06 Jan Herbal Tea – Need a health boost?
Herbal teas have many health benefits from calming the nerves to boosting your metabolism while they also contain vital minerals and vitamins.
When it comes to choosing a herbal tea, steer clear of products that have added flavours or essential oils and ensure you steep your loose tea or tea bags long enough – in some cases up to 10 minutes to draw out all of the nutrients.
Herbalist Marcia Dixon says, “If you drink tea every day, you can make all sorts of significant changes to your mood, skin, sense of well-being and energy. You’re giving your body the building blocks it needs to manufacture tissues and hormones”.
There are many herbal teas to choose from. Here is an overview of our favourite four:
Peppermint Tea
Helps to digest food and reduce flatulence and digestive issues. A cup of peppermint tea will ease nausea and vomiting, especially if you suffer from motion sickness. Other benefits include controlling muscle aches and clearing of congestion and mild colds.
Avoid if you have indigestion or heat burn.
Ginger Tea
A great digestive aid, curbs nausea, vomiting or an upset stomach due to motion sickness. Add in a squeeze of fresh lemon and honey and you have a powerful germ-fighting combination. Also helps to ease arthritis due to its anti-inflammatory properties.
Green Tea
Known as the ‘wonder herb’ as it has many health benefits and contains potent antioxidants. It helps to lower cholesterol and blood pressure, promote a healthy heart, prevents clogging of the arteries, fights tooth decay, burns fat and speed up the body’s metabolism.
Chamomile Tea
A calming and sedative tea which helps with insomnia, digestion, colds, coughs and fevers. It also calms the mind and helps to relax and deal with stress. People who find it hard to go to sleep should drink a cup of chamomile tea before going to bed.
