Did You Know Your Cuppa Has Great Health Benefits?
With flowers and herbs bursting into bloom, what better way to savour the fragrant delights of teas and herbal infusions – one for each colour of the floral rainbow.
Dr Carrie Ruxton, from the Tea Advisory Panel, comments: “Just as flowers come in yellow, orange, green, pink and red, so do herbal infusions. But, unlike most of the blooms we’ll see springing into life over the next few months, infusions and teas provide surprising health and wellness benefits for our hearts, bones, immune system as well as our minds.”
Dr Carrie Ruxton
Check out Dr Ruxton’s tasting notes and wellness tips on six colourful herbal infusions and teas.
Drink Yellow
Pic: Shutterstock
With gentle notes of apple and a mild honey-like sweetness, Chamomile is a firm favourite at bedtime. “And its benefits for sleep are not an old wives’ tale”, says Dr Ruxton. “A study in the Journal of Advanced Nursing found that drinking chamomile daily for two weeks improved sleep quality and reduced fatigue.”
Drink Orange
Made from the leaves of a South African shrub, Rooibos has a smooth, gentle flavour with a slight nutty sweetness. Dr Ruxton says: “In a clinical trial, six weeks of drinking rooibos daily stimulated antioxidant pathways in the body, was a great stress buster and lowered LDL-cholesterol and triglycerides – fats linked with heart disease risk.”
Drink Green
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Peppermint and spearmint have a refreshing minty taste and a vibrant aroma. Dr Ruxton comments: “While better known for digestion, mint infusions can also help re-balance hormone levels. Great news for those feeling angst with emotions. A 30-day randomised trial in women with polycystic ovary syndrome found that drinking mint tea twice daily reduced testosterone levels and boosted normal female hormones.”
Drink Pink
With its gorgeous deep pink colour, Hibiscus offers a combination of floral notes sharpened by the acidic flavours of cranberry and redcurrant. Dr Ruxton says: “A clinical study in the Journal of Nutrition found that drinking three daily servings of hibiscus significantly helped lowers systolic blood pressure after six weeks compared with a placebo drink. Some of us often find that stress can cause blood pressure to rise.”
Drink Red
Pic: Shutterstock
Well known for its rich red colour, Rosehip has an intense tangy taste similar to green apples and ripe plums. Dr Ruxton notes: “Rose hips have anti-inflammatory properties. A recent review of 24 pharmacological studies found that preparations of rose hips helped to reduce pain and swelling in conditions such as osteoarthritis.”
Don’t Forget The Leaves . . .
While herbal infusions are bursting with ‘flower power’, don’t forget the traditional cuppa and green tea, both borne from the same plant – Camellia Sinensis. They are bursting with a range of flavours, aromas and vibrancy, too. Plus, they are packed with health and wellness properties from heart, memory and bone health benefits to gut, digestive fitness, skin and beauty hydration needs to stress busting properties. So, pop the kettle on, sip, take time out for yourself, dream and enjoy that tea moment, whatever the aroma or flavour.
Moira Chisholm
I'm the Health Editor on My Weekly and am always interested to hear what's new in this fascinating field. I also deal with the gardening, shopping pages, general features, our website content and the Ask Helen problem page. I have a special interest in Christmas content because I'm on the team for Your Best Ever Christmas Magazine, too!
