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Five Popular Herbal Teas with Health Benefits

A lot of people have the assumption that coffee is the most popular beverage around the world, given how it is prominently featured on media outlets and social networks. While good old fashion coffee has a lot of exposure, the one that takes the crown is herbal tea. If you think about it for a second, it makes a lot of sense.

Tea is the leading beverage offered to visitors in most of Europe, although its widespread knowledge that people in the UK drink tea at all hours. They are indeed the ones who have a particular hour for it, just like the French. Herbal teas are also a trendy drink in Japan and South Korea, with many flavored options available either processed as soft drinks or served as infusions.

For the rest of the world, tea is often closely related to medical treatments and popular summertime refreshment. Just in the USA alone, nearly 85% of all the tea consumed it’s iced. The variety of flavors and combinations it’s also unending. As for popular teas, each region favors a particular choice, but most of these preferences are anchored to old-time traditions.

That’s how Asian countries love to consume Green tea or Oolong tea. America takes it down a notch and goes for softer flavors such as Chamomile and Peppermint. Europe loves flavors that are a bit drier and bitter such as Ceylon or Black tea. South America stands out for not having a particular preference, but Mate and Matcha flavors do very well down there.

The Secrets of Herbal Tea

Let’s take a moment to clear the air with a few misconceptions about tea consumption. For starters, herbal tea is not real tea in the true essence of the word. Herbal infusions are not extracted from a Camellia Sinensis plant that brings to life the most popular variations of teas (green, white, black, and oolong.)

Herbal teas are the direct result of merging several non-tea plants to achieve the desired result. Most of the ingredients of herbal teas include spices, flowers, roots, and herbs. Unlike actual tea leaves, herbal infusions are free of caffeine. The herbal features are mostly related to the flavors we get out of them, as well as the nutritious value they offer to our bodies.

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Herbal teas are meant to be consumed as our preferences dictate. They can be served cold or hot. The infusions can also be used to create a few cooking recipes or even for cocktail mixers. They are often combined with strong roots such as ginger or mint to expand their flavors and spice them up. Herbal teas are also commonly used to make other beverages such as broths, smoothies, marinades, and oatmeal.

The Most Popular Herbal Teas in the World

The following list is a compilation of the most popular listings of herbal teas ranked all over the internet. They are presented by order of popularity as determined by several Google searches done by regions. Take a moment to check it out:

·       Chamomile Tea

Chamomile is probably the most popular option and the top search on teas across the internet. It is considered an herbal tea even if it comes from a single plant. There is nothing lost or misused with chamomile plants. Flowers and roots alike are very useful to make infusions. The plant itself is known for having powerful sedative properties that can help you sleep and relax. It also works as an anti-inflammatory and to diminish the backlash of menstrual cramps on women. Ongoing research has also revealed that Chamomile can help regulate blood sugar and boost bone density.

Cup and pot of Chamomile tea

·       Purple Coneflower – A.k.a Echinacea Tea

Echinacea is a popular blend of herbal tea because it can be easily found over the counter. It’s the go-to choice of people affected by the flu since it dramatically diminishes the symptoms of it no matter the stage of affection. Echinacea is regarded by many as one of the strongest flavors of herbal teas out there. The inclusion of flowers to the blend takes some time to get used to. But it works to knock out any cold and to prevent getting affected by one if we are sharing a space with a person affected by one.  

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·       Ginger

Ginger alone is not an infusion per se. But it happens to be such a versatile ingredient that it can be mixed with just about anything in the spectrum and increase the flavor of it by a tenfold. Raw ginger infusion is used to treat morning sickness, nausea, motion sickness, and any form of a stomach illness. When combined with other herbal plants such as Chamomile it acts as straight-up medicine to treat pain and discomfort. Ginger is also used to reduce post-workout pain as well as osteoarthritis. The mixture of ginger with other blends of tea can also be used to ease cramps, increase the defenses of our immunity system and protect our body from other ailments such as cancer, diabetes, and blood pressure. 

·       Hibiscus – A.k.a Jamaican tea

Hibiscus tea is probably the second most recognizable option out of the list. The tea has very distinctive features based on the flavor and the color that is presented. The “Jamaican tea” motif is the way it’s known across Latin America, where most people prefer to drink it cold. Hibiscus is easily identifiable because it has a very subtle tart flavor that resembles cranberries and because it’s entirely red and presented as leaves. The infusion is known for being a powerful antioxidant that can boost HDL levels and lower harmful cholesterol levels. Hibiscus tea is a great way to protect the liver and lose weight because, despite the natural sweetness of the blend, a single serving has zero calories.  

Cup of Hibiscus tea

·       Peppermint

Peppermint is another herbal option that is not tea by itself. This herb is often considered the “spice” of tea blends. It works incredibly well with mint extracts, but it can be combined with almost everything out there to boost its flavor a tenfold. Peppermint infusion is often used by high-performance athletes in the spot to fight exhaustion. It also expands the thorax to help our lungs breathe better.  The blend can also help increase the oxygen levels on the brain, as well as decrease the levels of fatigue.

( Photo credit: Bigstockphoto.com )

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