people with digestive issues, and it’s known to reduce GERD symptoms and acid reflux. Incredibly, it can also prevent blood clots forming in the body.
If you’re feeling a bit under the weather Turmeric Tea is a great option. It’s also great for those who suffer from inflammation and arthritis, and those with GERD or acid reflux.
Echinacea Tea – Prevents & Cures Colds
Echinacea belongs to the daisy family and has been used as a natural remedy for colds by Native American tribes for centuries. When used in tea it has a potent floral flavor.
This flower has antibacterial properties that can prevent pathogens from making you sick. This is great for preventing common colds and flus. Sipping this throughout the cold winter months should ward off any sore throats and runny noses.
If you haven’t been drinking it and have gotten a cold – worry not! Echinacea can help to soothe a sore throat and other symptoms. The cold should clear up much quicker as well.
Lemon Balm Tea – Relieves Anxiety & Depression
While I’ve tried everything on this list, this is one of the teas that became part of my daily regimen (along with Green Tea and Chamomile Tea). Lemon Balm is excellent at calming anxiety and nerves. It’s not actually made from lemon. It’s made from a herb that has a lemon-like scent.
Lemon Balm has been used for centuries as a relaxant and stress reliever. While decreasing stress and anxiety it also boosts mood. This is great as an afternoon pick-me-up. A 2021 study suggests that it improves cognitive function as well as boosting mood. The use of lemon balm saw improvements in tasks involving concentration, memory, and mathematics in the participants.
Drink lemon balm if your mood is feeling low or if you have anxiety or depression. It’s also recommended for people with insomnia due to its relaxant effect.
We want to know what herbal teas you love and why. Let us know in the comments.
If you want to improve your health or other aspects of your life you can get our guide on how to Transform Your Life (coming soon). We cover topics including exercise, food, diet, mindset, spirituality, and finances.
Have a taster on us first if you want. Here’s our Improve Your Mindset Guide for absolutely free.
