The Health Benefits Of Herbal Tea

Are there health benefits to drinking herbal tea?

Do you drink hot tea? Well, guess what, it could be good for you! Tea can help our bodies in lots of ways.

In this article, I will touch on just a few types of teas that can be good for us.

Green, Oolong, Black Teas

Out of these three teas, green has the most beneficial properties of these three teas because it is the least fermented of them after green comes Oolong and then black tea.

Green tea can help with health and immunity. It can also help keep your gums and teeth healthy! It may also help you breathe easier if you have congestion/asthma. However, it contains caffeine, which can also be a stimulant.

Oolong and Black teas are more fermented and may help in the same areas as green. They are just not as strong medicinally.

If you want to have a cup of green tea, it is said that you should not add boiling water to the tea, for you are not cooking it, just steeping it. After adding your hot water, let it steep for about 2 minutes. If you let it sit too long, it may get bitter.

Green Tea

Add your hot water to your tea bag.

You can drink it plain with nothing added or add a bit of honey for sweetness.

Often, I like to add milk to my tea. It seems to give it a creamy feel when I drink it.

Tea

There are two primary forms that you can buy tea. You can purchase tea bags, or you can buy loose tea. You will need a special teapot if you decide to go with loose tea. It looks like a cute little teapot. However, inside, there is a mesh holder to place the loose tea. You put your hot water into the pot and then place the holder with the loose tea inside the pot. Let the tea steep for about 2 minutes, and then pour it into your mug!

Here is a short list of several teas that may help with certain things:

For Cough: Anise, Elder, Peppermint

For Diarrhea: Bilberry, Raspberry

For Fatigue: Astragalus, Ginseng, Milk Thistle

For Gas: Anise, Catnip, Cinnamon

For Immunity: Echinacea, Ginko, Ginseng, Green

For Kidney Health: Cranberry

For Nausea: Ginger, Peppermint, Spearmint

For Sinus Congestion: Bayberry

For Stress: Catnip, Ginseng, Kava Lava

For Urinary Tract (infection): Bilberry, Cleavers, Cranberry

For Weight Control: Alfalfa, Dandelion, Ginger, Papaya

This information came from 20,000 Secrets of Tea, written by: V. Zak

Tea is more available now than ever before. Often, you can find it at the grocery store! However, some of the rare varieties you may have to find at a specialty herb shop.

I have been known to order my herbal tea bags from Amazon as well. However, I prefer to order the organic variety; they have a nice selection at reasonable prices and typically will arrive within a couple of days if you have Prime.

For loose teas, I prefer to shop at local tea shops. You may be surprised at the variety you can find at your local shop. If you ask the sales associate for assistance, they can often help you put together flavor varieties to help with any health concerns. For example: if you suffer from migraines, let them know, and they can put together teas that may help you.

I am not telling anyone to use herbal teas in the place of medical care. But they are worth a try. Try adding them to your routine, and be sure to talk to your doctor before trying anything new.

Happy drinking!