Inside My Herbal Tea Cupboard

Anyone who knows me, knows how much I love tea. To me it's not just a drink, it's a ritual, a huge part of my day that helps to anchor me back in the moment as well as filling me with warm, healing goodness. Here is a list of the herbal teas that are currently in my cupboard & the health benefits each holds.

Chamomile - This is a top one for relaxation & reducing inflammation. Best drank an hour or so before bed time to aid a restful night's sleep. Chamomile is also great used topically for mild skin irritations.

Peppermint - A great one for easing stomach/ digestive upsets, clearing sinuses & giving you a gentle boost of energy.

Nettle - Said to be good for easing joint & muscle pains & aiding blood sugar management as well as helping to flush out urinary tract infections.

Dandelion - Good as a digestive aid & liver support.

Hibiscus Ginseng - Jam packed full of antioxidants, so this one is great for giving our immune system a boost.

Lemon Balm - Best known for relieving stress & anxiety but lemon balm may also play a role in boosting our cognitive function & treating cold sores.

(Sencha) Green Tea - Full of anti-inflammatory & anti-bacterial properties. Many people find the taste of green tea too bitter, if this is you try brewing it with some fresh lemon & ginger slices plus a teaspoon of organic honey. This should make it much more palatable as well as adding in extra soothing health benefits for you.

Ginger (& Peach) - Ginger is rich in anti-oxidants & is great for aiding migraine & nausea relief. Peach, when prepared properly adds an array of extra nutrients & minerals as well as bringing it's own anti-oxidants to the mix.

Chai - Chai tea is said to help with heart health, reduce blood sugar levels & aid digestion.

Rose - Rose contains high levels of Vitamin C (an anti-oxidant), vital to our body's natural healing process. It is also said to help ease cold & flu-like symptoms. It also smells divine.

Cranberry - Good for supporting heart health by reducing cholesterol levels & also aids the healing of UTIs.

Please remember these teas aren't a 'cure all' but work amazingly as part of a healthy, balance diet & lifestyle. When purchasing tea (I believe) loose leaf is best, it contains way more flavour & is much better for the environment as it's obviously free from teabags which are often made up of health/ environment damaging micro-plastics. Bulk buying loose leaf tea is generally an affordable option for most but if this option isn't available to you look to brands such as Pukka, Yogi & now PG Tips who have plastic-free, biodegradable teabags.