5 Herbal Tea Benefits for a Healthier and Happier Life

You might be looking for something to warm you up throughout the winter season or cool you down during the summer, and herbal teas can be consumed year-round; they’re a delicious, healthy, and immune-boosting beverage regardless of temperature. The health benefits of herbal teas can be enjoyed just the same – whether hot or cold. However, they vary largely depending on the type of herbal tea you drink.

Herbal teas – compared to standard teas such as black tea, oolong tea or green tea – are not made from the Camellia sinensis tea plant. Herbal teas come from a variety of dried herbs, spices, flowers, and fruit. So, there is a huge variety of options and aromas to choose from when it comes to health benefits and taste.

Tea is a very popular choice for individuals who are interested in improving their health in a natural and organic way. Herbal teas – or more accurately tisanes – are full of nutrients, minerals, antioxidants, and vitamins that vary depending on the blend, and each has its own beneficial properties.

Common health benefits that come with drinking herbal tea include pain reduction, anticancer effects, detoxification, improvement of body functions, relaxation, rejuvenation, and many more. Here is a list of the top health benefits of herbal tea and the types of herbal tea you should consume to get them. You can also check out the full collection of our best herbal teas.

5 HEALTH BENEFITS OF HERBAL TEAS

HERBAL TEA HELPS YOU UNWIND

Tea is well known for its soothing and calming effects, and has been used for centuries as a healthy beverage for unwinding after a long day. Nowadays, stress and pressure are usually dealt with by taking chemical medications, but the side effects of such drugs can usually be far worse than the stress itself.

Instead of taking medication, consider using herbal tea as a way to rejuvenate, unwind, and relax. It’s a safer and more natural alternative and can help with anxiety and stress without adding more chemicals and toxins to your blood.

The soothing properties of herbal tea can also aid in sleep disorders such as restless sleep or insomnia. A lot of people have trouble going to sleep at night, mostly because they have a sleep disorder or they just can’t unwind and shut their brain down at the end of the day.

ROYAL CHAMOMILE TEA

Chamomile tea has some natural sedative qualities that can help you rest better by inducing a very relaxing, good night’s sleep. Chamomile tea can also be used long term for treating generalised anxiety disorder. It’s the perfect bedtime tea and a very popular sleeping aid.

COOL MINT TEA

Peppermint tea contains menthol which is a naturally occurring muscle relaxant. Mint tea can also help stimulate total body relaxation after a long, stressful day. Naturally caffeine-free and perfect after-dinner tea with soft and soothing notes.

LEMON BALM TEA

Lemon balm helps to reduce cortisol, which is a stress hormone, and it also doesn’t cause drowsiness, like some medications used for the same purpose, making it a great choice for a quick reset halfway through your day.

Tavalon’s Relax herbal tea contains a rich blend of lemon balm, chamomile, peppermint, and rose petals, making it a perfect rejuvenation and relaxation beverage. 

PASSION FLOWER TEA

Passionflower tea contains a flavone called chrysin which can help you sleep more peacefully and also reduce anxiety levels.

TEA BOOSTS YOUR IMMUNITY

Herbal tea benefits are far beyond just bringing peace and tranquillity. Pretty much everybody knows about the positive effects of herbal tea when it comes to immunity-boosting.

It’s one of the main reasons why most of us go for a hot cup of tea every time we’re feeling a bit under the weather. The medicinal properties of herbal tea mean you can get rid of that cold or flu sooner than you’d normally do and resume your regular, day to day activities.

DANDELION TEA

Dandelion tea is full of antioxidants that help remove toxins and aid the immune system in fighting off infections. It also has some powerful diuretic properties which can help you clear your system and get you back on track and feeling healthy faster.

Tavalon’s Detox blend contains dandelion roots in addition to peppermint, lemongrass, and tulsi.

GINSENG TEA

Ginseng tea has been used for centuries around the world and is famous for its immunity-boosting properties. This herbal tea helps the white blood cells in your body to reproduce faster and makes the common cold or flu feel like a distant memory.

LICORICE TEA

Licorice tea has a very special taste blend of sour, salty, sweet, and bitter that isn’t quite a favourite for everybody. If you have the stomach for it, licorice tea has some very strong anti-inflammatory properties that help with sore body aches that come with the flu.

To enjoy the health benefits with a milder and more pleasing taste, you can try Tavalon’s Rooibos Bilberry or Focus blends.  

CAYENNE TEA

Cayenne tea seems a bit counterintuitive, but it’s highly recommended when it comes to getting rid of nasty coughs and healing sore throats. At first glance, spicy teas may not look like the best drink to consume when having a scratchy and itchy throat, but cayenne pepper teas will stop a cold dead in its tracks.

Capsaicin, the active ingredient in cayenne tea, helps protect your throat lining by thinning out mucus, clearing out congestion, reducing inflammation, and thus making it easier to breathe.

TEA HELPS REDUCE PAIN AND DISCOMFORT

As with the flu or common cold, pain is treated with medication, which can have minor to major side effects. Alternatively, many herbal teas have properties that can help reduce the discomfort without having any harmful side effects that come with some pharmaceutical drugs.

Keep in mind that, before consuming, it’s important to check with your physician if you are taking any prescription medication since some herbal teas can have strong ingredients such as capsaicin, boswellia, and willow bark.

TURMERIC TEA

Turmeric tea relieves aches and pains as it has anti-inflammatory properties. It can also help alleviate minor aches and pains that come from workouts or menstrual cramps.

FEVERFEW TEA

Feverfew tea is a very popular tea when it comes to its benefits in treating migraines and headaches. This herbal tea can also be blended with passionflower or lemongrass tea if you want to give it a smoother taste and reduce the risk of irritation to the mouth since it can – occasionally – have this side effect to some non-drinkers when drinking it by itself.

TEA STIMULATES BRAIN FUNCTION

You can drink a cup of herbal tea when you’re a bit sick and want to benefit from its healthy properties, but if you want to take full advantage of its brain-boosting powers, you’ll want to make a daily habit out of drinking tea.

Herbal teas improve brain function by increasing the cerebral blood flow and feeding your brain with nutrients and essential oxygen.

GINGER ROOT TEA

Ginger root tea can help treat migraines and headaches due to its anti-inflammatory properties. This type of herbal tea also helps you focus better and keeps your brain healthy by increasing the blood flow to it.

Ginger root tea is full of natural oxidants which protect your brain by reducing free radicals. If you want to keep a sharp mind and a good attitude, you now know what to do.

GINGKO BILOBA TEA

This is another blend of herbal tea chock full of antioxidants that improve brain and nerve cell functions.

Gingko biloba tea has also been known to improve memory in young to middle-aged people, and it helps reduce aluminium chloride in the brain. Aluminium chloridewhich is responsible for neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s, and other cognitive impairments.

TEA HELPS PREVENT CHRONIC DISEASES

Herbal teas are often used to prevent or combat chronic diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure and are very high in antioxidants which help eliminate free radicals throughout the body. Herbal teas also contain polyphenols, which are known for lowering the likelihood of cancer.

The tannins, flavonoids, and polyphenols that are present in herbal teas are the reason behind the positive health benefits of these beverages. Polyphenols reduce cholesterol, prevent blood clots, and lower blood pressure by widening and cleaning out the arteries. Herbal teas such as honeybush and rooibos have antioxidants that are proven to prevent osteoporosis and brain deterioration.

HIBISCUS TEA

Polyphenols originate from vegetables and fruits, so the more colourful your herbal tea, the more polyphenols it contains and the more health benefits you will enjoy. Unfermented teas have higher levels of polyphenols, so try and consider those blends as well.

Hibiscus tea is a garnet red tea that is very high in minerals and vitamin C and contains polyphenols that are known to help in lowering LDL cholesterol levels, fight bacteria such as E. coli, and prevent cancer and heart disease.

ROOIBOS TEA

This type of herbal tea is brewed by steeping tea leaves, from the Rooibos plant, in hot water. Rooibos tea contains up to 50 percent more antioxidants compared to green tea, and these can prevent the damaging effects of free radicals.

One type of antioxidant present in Rooibos tea is aspalathin, which can prevent blood sugar spikes, thus making it a good choice for people with heart diseases or diabetes.

DRINK IT UP!

Drinking herbal tea may have short-term to long-term health benefits. It can help you stay healthier in the long run or beat a cold in record time. Just don’t go overboard with them and avoid using teas as a replacement for any medication – they should be used to prevent, maintain a healthy lifestyle or complement certain diets. Herbal teas come with a variety of health benefits and flavours which can make you considerably happier and healthier.

Drinking herbal tea is also a great way to unwind, take some stress off, and enjoy the simple things in life. Regardless of the blend you decide to try, you’re guaranteed to find flavours you’ll love. 

All that is left for you to do is to reward yourself with a soothing, hot cup of tea before getting ready to go to bed or kickstarting your day the right way. Cheers to better health!