The 8 Healthiest Herbal Teas, According to Research

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Nothing beats the comfort of a hot cup of herbal tea, especially when you know it’s packed with health benefits. There seems to be a herbal tea out there that can soothe just about any symptom.

Herbal teas are made from the infusions of a variety of dried herbs, fruits, seeds, flowers, and spices, so their health benefits essentially have no limits. They’re also caffeine-free, which makes them even more soothing.

Herbal teas are largely known for their benefits in digestion and relaxation, but that’s not all. There are hundreds of herbal teas and blends to choose from, and the specific health benefits will vary.

Here are 8 of the best herbal teas for your health, along with their most important health benefits:

Best Herbal Tea For Sleep: Chamomile Tea 

Chamomile tea is one of the most popular herbal teas out there, and it’s for a good reason. It’s been used for its health benefits since ancient times. While most people drink it for its sleep and relaxation benefits, it offers many more health benefits.

Here is a quick look at some of the potential benefits of drinking chamomile tea:

• Promotes Relaxation and Sleep: Chamomile tea is one of the best teas for relaxation and sleep. That’s because it contains a high amount of apigenin, a bioflavonoid compound that’s been found to reduce anxiety and promote relaxation. Because of its soothing effects, drinking chamomile tea before bedtime can even help improve sleep quality.
• Reduces Inflammation: Chamomile tea is also rich in anti-inflammatory compounds. In fact, chamomile has been used for centuries to treat disorders caused by inflammation.
• Helps With Digestion: Because of its relaxing properties, chamomile tea can relax the digestive tract and can help with a variety of stomach and digestive issues. Also, its bitter compounds stimulate the production of digestive juices, further helping with digestion.
• Boosts The Immune System: Chamomile tea is rich in flavonoids, which are potent antioxidants. The flavonoids in chamomile tea can help give your immune system a needed boost and protect your body from a range of infections.
• Promotes Healthy Skin: Because of its anti-inflammatory compounds and antioxidants, chamomile tea may even help improve the health of your skin. The polyphenols and phytochemicals found in chamomile tea can also help reduce visible signs of aging and minimize breakouts. However, this may only work if applied topically, as opposed to in tea form.
• May Lower Blood Sugar Levels: A few studies have shown that chamomile tea may help lower blood sugar levels if you have type 2 diabetes. However, more research is needed to confirm this.

Best Herbal Tea For Upset Stomach: Peppermint Tea

Peppermint tea is another popular herbal tea. It has a familiar, refreshing taste, but not many people are aware of its numerous health benefits. Not only is it an excellent digestive aid, but it’s also great for soothing headaches and nausea.

Here is a quick look at some of the potential benefits of drinking peppermint tea:

• Helps With Digestion: Peppermint has been found to relax the muscles in the digestive system, relieving uncomfortable symptoms such as bloating and gas. It may also help stimulate the production of digestive juices, which can also help with digestion. It should be noted that most studies examined the effects of peppermint oil and not peppermint tea. 
• Improves Headache Symptoms: Peppermint tea is an excellent tea for people who suffer from tension-type headaches or migraines. This is largely due to its ability to relax muscles and improve blood flow. For even more help with your tension headache, we recommend combining peppermint tea with ginger or chamomile.
• Reduces Nausea: Peppermint tea is one of the best teas for nausea and vomiting. It’s particularly recommended during pregnancy or after surgery.
• Fresher Breath: Peppermint tea contains compounds with antimicrobial properties that make it a great tea for freshening your breath and improving your oral health.
• Relieves Stress and Anxiety: Peppermint tea contains the compound menthol, which has been found to reduce stress and anxiety due to its calming effects. Fun fact: Menthol is also added to cigarettes to make smoking easier on the airway.
• Boosts The Immune System: Like most herbal teas on this list, peppermint tea is loaded with antioxidants that can help give your immune system a boost and protect your body against infections.
• Better Energy & Exercise Performance: While peppermint tea is caffeine-free, it can still help give you a boost of energy. In fact, some studies have shown that peppermint can improve exercise performance and reduce fatigue.
  

Best Herbal Tea for Nausea: Ginger Tea

Ginger tea has been used in Chinese medicine for thousands of years. Made from the dried roots of the ginger plant, ginger tea has a spicy and warming flavour. It’s most commonly used for reducing nausea and inflammation, but that’s not all.

Here is a quick look at some of the potential benefits of drinking ginger tea:

• Helps With Digestion: Due to the compound gingerol, ginger tea stimulates the digestive tract and may help relieve uncomfortable digestive symptoms such as bloating, gas, and indigestion.
• Reduces PMS Symptoms & Cramps: A small 2014 study found that ginger significantly reduced the unpleasant symptoms of PMS, including mood, pain, and behavioural symptoms. To relieve menstrual cramps, we recommend making the tea from ginger powder instead. According to NutritionFacts, all it takes is a 1/4 teaspoon of ginger powder, three times a day during the first few days of menstruation. We can attest that it works!
• Alleviates Nausea: Studies have found that ginger tea can help alleviate nausea and vomiting, especially during pregnancy and chemotherapy. 
• Reduces Inflammation: Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties that may help reduce inflammation in the body, which is linked to many chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes.
• Relieves Headaches:  Because of its ability to relax muscles and improve blood flow, ginger tea may help relieve headaches and migraines.
• Boosts The Immune System: Ginger tea is antioxidant-rich and can help boost the immune system and protect the body against infections. 
• Lowers Blood Sugar Levels: Some studies have shown that ginger possesses anti-diabetic properties. That said, ginger tea may help lower blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes.
• Improves Brain Function: Some studies have shown that ginger tea may help improve cognitive function and memory.

Best Herbal Tea For Inflammation: Turmeric Tea

Turmeric tea is a herbal tea that’s made from the dried roots of the turmeric plant. Its main component, curcumin, possesses powerful anti-inflammatory properties and may help with digestion, inflammation, and cognitive function.

Here is a quick look at some of the potential benefits of drinking turmeric tea:

• Reduces Inflammation: Turmeric contains the compound curcumin, which has excellent anti-inflammatory properties that may help reduce inflammation in the body.
• Boosts The Immune System: Turmeric contains a high concentration of antioxidants that can help boost your immune system and protect your body against a range of infections.
• Improves Cognitive Function: Because of the compound curcumin, turmeric tea may help improve cognitive function and memory by increasing the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a molecule that’s important for optimal brain function.
• Protects Against Heart Disease: Because of its effects on inflammation and improving blood flow, turmeric tea may help reduce the risk of heart disease.
• Helps Manage Arthritis Symptoms: Because of the anti-inflammatory effects of curcumin, turmeric tea may help reduce pain and inflammation in people with arthritis. In fact, a 2019 study found that people with knee osteoarthritis experienced at least a 50% improvement in symptoms when taking curcumin three times a day. 
• May Lower Blood Sugar Levels: Some studies have shown that turmeric may help with blood sugar control in people with type 2 diabetes, although more research is needed in this area.
• Has An Anti-Cancer Effect: A few studies have found that curcumin can reduce the growth and spread of certain forms of cancer, including colon cancer. 

Best Herbal Tea For Weight Loss: Hibiscus Tea

Made from the dried flowers of the hibiscus plant, hibiscus tea has a tart and tangy flavour and is known for a variety of health benefits. It’s high in antioxidants and may help lower blood pressure, improve the health of your liver, and help with weight loss. In fact, hibiscus tea is one of the best teas for weight loss.

Here is a quick look at some of the potential benefits of drinking hibiscus tea:

• Lowers Blood Pressure: Some studies have found that hibiscus tea may help lower blood pressure levels in people with high blood pressure. However, it can’t replace medication. 
• Promotes Heart Health: Hibiscus tea may help reduce the risk of heart disease since it lowers blood pressure and cholesterol levels, reduces inflammation, and protects against oxidative stress.
• Helps With Weight Loss: Because of its anthocyanin content (a powerful antioxidant), hibiscus tea may help promote weight loss by helping the body digest fat. 
• Promotes Liver Health: Because of its high antioxidant activity, hibiscus tea may help improve liver health by protecting it from toxins.
• Boosts The Immune System: Hibiscus tea contains high levels of antioxidants, such as beta carotene and vitamin C,  that can help boost the immune system and protect the body against infections.
• May Have An Anti-Cancer Effect: Because of its high polyphenol content, hibiscus tea may have an anti-cancer effect, reducing the growth and spread of many types of cancer. However, most studies used hibiscus extract as opposed to hibiscus tea. 

Best Herbal Tea For Colds: Echinacea Tea

Made from the roots and leaves of the echinacea plant, echinacea tea offers a slightly sweet and floral taste. It’s mostly known for its benefits to the immune system, but that’s not all.

Here is a quick look at some of the potential benefits of drinking echinacea tea:

• Boosts Immune System: Echinacea tea is most commonly used to help boost the immune system and protect the body against viruses and infections, such as colds and flus. In fact, it was even found to help prevent COVID-19 infections. This is likely because it increases the number of white blood cells in the body.  
• Helps Reduce Inflammation: Echinacea tea is another excellent tea for inflammation. In fact, several studies have found that echinacea tea can help reduce inflammation markers in the body.
• Helps Alleviate Cold & Flu Symptoms: Echinacea tea is one of the most popular teas for colds, and it’s not without season. Studies have found that echinacea tea can help reduce the duration and severity of cold and flu symptoms by 1 to 4 days. However, more research is needed in this area.
• May Have Anti-Cancer Properties: A few studies have suggested that echinacea may have anti-cancer properties due to its high concentration of antioxidants and other immune-boosting compounds. In fact, a 2005 study found that when consumed daily, echinacea significantly suppressed leukemia and extended the life span of mice with leukemia. 
• Promotes Healthy Skin: Because of its anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, echinacea tea may help improve skin health by reducing inflammation and promoting skin regeneration. 

Best Herbal Tea For Digestion: Fennel Tea

Fennel seed was used in the Middle Ages to protect people’s homes from evil spirits, but today it’s more widely used for its health benefits. Made from the seeds of the fennel plant, fennel tea has a sweet flavour that resembles licorice. As with licorice, you either love it or you hate it. It’s mostly known for its benefits on the digestive system, but we can assure you that’s not all.

Here is a quick look at some of the potential benefits of drinking fennel tea:

• Helps With Digestion: Fennel tea has been found to help with digestion by reducing inflammation in the gut. This relaxes the muscles of the digestive tract and promotes the flow of bile.
• May Help Reduce Menstrual Cramps: Fennel tea may help reduce the severity of menstrual cramps by preventing the uterus from contracting. A 2012 study found that fennel extract was an effective pain reliever for menstrual cramps. 
• May Help Reduce Menopausal Symptoms: A 2017 study found that fennel helped reduce menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, sleep problems, irritability, and more. However, more research is needed in this area.
• Promotes Healthy Skin: As a natural antiseptic, fennel promotes healthy skin. Fennel tea is also rich in antioxidants, including vitamin C, that protect the skin from damage and premature aging. 
• May Help Regulate Blood Sugar Levels: Rich in vitamin C and potassium, fennel tea can help lower blood sugar levels and increase insulin sensitivity.
• Anti-inflammatory Properties: Fennel tea is rich in antioxidants that can help reduce inflammation in the body. 

Best Herbal Tea For Anxiety & Depression: Ashwagandha Tea 

Ashwagandha is another ancient medicinal herb that has been used for thousands of years. It’s particularly used in Ayurvedic medicine to promote health and well-being. Ashwagandha tea is made from the root of the ashwagandha plant and has a slightly bitter and earthy taste.

Here is a quick look at some of the potential benefits of drinking ashwagandha tea:

• Reduces Stress and Anxiety: Ashwagandha is commonly referred to as an adaptogen, which is essentially a plant substance that helps our body cope and recuperate from stressful events. A 2011 study found that ashwagandha tea may help reduce stress and anxiety by reducing cortisol levels in the adrenal glands.
• May Improve Brain Function: Ashwagandha is one of the best teas for improving brain function. In fact, some studies have found that ashwagandha may help improve visual memory, cognitive flexibility, and reaction time, among others.
• May Help Reduce Inflammation: Ashwagandha contains the compound withaferin A (WA) which is known to have powerful anti-inflammatory properties. For that reason, ashwagandha tea may help reduce inflammation in your body.
• May Help Reduce Symptoms of Depression: Because of its mood-enhancing effects, ashwagandha tea may help reduce the symptoms of depression. However, not enough research has been done in this area
• May Improve Sleep Quality: Falling asleep after a stressful day can be difficult, but it’s possible that ashwagandha tea can help. Because of its stress-reducing effects, ashwagandha tea may help improve sleep quality and the amount of time it takes to fall asleep.
• May Help Lower Cholesterol Levels: Some studies have found that ashwagandha tea may help lower cholesterol levels in people with high cholesterol. However, more research is needed in this area.
• May Have An Anti-Cancer Effect: Because of its powerful antioxidant properties, ashwagandha tea may even help protect against cancer. In fact, an animal-based study found that ashwaghanda leaf extract selectively killed tumour cells. 

It’s important to mention that while herbal teas are generally considered safe with little to no side effects, certain may interact with certain medications. As with any supplement, it’s always recommended to speak with your healthcare provider before adding something new to your routine.