Types of Herbal Tea and Their Benefits

Herbal tea types

Just like there are many types of true tea, there are also plenty of different kinds of herbal teas. There are practically as many herbal tea blends as there are tea purveyors, but there are a few simple ingredients that tend to be a part of these types of caffeine-free blends. Herbs like chamomile, peppermint, ginger, and more are known for their great flavor and medicinal properties.

1. Chamomile herbal teas

Chamomile has been used in herbal medicine for centuries for its soothing, therapeutic properties. Whether you need help falling asleep at night, boosting your immune system, or reducing stress, a cup of chamomile tea can help. This herbal tea ingredient has a light, floral flavor with a hint of natural sweetness.

Chamomile tea benefits

Some of the benefits of chamomile tea include:

• Anti-inflammatory

• Soothes cold

• Good for your heart

• Good for digestion

• Good for sleep

• Reduces anxiety

• Soothes sore throats

• Boosts your immune system

2. Peppermint herbal teas

Peppermint is a popular herbal tea that can be brewed on its own as a stimulating, soothing herbal infusion, and can also be added to many different kinds of herbal and caffeinated blends. This tea is a panacea that has been used for centuries to treat everything from upset stomachs to the common cold.

Peppermint tea benefits

Some of the benefits of peppermint tea include:

• Good for memory

• Boost brainpower

• Increases energy

• Soothes stomach upsets

• High in antioxidants

• Reduces stress

• Soothes cramps

• Eases headache pain

• Soothes cold symptoms

3. Ginger herbal teas

Ginger is a popular spice that can be added to flavored tea blends for a slightly sweet, slightly spicy flavor. Ginger root originated in Southeast Asia, and has been used in herbal medicine for centuries to treat a wide variety of ailments, from nausea to indigestion to the common cold.

Ginger tea benefits

Some of the benefits of ginger tea include:

• Boosts your immune system

• Improves cognitive function

• Reduces inflammation

• Soothes sore throats

• Relieves period pain

• Aids digestions

• Soothes nausea

• Good for your teeth

• May have anti-cancer properties

4. Lavender herbal teas

Lavender tea can refer to any tea that has lavender in it. Lavender is a popular ingredient in herbal tea blends, but can also be added to caffeinated tea for a soothing floral note. There are 47 different species of lavender, most of which are native to Europe and Asia but which are now grown all over the world.

When it comes to adding lavender to tea, most culinary lavender comes from the English lavender plant (lavandula angustifolia.) Lavender blossoms are harvested and dried before being blended with loose leaf tea and other herbal ingredients. Lavender is more potent when dried than it is fresh, so you usually need only a small amount of lavender to flavor a large quantity of tea. Here at Stille Essence, we blend several of our lavender teas in small batches by hand, adding fresh, organic lavender blossoms to other ingredients like chamomile, mint, and rose petals.

Lavender tea benefits

Some of the benefits of lavender include:

• Soothes stress

• Improves sleep quality

• Boosts mood

• Soothes headaches

• Relieves period pain

• Boosts your immune system

5. Hibiscus herbal teas

Hibiscus tea, also sometimes known as roselle or red tea, is a tart, cranberry-like herbal tea. This tea is enjoyed in regions all around the world, including in West Africa, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, India, Persia, Cambodia, and more. Hibiscus tea can be consumed on its own, or as an ingredient in other tea blends. It can be served hot or over ice (we think iced hibiscus mixed with lemonade makes a particularly tasty summer treat!)

Hibiscus tea benefits

Some of the benefits of hibiscus tea include:

• High in antioxidants

• Good source of iron

• High in vitamin C

• May help lower blood pressure

• Antibacterial and antimicrobial properties

• Can help boost metabolism

6. Butterfly pea flower herbal tea

Sometimes called blue tea, butterfly pea flower tea is made from the leaves and flower petals of the clitoria ternatea plant. Butterfly pea flower is commonly grown in Southeast Asia, and brews up a brilliant blue color when prepared as a tea. It has a floral, mildly sweet flavor, somewhat similar to that of chamomile. A fan favorite due to its intense blue color, it also has a variety of health benefits, and can be added to other drinks and even cocktails for a boost of bright blue color! (Add a squeeze of lemon to this tea and watch it turn violet.)

Butterfly pea flower benefits

Some of the benefits of butterfly pea flower include:

• High in antioxidants and anthocyanins

• Wards off cancer

• Reduces inflammation

• Boosts brainpower

• Soothes fever symptoms

7. Lemongrass herbal teas

Lemongrass is a popular herbal tea ingredient, and is used to impart a citrusy, zesty flavor to tea blends. Unlike what the name might imply, lemongrass isn’t actually related to citrus plants like lemons and oranges. Instead, it’s a tropical grass plant native to Sri Lanka and South India. While sometimes enjoyed on its own, lemongrass is more commonly added to tea blends in addition to other ingredients like peppermint, ginger, and true tea from the camellia sinensis plant.

Lemongrass tea benefits

Some of the benefits of lemongrass tea include:

• Soothes anxiety

• Good for your teeth

• Reduces inflammation

• Soothes cold symptoms

• Boosts immunity

• Reduces bloating

• High in antioxidants

• Antimicrobial properties

• Good for digestion

• Soothes cramps

• Good for your heart

8. Rooibos herbal teas

Rooibos is grown in South Africa’s Western Cape region. Dutch for “red bush,” rooibos is sometimes also called red tea. Rooibos is naturally caffeine-free and has a mild, slightly sweet flavor with a full body. Rooibos tea is made from the needle-like leaves of aspalathus linearis, a plant that grows in a mountainous region near the South African Atlantic coast.

Rooibos tea benefits

Some of the benefits of rooibos tea include:

• High in antioxidants

• Good for your heart

• Helps reduce inflammation

• Low in tannins

• May reduce risk of certain cancers