Chamomile tea is probably one of the most popular flower teas in the world. Healthy lifestyle enthusiasts boast about chamomile tea benefits, from relaxation to healing stomach problems.
Do chamomile tea’s true properties live up to its popularity? Here are the essential facts about chamomile tea to consider before you try it.
What is Chamomile Tea?
Chamomile tea is not tea, but tisane, which means it consists of other leaves or herbs instead of Camellia sinensis plants.
People in Ancient Egypt consumed chamomile tea to get various benefits, from relaxation to stomach problems. Europeans in the Middle Age added chamomile into beer for extra flavor.
Chamomiles come from the Asteraceae family, which consists of popular flowers like marigold, daisies, and sunflowers.
Chamomile tea has a light, crisp flavor, with light tones of fruits and herbs. People favor chamomile tea because it reflects a perfect summer drink.
The name chamomile itself came from Greek words that mean “ground apples,” referring to its flavor profile.
Chamomile tea consists of antioxidants such as flavones and apigenin. It also increases melatonin and serotonin productions in your body. These are the reasons people use it for medicinal purposes.
Chamomile Tea Benefits for Health
What is chamomile tea good for?
While chamomile benefits still require further studies to explore, several common benefits make people consume this tea. Here are several examples.
Increasing the Immune System
The antioxidants in chamomile tea can increase your immune system. It helps you to avoid common conditions like cold, flu, and sore throat. You can also reduce the risk of stress-induced sickness.
Reducing Stress and Anxiety Symptoms
Chamomile tea’s ability to increase serotonin production is great to reduce stress and anxiety symptoms. It is also great to ease physical symptoms that accompany stress, like a headache.
Increasing Sleep Quality
Does chamomile tea make you sleepy? Not in a literal way, but it can increase the hormone production that makes you sleep better.
It is not an ideal solution for long-term insomnia problems, but it helps you in efforts to sleep better.
Resolving Digestive Tract Problems
Traditional medicines in many countries, especially in Europe and the Middle East, suggest using chamomile tea for an upset stomach. The flowers contain antioxidants that reduce the forming of ulcers.
Chamomiles also contain an anti-inflammation agent that reduces stomach pain and diarrhea.
The anti-inflammation agent in chamomiles may also reduce the blood sugar level. This is because chamomiles reduce the pancreas cell damages, helping the organ to produce insulin and stabilize the blood sugar.
Chamomile Tea Benefits for Beauty
Chamomile tea is a great natural solution to stay beautiful. Here are several benefits of chamomile tea for beauty.
Keeping Your Hair Dandruff-free
Chamomile tea has chemical compounds that keep dandruff away and prevent dry scalp. You can brew chamomile tea to rinse the hair. Be careful if you have dark hair since chamomile tea can lighten it.
Relieving Dry and Itchy Skin
Chamomile benefits for skin include relieving dry skin symptoms, like itchiness and flakes. You can mix chamomile tea directly to the warm bath. The polyphenols in the tea can also reduce early aging signs, like fine lines.
Relieving Signs of Skin Problems
Skin problems like eczema and rosacea can cause painful breakouts. Bathing in warm water mixed with chamomile tea may help to reduce the symptoms. You can also apply the chamomile tea topically.
To get the best results, steep the tea using filtered water. It keeps your skin in the best condition and prevents skin problems from dirty water.
Chamomile Tea Side Effects
While chamomile tea has various benefits, it can also present side effects. Some of them include:
Allergic Reactions
Chamomiles can be dangerous for people with allergies. They can cause irritations, inflammation, and other unpleasant symptoms. The same thing applies to topical products that contain actual chamomiles.
Blood Thinning
Excessive chamomile tea consumption can lead to blood thinning. It can be a problem if you are about to have surgery. Avoid drinking chamomile tea if there are possibilities that you will undergo surgery.
Drug/Supplement Interferences
The active compounds in chamomile tea may interfere with certain drugs or supplements.
Consult with your doctor about whether you can consume chamomile tea, especially when you must take painkillers, sedatives, blood thinners, and herbal supplements.
The relaxing effect of chamomile tea can also cause drowsiness if you drink it too much. It can be dangerous if you must drive or operate machinery.
Best Chamomile Tea Brands
You can make chamomile tea from real flowers by steeping them for three to five minutes. However, packaged chamomile tea is better because it is safer (no pesticide/mold presence) and more practical.
Here are some of the best chamomile tea brands:
Lipton Chamomile
ipton is a widely available tea brand, so it is easy to get one. Lipton Chamomile is famous for having various flavors. You can choose between bergamot, hibiscus, spices, lemon, orange peel, rosehip, and licorice flavors.
Twining Pure Chamomile Tea
Twining’s Chamomile Tea offers pure flower tisane, without any blend mixtures. The flavor is light and crisp, perfect for relaxing and unwinding. This tea is ideal for helping you sleep.
Chamomile Celestial Seasonings
Another popular chamomile tea, Celestial Seasonings offers light and subtle tea flavor with herbal notes. It does not contain any caffeine.
Bigelow Cozy Chamomile Herbal Tea
Bigelow Cozy offers unflavored and flavored chamomile tea options. You can choose mint and mango-flavored tea or buy the plain one and use honey to sweeten it.
Stash Premium
Stash Premium is an American brand that sources chamomiles from Egypt. The country has ideal conditions to plant chamomiles, resulting in great flavor. The tea has a golden yellow color with apple tones.
The ideal water temperature to brew chamomile tea is around 200 degrees Fahrenheit (93 degrees Celsius). Boil water and let it sits for 30 minutes before using it to brew the tea.
Conclusion
Chamomile tea has become a traditional remedy and pleasant beverage since ancient times. The subtle flavor and natural fruity or herbal tones make it a relaxing beverage.
Enjoy chamomile tea benefits for your heart, digestive system, and sleep quality by drinking it every day (unless you are allergic or having a surgery).
