Herbal tea is not made from the Camellia sinensis plant, which gives us green tea, white tea, black tea, and oolong tea. A herbal tea, tisane, or ptisan is an herbal infusion. Tisanes can be made with fresh or dried flowers, leaves, seeds or roots; generally by pouring boiling water over the plant parts and letting them steep for a few minutes. Seeds and roots are often boiled on a stove for a few minutes. The tisane is then strained, sweetened if so desired, and served.
There are various herbal teas that may aid a whole bunch of illnesses, sicknesses, and conditions such as:
- Cold & Flu and Breathing Conditions
- Stress, Relax, Sleep
- Weight Loss
- Digestive System
- Healthy Circulation
- Immune System
Many of the herbs used in herbal teas are:
- Chamomile
- Cats Claw
- Cinnamon
- Echinacea
- Elder Flower
- Eucalyptus
- Ginkgo Biloba
- Ginseng
- Hibiscus
- Horsetail
- Lemon Balm
- Lemon Grass
- Linden
- Peppermint
- Rooibos
- Rose Hip
- Senna Leaf
- Spearmint
Each of these herbs may aid certain conditions, but you also have to be very careful about using them as they can also have adverse side effects depending on you and your health. I recommend seeking professional advice from your doctor before you begin making any of these herbs a regular part of your diet. Certain herbs should not be taken while pregnant, etc. Please be careful.
If herbal tea is not your cup of tea, you may want to look into green tea, which is high in antioxidants and appears to have many health benefits. You can add fresh herbs to your green tea and get the best of both worlds. I recommend a high quality Gyokuro, Sencha, Dragon Well, or Jasmine Pearls green tea.
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