Chamomile Tea: Properties, Benefits, and Contraindications

If you spent at least a winter vacation with your grandparents as a child, you certainly had at least a steaming cup of chamomile tea.

This plant is among the best known in Romania, but very few people know what all its beneficial properties are and what effects it has on the body. Here's everything you need to know about chamomile, from properties to benefits and how to prepare the perfect infusion cup.

What is chamomile and how is it used

Chamomile is an herbaceous plant of the Asteraceae family (which also includes, for example, sunflower and dandelion). 

The plant has beneficial effects for the body, known since antiquity. It first appeared in ancient Egypt, but it was the Greeks who established chamomile as a plant with countless applications for the human body. Hippocrates, Dioscorides, and Galen - some of the greatest names in ancient medicine - wrote about chamomile and its effects on the body.

Since ancient times, chamomile was used to relieve digestive and rheumatic problems, it was also recommended for infections with digestive parasites, but also hair or used to relieve symptoms caused by irritation or other skin conditions.

Chamomile is used in several ways:

• Infusions and teas
• Capsules or tablets
• Chamomile extract
• Essential oils
• Creams

What does chamomile tea contain

The dried chamomile flower contains about 120 compounds, among which there are several active principles in the categories of flavonoids and terpenoids. Chamomile is also known for the essential oils it contains and which are mainly used in the cosmetics industry.

In addition to salicylic acid, vitamin A, riboflavin, minerals (calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, manganese, and sodium), the chamomile plant also contains other important active principles, including flavonoids, terpenoids, coumarins, and spirochetes.

The benefits of chamomile tea

Chamomile has been used in traditional medicine for hundreds of years for its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and astringent properties. Consumed in the form of tea or capsules/tablets or various forms of administration, chamomile has been used to relieve wounds, ulcers, eczema, rheumatic pain irritations, and hemorrhoids, but also to reduce the symptoms of colds, for example.

Chamomile tea is often used to relieve inflammation of the mouth or gums, but also as a sedative to reduce anxiety. It has some relaxing effects on digestive problems, including nausea, diarrhea, and indigestion.

Here are the main scientifically supported benefits of chamomile:

Helps to sleep better

The calming effect of chamomile tea is due to apigenin, an antioxidant that is found in abundance in chamomile infusion. According to a study published in Molecular Medicine Report4, apigenin influences the activity of certain receptors in the brain, which can lead to reduced anxiety and stimulated sleep.

Another study that looked at more women with postpartum syndrome, published in the Journal of Advanced Nursing5, showed that people who drank chamomile tea for two weeks slept better than those who did not drink tea.

It has a beneficial role for the digestive system

Chamomile extract has a beneficial effect on digestion and may decrease the risk of gastrointestinal problems. A study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology6 showed that the anti-inflammatory properties of chamomile tea can relieve cramps and diarrhea.

Another study, published in the Journal of Pharmaceutical Research7, showed that chamomile tea may be useful in preventing the onset of stomach ulcers, due to the potential inhibitor on stomach acidity and bacteria that contribute to ulcers.

Helps relieve menstrual pain

Several studies have established a link between consuming chamomile tea and relieving menstrual pain. A 2010 study, published in the Iranian Journal of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Infertility8, found that chamomile tea has a calming effect on these pains. Some of the women involved in the study also felt an anxiety reduction.

May lower blood sugar

Some studies have shown that chamomile tea can help prevent the destruction of pancreatic cells, a situation that usually occurs when blood sugar levels are well above normal.

Also, a study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry9 showed that frequently consumed chamomile tea can reduce blood sugar levels, which means a lower risk of complications from diabetes.

May slow down or reduce the effects of osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a disease that is characterized by progressive loss of bone density. This problem increases the risk of fractures and is much more common in postmenopausal women. The culprit for this situation may be, among other things, the large amount of estrogen. A study published in 2010 in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry10 showed that chamomile tea can have an antiestrogenic effect, being support for increasing bone density.

It May help relieve inflammation

Inflammation is a mechanism by which the body fights against the determinants of the disease while initiating the healing process. According to a study, chamomile tea compounds contribute to the normal functioning of the immune system and the "fight" against infections. This category includes gastrointestinal disorders, such as gastroesophageal reflux, diverticulitis, Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis.

It can improve heart health

Chamomile tea contains high amounts of antioxidants called flavonoids. Several studies in the literature, such as the one published in the journal Circulation11, have established the beneficial effects of flavonoids, including lowering blood pressure and keeping cholesterol levels within normal limits, determining factors in the occurrence of heart disease.

Another study12 with diabetes showed that people who drank chamomile tea at every meal reported a lower level of cholesterol, triglycerides and "bad" cholesterol (LDL) compared to those who drank only water.

Helps relieve and soothe skin conditions

Chamomile tea has been used for hundreds of years to soothe skin diseases, eczema, irritations, but also to soothe the discomfort caused by hemorrhoids and genital irritations.