
Do you ever feel like you’re just not getting enough of the good stuff? You might be feeling a bit run-down or just seeking an extra boost of rejuvenating vitamins and minerals. The good news is that you don’t have to spend money at the doctor’s or drugstore to get the benefits of drinking herbal tea. It takes some loose leaves, a little time, and a few simple ingredients to make your homemade herbal tea.
Herbal teas are great because they offer a respite from caffeine and other stimulation from coffee, energy drinks, and sodas. They are also excellent at boosting health in several ways. They have been used for centuries across many cultures as a beverage and ingredient in natural remedies. Their antiseptic properties can help relieve minor ailments such as colds or flu, while their astringent properties help tighten up the skin and eliminate excess toxins from the body. Stop buying your herbal tea blends from the store and start making your own blends that will give you precisely what you want and need. Let us dig into it!
What is herbal tea?
Herbal teas are simply teas made from herbs. Herbal teas can be made from almost any herb, including but not limited to Chamomile, Rooibos, Sage, and Yerba Mate.
Some herbal teas are extracts, meaning the leaves are ground up, and others are brewed in a tea bag. Many people use herbal tea and herbal supplement interchangeably, but herbal tea is simply a herbal beverage. Herbal supplements are created with organic ingredients, but herbs are not supplements; they are plants! And here we love plants.
Benefits of drinking herbal tea
- Antimicrobial: Some herbs like sage, Rosemary, and honey have antimicrobial properties, which can fight infections and bacteria. Ingredients like Rosemary and sage are great at fighting viruses and bacteria.
- Antioxidant: Herbal teas aren’t technically antioxidants because they aren’t processed. Ingredients like Rosemary, rose, and peppermint contains antioxidants that help prevent cell damage caused by free radicals. Antioxidants are great for helping keep your skin healthy, your blood pressure and cholesterol levels under control, and your immune system strong against infections.
- Improves Digestion: Herbal teas contain a wide range of herbs used for centuries for their medicinal properties. One of the great things about drinking herbal tea is that many of these herbs have traditionally been used for improving digestion and boosting immunity.
- Calms Nerves: Herbal teas are known to calm nerves because they contain herbs like chamomile that are soothing to the stomach and throat.
- Clears Skin: The antiseptic properties of herbs like Rosemary and tulsi in herbal tea can help fight off viruses and bacteria while helping clear your skin.
- Relieves Headaches: Herbal teas alleviate headaches because they contain herbs like skullcap that have anti-inflammatory properties.
- Improves Heart Health: Some herbal teas, such as roses, contain minerals for maintaining heart health.
Sleep-Aid Herbal Tea Blend
Herbal tea is a great way to relax, relieve stress, and for calm, sound sleep. Many herbal tea blends, such as Chamomile tea and Valerian tea, have been used for centuries for depression and anxiety relief. Believe it or not, you can also brew herbal tea for depression and anxiety with spearmint.
Spearmint reduces anxiety and has no side effects. Try adding chamomile or valerian to your herbal tea blend for relaxing sleep. Both have been shown to have no side effects and to be effective in treating depression and anxiety.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Lemon Balm
- ½ cup Chamomile, Dried
- ½ cup Passionflower
- ¼ cup Valerian Roots
- 2 tbsp Spearmint
- 2 tbsp Rose Petals, Dried
- 2 tbsp Fennel Seeds
Method
- Dry each herb
- Mix all the herbs and store them in an air-tight jar.
- To serve, Steep 1 tsp to 1 tbsp of the tea in 1 cup of hot water.
- Let it steep cover for at least 5 minutes to a maximum of 10 minutes.
- Add honey or a diet sugar stick, and enjoy.
Liver Cleansing Herbal Tea Blend
The liver is the most critical organ of the body that flushes out toxins. It breaks down nutrients like carbohydrates, fat, and protein to be absorbed in the body. Thus, it is crucial that you take care of your liver, and the best way to support your liver is by having the best herbal tea. Indeed, there are a few environmental factors that we cannot control, but you can gain maximum benefits from herbs.
The tea blend is best for detoxing the liver and the body. Herbs like Dandelion and thistle milk cleanse the liver and improves the digestive system. Ginger and licorice strengthen the immunity system. Over the top, it is delicious and has a deep earthy, and fresh flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Dandelion Root, roasted
- ¼ cup Chicory Root, Roasted
- ¼ cup Milk Thistle
- ¼ cup Cocoa Nibs
- ¼ cup Burdock Root
- 3 tbsp Ginger chips, dried
- 1 ½ tbsp Licorice
- 1 tbsp Cinnamon Sticks broken into tiny pieces
Method
- Dry the herbs
- Mix all the herbs and store them in an air-tight jar.
- Steep 1 tsp to 1 tbsp of the tea in 1 cup of hot water.
- At this point let it steep. Cover for at least 10 minutes to a maximum of 15 minutes.
- Add honey or diet sugar stick for sweetness and oat creamer for creaminess.
- Enjoy warm.
Mental Booster Herbal Tea Blend
Mental Booster Herbal Tea blend is high in antioxidants, which benefit the brain and help restore memory function. The best part is that it is exceptionally beneficial for maintaining mental clarity and focus. It will improve your ability to work under pressure and brainstorm without fussiness.
Due to ingredients like Indian Gooseberry, Ginkgo Biloba, and Peppermint, the tea is an excellent rejuvenating drink that will increase alertness and slow thought processes and help with general brain function. It strengthens the nervous system as well and has a calming effect too.
Ingredients
- 1 cup peppermint
- ½ cup Indian Gooseberry
- ½ cup Brahmi
- ½ cup Gotu Kola
- ½ cup Ginkgo Biloba
- ¼ cup Tulsi
- 2 tbsp Rosemary, dried
- 2 tbsp Cinnamon Sticks, broken into tiny pieces
Method
- Dry the herbs
- Mix all the herbs and store them in an air-tight jar.
- Steep 1 tsp to 1 tbsp of the tea in 1 cup of hot water.
- At this point let it steep cover for at least 5 minutes to a maximum of 10 minutes.
- Add honey or a diet sugar stick, and enjoy.
Tips
- Pick fresh herbs. Herbs that haven’t been harvested recently will have lost much of their properties.
- Always wash fresh herbs. This is essential for removing dirt, dust, and germs from the herbs.
- Remove stalks. It is best to leave the stalks in the herb as it protects the leaves from going stale.
- Never boil. Boiling water will destroy much of the goodness from herbs, so steep them in hot water.
- Use fresh water. Make your herbal teas with fresh water because herbs are highly acidic.
- How to store. Store in an air-tight jar for a maximum of 6 months.
If you don’t have your own home herbal garden, you can find all of these herbs at your local health food store. For those of you who have never been an herbal tea drinker, or if you are used to store-bought tea bags, you will need some tools to get you started down this homemade tea path. Make sure you have tea bags to preload tea into, a tea infuser to reuse, or a tea infusion kettle to make pots at a time. Feel free to experiment with your own tea blends and share any recipes you like! You can use our favorite recipes to get you started! Herbal tea blends really are easy. Just pick your herbs, mix them, steep them, and drink!
* YourShapeYourLife.com as an Amazon Associate may earn from qualifying purchases.