Quick sidenote: Before starting this post, I decided to google "The Herbals" to make sure I wasn't stealing the name from some stoner band. Instead, I found the trailer for a goofy, low-budget, crazy looking Scottish movie called "Attack of the Herbals." That's the the link in case you're curious, but if you're not a fan of very fake-looking severed limbs, this flick isn't for you. Can't say you weren't warned.
That huge digression aside, let's move on to herbal teas. Since you can make tea out of almost anything simply by brewing it in hot water (which, incidentally, is a key plot point in "Attack of the Herbals"), this list has the potential to go on forever. For sanity's sake (again, "Attack of the Herbals"), I'll stick to the most popular types of herbal tea.
Rooibos: This rusty red tea comes from a bush in southern Africa. See my post Sniffles and Sneezes? for the health benefits this tea is packing. Delicious when flavored or on its own. Rooibos is the better-known cousin of Honeybush, another yummy tea grown in Africa.
Yerba Maté: This is the staple drink of the people of Argentina and several other South American nations. Also known simply as Maté, this drink contains high levels of caffeine, along with natural chemicals to prevent the jitters you might get with coffee. For this reason, coffee-lovers tend to flock to this tea.
Echinacea: This is a "feel-better-fast" tea that is known to shorten flu and cold duration. I drink Celestial Seasonings Echinacea Wellness Tea whenever my throat isn't in the best shape for a choir concert or other event where I'll have to use my voice a lot - as a future teacher, I can foresee a long and happy friendship with me and Echinacea.
Chamomile: An herb long known for its medicinal qualities, as a tea chamomile is best known for helping you fall asleep. It counteracts stress hormones, which in turn can combat stress reactions like eye twitching and acid reflux. And it definitely helps you calm down before bed after a crazy day - which is good news for busy, sleep-starved college students!
Mint: A yummy brew of mint leaves, which is soothing when hot or refreshing when iced. On a side note, mint tends to relax the LES muscle, so if you're having a bout of acid reflux, stick to chamomile instead of mint.
Chrysanthemum: Not quite so popular in America, chrysanthemum tea is widely used elsewhere in the world. An exchange student from China who lived across the hall from me last year made some for me. I liked it, but I don't recommend it for people who are new to tea. It's an acquired taste.
Sage: The biggest benefit I've heard of for sage tea is it's ability to naturally cut down on excessive sweating. Though it doesn't have the loveliest taste, I've seen it work wonders for pubescent teenagers' self-confidence. Don't steep it for more than the directed amount of time - after too long brewing, sage can become toxic.
There you go! I know there are dozens of other popular herbal teas, but those are the ones I find most relevant. I hope you get a chance to try some! I'll be taking a two-to-three day break from the blog for finals week, but tune back in later in the week for a new post!
Rooibos: This rusty red tea comes from a bush in southern Africa. See my post Sniffles and Sneezes? for the health benefits this tea is packing. Delicious when flavored or on its own. Rooibos is the better-known cousin of Honeybush, another yummy tea grown in Africa.
Yerba Maté: This is the staple drink of the people of Argentina and several other South American nations. Also known simply as Maté, this drink contains high levels of caffeine, along with natural chemicals to prevent the jitters you might get with coffee. For this reason, coffee-lovers tend to flock to this tea.
Echinacea: This is a "feel-better-fast" tea that is known to shorten flu and cold duration. I drink Celestial Seasonings Echinacea Wellness Tea whenever my throat isn't in the best shape for a choir concert or other event where I'll have to use my voice a lot - as a future teacher, I can foresee a long and happy friendship with me and Echinacea.
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| The Echinacea Flower. Source |
Chamomile: An herb long known for its medicinal qualities, as a tea chamomile is best known for helping you fall asleep. It counteracts stress hormones, which in turn can combat stress reactions like eye twitching and acid reflux. And it definitely helps you calm down before bed after a crazy day - which is good news for busy, sleep-starved college students!
Mint: A yummy brew of mint leaves, which is soothing when hot or refreshing when iced. On a side note, mint tends to relax the LES muscle, so if you're having a bout of acid reflux, stick to chamomile instead of mint.
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| Iced mint tea. Source |
Sage: The biggest benefit I've heard of for sage tea is it's ability to naturally cut down on excessive sweating. Though it doesn't have the loveliest taste, I've seen it work wonders for pubescent teenagers' self-confidence. Don't steep it for more than the directed amount of time - after too long brewing, sage can become toxic.
There you go! I know there are dozens of other popular herbal teas, but those are the ones I find most relevant. I hope you get a chance to try some! I'll be taking a two-to-three day break from the blog for finals week, but tune back in later in the week for a new post!
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