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Chamomile

Tea Health Benefits

5 Benefits of Chamomile Tea You Won’t Want to Miss 

March 14, 2022

Chamomile tea is one of the most widely known and loved teas in the world, consumed by thousands for its numerous health benefits and delicious, clean taste. It’s easy to find in grocery stores and farmed in bulk simply to meet high demand. You’re likely wondering: why chamomile tea and what caused it historically to rise to popularity? We’ve got answers, and we also know that you won’t be able to get enough of this light, springy blend. Let’s get into the history, popularity, and wide list of ways that you can use chamomile tea for additional benefits. 

History and rise of chamomile tea 

There are two main types of chamomile: German chamomile and Roman chamomile, which have an even longer and more diverse history. German chamomile tea was discovered and used widely in Europe and Eastern Asia since ancient times, working as both a drink and medicinal brew depending on the needs of the drinker. 

Roman chamomile’s name was handed down from its impact on both Roman and Grecian cultures, coming from the Greek Khami (ground) and melon (apple). This was very appropriate, as this variety of the tea was known for its long stems and bulb-like endpoints that would brew into a delicious drink. It was so popular in ancient cultures, many considered it to be “god-given” and a type of religiously holy herb. 

At this point, chamomile has been infused throughout a variety of products in both Western and Eastern cultures, including food, beverages, medications, cosmetics, and more — with good reason. This herb has a delicious, light taste and a variety of health benefits that you can enjoy with each cup. 

What does chamomile tea taste like? 

If you haven’t gotten to experience the taste of chamomile tea, you can expect an airy, floral taste. This gives way to a honey-sweet aftertaste and smooth finish. This is especially true if you make it hot. If you enjoy iced chamomile, you’ll likely encounter more of an herbaceous tang and deeper flavor depending on the depth of the brew. In either case, both types pair very well with honey, lemon, or ginger, and they are generally sold in standalone brew kits or paired with other soothing herbal blends. 

Health benefits of chamomile tea 

There are many health benefits that you can enjoy with each cup of chamomile tea, no matter what type is available to you. We do want to note that if you plan on using this tea for medicinal purposes, it is important to speak to a healthcare professional first to determine if this option is correct for your unique health needs. 

1. Lower blood pressure 

When you regularly drink chamomile tea, it is likely that you’ll experience naturally lower blood pressure. This is due to the presence of flavones, which are a class of antioxidants that are known to indicate your cardiac health levels and influence key health elements, like your cholesterol and blood pressure. If you find yourself constantly stressed or in a chronic state of burnout, chamomile tea can be especially helpful in regulating your circulatory system due to its calming effect. 

2. Soothed sore throats 

Allergy season is upon us, as well as the variety of spring flus that are going around. If you find yourself dealing with a sore throat from any trigger, this is a great tea blend to reach for. It is naturally anti-inflammatory and especially helpful in managing sore, irritated throats. You can find it at your nearest grocery store, making this an accessible treatment option to enjoy whenever you feel under the weather. 

3. Restful and easier sleep 

If you find yourself struggling with insomnia, you aren’t alone. Sleep issues affect 70 million of Americans per year according to the Cleveland Clinic, and this number can spike due to extreme stress and burnout like we currently face. Chamomile tea has been used since ancient times to address this issue and does so by its chemical composition that includes apigenin. This is known to influence GABA release and can be just what you need to get you into a deep, restorative sleep. 

4. Restored gut health 

Chamomile tea is a great herbal tea to reach for to support your natural microbiome and overall gut health. The tea is high in rich prebiotics, which allows your gut to rebuild any part of its damaged or less diverse flora. 

5. Lower blood sugar levels 

Chamomile tea can be very helpful in lowering your overall blood sugar levels. Recent scientific research showed consistent results spanning a total of eight weeks, and further research is being conducted to examine the extent of the benefit that the tea can bring to those dealing with hyperglycemia or diabetes. It’s also low-calorie, so it’s great to assist you in any sort of weight loss efforts. 

We hope this list inspired you to pick up more of this delicious blend on your next store run. We know that you won’t be able to get enough of this drink! 

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Tea Recipes

Tea Latte Recipes to Try

September 6, 2021

With fall being just around the corner, it’s a perfect time to consider tea lattes. Tea lattes are the perfect combination of warm and cozy that is necessary for the fall, and they are easy to make from the comfort of your own home. Just like a regular latte, tea lattes are equal parts tea and steamed milk and can have other added flavors for your liking. We rounded up 4 of our favorite tea latte recipes that can be enjoyed at any time of the year.

Matcha Latte

Matcha is a popular form of green tea that has become a trend inspiring drinks, desserts, and more. It is high in antioxidants and has 10x the nutrients of regular green tea, which is why matcha lattes are the perfect drink to get your day going. Here is everything you need to make a perfect matcha latte. The recipe for this tasty drink is simple, but requires certain techniques to make it smooth.

Ingredients:

  • Matcha Powder
  • Hot Water
  • Honey, or another natural sweetener such as agave
  • Milk

Instructions:

  1. First, we recommend using a matcha whisk. Begin by sifting your matcha powder to avoid clumping. We want your latte to be as smooth and clump-free as possible to make it more enjoyable.
  2. Next, add the matcha to a cup or mug. Pour the hot water over the sifted matcha and whisk using your matcha whisk. The outcome should be a smooth dark green paste.
  3. After the paste is whisked to perfection, heat your milk of choice in a small saucepan and pour into the cup or mug. If you prefer and iced latter, use cold milk.
  4. Use your matcha whisk to thoroughly mix the milk and paste together. This should produce a light green color.
  5. Following this step, you can add honey or a natural sweetener such as agave for your liking. Add a sprinkle of the matcha powder on top for decoration.

Chai Tea Latte

Craving something spicy and don’t feel like spending the money on a chai tea latte from Starbucks? Make your own Chai Tea Latte at home with this easy recipe. Chai tea is a version of black tea that includes chai spices such as cinnamon, cloves, ginger, black pepper, and cardamom. The infusion of spices and a touch of milk creates a perfect creamy combination perfect for a fall day.

Ingredients:

  • Loose Leaf Chai Tea
  • Hot water
  • Your milk of choice (non-fat, almond, etc.). The higher fat your milk is, the creamier texture you will achieve. Starbucks uses 2% milk for their lattes.
  • Granulated sugar, brown sugar, or another artificial sweetener of your liking
  • Cinnamon and nutmeg (for garnishing purposes)

Instructions:

  1. First you want to create a chai concentrate using the loose leaf tea and sugar. Brew this mixture and then remove from the heat and allow it to steep for 10 minutes.
  2. After the tea is done steeping, heat your milk of choice over medium-high heat until warm. Once the appropriate temperature is achieved, whisk the milk to create the froth.
  3. Pour the chai tea concentrate over the milk and stir to create your desired mixture. An optional last step is to add Cinnamon and nutmeg on top for garnishing purposes.

Lavender Tea Latte

The hint of floral notes in this tasty tea creates a soothing and sweet taste enjoyable by all. Lavender is an aromatic plant that is used as a popular essential oil, and scent for body products and home fragrances. It is also used to add a floral taste to any drink or dessert. The Lavender tea latte is surprisingly delicious and easy to create.

Ingredients:

Instructions:

  1. Steep the lavender flowers and earl grey tea in hot water for 7-10 minutes.
  2. While the tea is steeping, heat the milk in a small saucepan.
  3. Strain the tea and stir in the agave. After fully stirring the mixture, add in the milk and continue to stir.
  4. Top off the drink with lavender as a pretty garnish and enjoy.

Honey Chamomile Tea Latte

Not only is this latte perfect if you are feeling sick, but it also is a nice way to hit refresh for your body. The combination of the calming effects of Chamomile and the warmth and sweetness create the ultimate mixture.

Ingredients:

  • Herbal Chamomile Tea
  • Honey
  • Hot Water
  • Ground Cinnamon
  • Milk of your choosing, we recommend trying coconut milk for this recipe.

Instructions:

  1. Bring your water to a simmer and add the tea. Allow it to steep for 10 minutes while covered.
  2. Heat your milk in a separate container and whisk until frothy.
  3. Add the honey to the tea followed by the milk. Stir until the mixture is completely dissolved.
  4. Serve and enjoy.

No Barista skills are necessary to create these simple lattes. Not only can you try one of these 4 recipes, but you can also transform any of our loose leaf teas into a tea latte by adding milk and a sweetener.

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Tea Health Benefits

Heal Your Skin With Tea

June 8, 2017

Skin problems aren’t just physical. They’re highly emotional. There’s nothing like a big zit or patch of eczema to steal your confidence right when you have a big speech to give or a date to impress. A trip to the dermatologist can be expensive, and perusing the skin care aisle at your local pharmacy can feel overwhelming. But what if the answer to your skinpocalypse was in your teabag? Lucky for us, what’s inside tea—notably, antioxidants—gives your favorite drink a ton of dermatological benefits. Same goes for tea-infused topicals like facemasks and pastes. The skincare boost you’ve been looking for may already be in your cabinet!

Here’s why, briefly:

Tea contains antioxidants. That’s one of those words everybody uses, but what does it really mean? Your body contains something called “free radicals.” These are toxic atoms or molecules that damage cells by oxidizing them, which impedes their ability to function properly and ultimately causes annoying problems like acne and other fun skin problems. But antioxidants work against free radicals by making them to non-toxic. Basically, they cancel out the bad stuff free radicals do, getting rid of your zits and reducing your risk for skin cancer along the way.

Since tea contains antioxidants, it’s an ideal beverage to boost your skin’s health and appearance. Here’s how a few of our favorite teas can improve your skin:

1) Green Tea

Green tea decreases age-related skin inflammation and protects against sunburns. Plus, it reduces dark under-eye patches. When used as a topical in mask form, green tea exfoliates skin and reduces excess oil. Buh-bye shine, hello beautiful, radiant skin. For another trick, try splashing cold green tea directly on your face and watching your large pores shrink right before your eyes. Green tea’s also known to fight acne. Look for products containing at least 1% ECGG (an antioxidant in green tea) and your zits won’t know what hit ‘em. And did we mention consuming green tea fights cancer? What a showoff.

2) Chamomile

People have been using chamomile tea to treat skin problems since the days of the ancient Egyptian and Roman empires. Chamomile tea’s great for fighting dry, patchy skin and inflammatory conditions like rashes and acne. It can also be used to diminish the appearance of pesky acne scars. You can even use a cold chamomile tea bag as a compress to soothe and minimize bug bites. Who knew?

3) Oolong Tea

Feeling younger than you look? An oolong-infused paste can reduce wrinkles, dark spots, and age spots.

4) Kombucha

As we age, our skin naturally gets less elastic. But kombucha improves your skin’s elasticity, giving you a more youthful appearance by reducing lines and wrinkles.

5) Ginger Tea

Patchy, uneven skin got you down? Try drinking ginger tea, known to reduce uneven skin tone. And you thought you needed makeup for that!

7) Oregon Grape Tea

Your gut and your skin are pretty well connected. Oftentimes, a problem in your intestines shows up on your face. Oregon Grape tea contains herbs that detoxify the liver and kidneys, helping clear up the root causes of problems like eczema, acne, psoriasis, and other inflammatory issues.

8) Burdock Root Tea

Burdock removes waste from cells inside the liver, kidney, gall bladder, and lymph system, eradicating the toxins that would otherwise build up and cause perspiration, which in turn causes a bevy of skin problems like acne and eczema. Burdock tea starts acts at the cellular level and works from the inside out to keep your body from becoming overridden with bad stuff that eventually shows itself as a rash, pimple, boil, or carbuncle.

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