Over the centuries, teas have been one of the healthiest drinks consumed by people around the world. With so many health benefits enclosed in these flavorful and fragrant tea flowers or leaves, it's no wonder that many kinds of tea remain popular among people of all ages. In addition to flavour and health benefits, the versatility of tea and ease of preparation make it easy to prepare and enjoy. You can steep it in hot or cold water, mix it with milk, honey, or even enjoy tea in a wide variety of both sweet and savoury food recipes.
If you’re wondering what new herbal teas you may wish to try on your next visit to the supermarket, this article may give you some interesting options to consider. If you’re looking for herbal teas with health benefits, such as targeting issues such as detoxification, weight loss, relaxation, improving sleep, and so on, we may be able to help.
Here are some herbal teas that you may wish to try, along with advice on when to drink them for optimal benefit. These teas should be readily available in supermarkets or in specialty tea stores, such as Hey China .
1. Chamomile Tea
If you want a herbal tea that’s delicate, elegant, and fragrant, you may wish to try chamomile. The chamomile plant has been used for therapeutic purposes for centuries. Nowadays, it continues to be a popular tea, and is typically considered to be calming and a sleep aid. As the name suggests, the tea is made from the dried flower of the chamomile plant, giving it a fragrant, floral flavour.
There are two varieties of chamomile:
- German Chamomile
- Roman or English Chamomile
The two plants grow and appear slightly different but have similar taste notes.Chamomile is part of the Asteraceae family of plants, which includes daisies, ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds and echinacea. If you have an allergy to any of these flowers you may also exhibit an intolerance or allergy to chamomile tea.
When To Drink Chamomile Tea: You can enjoy chamomile tea at any time of the day, but a cup before bed may be most effective to help you relax and get to sleep. A 2015 study indicated that people with diabetes may benefit from a cup of chamomile tea after each meal, as the tea has been shown to be effective in aiding with glycemic control.
2. Oolong Tea
Also known as black dragon tea, oolong tea usually comes in loose-leaf form. The tea's colour, flavour, and aroma vary greatly depending on the degree of oxidation. Tea with a lower level of oxidation has a light colour, while tea with a higher oxidation level has a darker colour. Some of the benefits of drinking oolong tea include boosting your metabolism, increasing mental awareness , and more.
When To Drink It: It’s recommended that you drink no more than two to three cups of oolong tea a day to reap the benefits without risking insomnia, stomach upsets or anxiety due to excess caffeine.
3. Oregano Tea
Not only does oregano add flavour to all of your favourite Mediterranean dishes, it also makes a delicious herbal tea. Oregano is part of the mint family and is a perennial plant. Purple flowers and spade-shaped leaves with bluish-green hues decorate this herb. Both leaves and flowers are used in cooking as well as medicine.
Oregano tea is rich in antioxidants, anti-inflammatory agents and may even have antibacterial/antiviral properties.
When To Drink It: Whether served hot or cold, oregano tea is best consumed before or after meals. You may wish to add some honey to the tea as it may be a little woody or bitter.
4. Peppermint Tea
Its soothing properties make peppermint tea not only flavourful but also aromatic and healthy. The fact that peppermint tea doesn't contain fat, caffeine or calories (as long as you don’t add sugar or another sweetener) makes it a good choice for regular daily consumption.
While no specific studies have been done on peppermint tea, research shows that peppermint has a number of potential health benefits, including:
- Muscle relaxation
- Reducing nausea due to chemotherapy
- Relieving nasal decongestion (mostly due to menthol vapours)
- Helping relieve digestive problems, like indigestion or gas
- Relieving menstruation pain
- Freshening breath
When To Drink It: It’s suitable for consumption any time of the day. For example, use it as a digestive aid post-meal or as an afternoon energy boost. If you want to relax before bed, a cup 30 minutes or so before you go to bed may help you sleep better.
5. Jasmine Tea
Jasmine tea is a green, white or sometimes even black tea that is made by storing or combining jasmine blossoms with tea leaves. The addition of jasmine blossoms to the tea in storage allows the floral scent and flavour of the flowers to infuse into the tea, lending a delightful aroma and flavour. This herbal tea is quite common around Asia.
As jasmine tea is typically a green tea it shares many of the same health properties as green tea, such as a profusion of antioxidant polyphenols, most notably epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). These catechins have been linked to a number of potential health benefits including aiding weight loss, improving blood sugar control and improving heart health.
When To Drink It: Jasmine tea is delicious, with a subtly sweet and floral flavour, as well as being extremely healthy. As such, most people can drink as much jasmine tea as they like without fear of side effects.
6. Hibiscus Tea
The hibiscus plant (Hibiscus Sabdariffa) is native to North Africa and South Asia but can now be found all around the world in tropical and subtropical climates. Hibiscus tea is made from the dried calyces of the hibiscus flower. The calyx is the touch base of the flower that both supports and protects the delicate petals. The tea has a rich red colour, a sweet and tart flavour and can be drunk hot or cold.
Hibiscus tea has been traditionally used in Africa as a cooling drink and to aid a sore throat, but scientific study of hibiscus tea is indicating that the health benefits of the red tea may be much farther reaching. Though more study is needed, a 2014 review of studies of hibiscus tea showed that the drink, or hibiscus extract could significantly help boost good cholesterol levels and decrease triglyceride and bad cholesterol levels.A 2015 meta-analysis of studies into the effect of hibiscus tea on blood pressure showed that drinking the tea regularly significantly lowered both systolic (the force your heart exerts on the wall of arteries when it beats) and diastolic (the force exerted on artery walls between beats).
When To Drink It: Hibiscus tea is naturally calorie and caffeine free, making it a perfect anytime drink.
Though it may sound like new-age woo, numerous studies have validated some traditional herbal tea uses.