Who else amongst you, beautiful people, is an avid tea drinker or tea fanatic? Chances are not so many of you. Even with the rise of popular café chains, like Starbucks, Second Cup (Canada) or Gloria Jean’s (Australia), my good ol’ friend Mr. Tea is still seen as the “uncool” kid on the block. Usually when people think tea, they think: boring, tasteless, or grandma drink (if you don’t, then all the better!).

Let me tell you why I LOVE  herbal tea and why you should definitely give this drink, made of pure and natural herbal goodness (if well chosen), a try and even incorporate it into your daily habits! As a matter of fact, I can give you 5 reasons why you should drink herbal teas. Aside from the fact that they are far more beneficial to your health than your usual mochas, lattés and hot chocolates (especially if purchased at the big chains mentioned above), they come in so many different tastes and flavours that you will wonder why you had not given them a try earlier on.

Whether you are a hardcore coffee fiend or you already enjoy a cup of tea on the regular, the 5 health benefits outlined below will definitely convince you to at least give herbal teas a go or even more so to adopt them for the rest of your life!

Get yourself a nice cup of “herbal” tea and get comfortable…

Here are my:

5 Reasons You Should Drink Herbal Teas

1. They are excellent for your digestive system

There are many different types of herbs, roots and spices out there that are extremely beneficial to your digestive tract and can help bring relief to many of your digestive problems. Whenever you feel bloated or you have an upset stomach, try some ginger or peppermint tea to soothe your pain away. If you feel nauseated or  suffer from motion sickness, ginger tea is once again an excellent reliever. As for those of you that sometimes overeat and feel overstuffed, try chamomile or spearmint tea as they are the perfect post-heavy meal drinks.

2. They are comforting and relaxing

If you ever feel stressed out after a long day of work or a long day of running errands outside and trying to juggle a million things at the same time, then herbal teas can once again come to your rescue. In times of stress, I highly recommend sipping on some: chamomile, lavender or even lemon balm herbal teas for their relaxing and/or uplifting effects on the mood and body.

3. They can help you detox

Yes, that’s right! I once read this very appropriate quote by Josh Gitalis, clinical nutritionist, that said: “If you are not detoxing daily, then you are re-toxing”. Indeed, our bodies are constantly working hard at expelling unwanted chemicals, excessive amount of hormones, and organic waste via various detoxification pathways. Given the constant pollution we are exposed to daily, it is always a great idea to add into your daily routine a few various practices that favour detoxification. Our liver could definitely use some help. There are so many herbal teas to help boost your body’s detoxification pathways. My favourite are: dandelion, milk thistle, burdock root and cayenne pepper teas. Incorporate them into your health routine and support your body in keeping you healthy.

4. They can help with your sweet cravings

“Sugar…Oh honey, honey…” The once-thought innocent and “harmless” substance is now increasingly known as an insidious addiction! If you do not have a sweet tooth, chances are you still get sweet cravings every now and then. Snack hour and post-meal are very popular times during which one can easily be tempted to enjoy a little sweet treat. But did you know that herbal teas can help you curve and reduce your sweet cravings? Indeed, choosing herbal teas that are naturally “sweet” can definitely help in keeping you away from eating that chocolate bar, muffin or reaching out for that ice cream dessert after your meal.

Try some spicy herbal teas like: ginger, cinnamon or cardamon. And if you are not a fan of these spices, then you can always have some floral or minty herbal teas, which also taste a little sweet and are definitely comforting. Spearmint, orange, carob, or even hibiscus herbal teas are all great examples of the latter.

If you still do not find these options “sweet” enough to your taste, then add a little bit of stevia or raw unpasteurized honey for the added extra health boost.

5. They contribute to your hydration

Unlike black and green tea, herbal teas are caffeine-free.  Indeed, they are obtained from the infusion of herbs, roots or flowers, which have been dried and are then added back to water. Water being essential to keep you hydrated, drinking herbal teas can count into your daily intake of water. Unless you choose some specific herbal teas that have diuretic properties as well (e.g. dandelion), when you sip on your cup of ginger or chamomile tea, you also replenish your body in much needed water and thus, you contribute to its overall hydration. As you know hydration is key for proper digestion, healthy skin, hair, nails and even for your brain functions. So there you have it, one more reason to give herbal teas a go ;).

As you can see herbal teas have many health benefits, so many of which I have not highlighted in this article. I hope you have found these helpful and you have been convinced to at least give these magical elixirs a try.

Happy sipping, folks.

In vibrant health,

Sarah.