5 Ways Chamomile Tea Benefits Your Health

Potential Health Benefits

While more research is needed to prove the health benefits of drinking chamomile tea, following are some advantages of this tea.

• It may help you sleep better

People have been using chamomile tea for hundreds of years to reduce stress and sleep peacefully. This tea is loaded with apigenin, a type of flavonoid antioxidant known to provide internal calmness and sound sleep.

Although this theory hasn’t been proven with chamomile tea specifically, studies have proved that consuming about 200mg of chamomile extract every day before going to bed brought about a significant improvement in the quality of sleep.

• It may improve overall digestion

While there is little research to support this, chamomile may help with digestion & gastrointestinal health. Few of animal studies found that it may help control diarrhoea & prevent stomach ulcers, but more human research is needed to confirm chamomile’s role in digestion. However, people who drank chamomile tea regularly experienced significant improvement in digestive disorders. Chamomile extract may provide relief from indigestion, flatulence, nausea, gas, stomach ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome, diarrhoea, and other gastrointestinal issues.

The antioxidants in chamomile extract help control the inflammations and smoothen the muscles inside the digestive tract, thereby providing a soothing feeling to your stomach.

• It may provide relief from PMS symptoms

The relaxation it provides may help to reduce the pain, discomfort, and other symptoms associated with PMS (premenstrual syndrome). According to experts, one of the most important health benefits of drinking chamomile tea is its soothing/relieving sensation.

In a study conducted recently, women who were given 250mg chamomile pills every night experienced lesser pain and emotional disturbances associated with PMS than those who only received a placebo.

• It may keep blood sugar levels under check

Chamomile tea benefits people who have diabetes, as it is packed with a high dose of antioxidants and quercetin. Studies have proved that when taken regularly, chamomile extract can bring down blood sugar levels. It can also improve insulin resistance and reduce the average blood sugar (HbA1c) to a reasonable extent.

This is primarily because chamomile is known for its anti-inflammatory properties. It protects your cells against the oxidative stress caused by free radicals. Chamomile is also known to provide overall improvement to kidney function and lipid profile.

• It may improve the overall health of your heart

The flavonoids present in chamomile are known to bring down the bad cholesterol (LDL) in your body, thereby reducing your risk of cardiac issues. The antioxidants in chamomile also help in bringing down blood pressure levels. Hence, it eventually reduces your risk of ailments like strokes, cardiac arrest, and more.

Some other benefits you may enjoy when drinking chamomile tea are —

• Reduced risk of certain cancers

• Overall improvement of the immune system

• Relief from stress, anxiety, and other symptoms related to depression

• Glowing skin and a visible reduction of acne and other inflammation on the skin

How to incorporate chamomile tea into your diet?

Now that you have understood how chamomile tea benefits you, here is how you can incorporate it into your daily routine —

• In a cup of hot water (about 8 ounces), steep a chamomile tea bag for about 10 minutes.

• Close the cup with a lid.

• After 10 minutes, discard the tea bag and drink the tea once it is warm.

• Chamomile has a slightly sweet, bitter taste, which is somewhat similar to the taste of apples. You can drink your tea as it is or add a few drops of lemon juice or honey to make it tastier.

• If using dried chamomile flowers, place a few flowers inside a tea infuser. Place this infuser in a cup of hot water for about 5 minutes, and drink the tea.

Adding milk to chamomile tea is not the usual practice; however, if you love milk tea, you can go ahead and follow these steps —

• In a cup of boiled water, add a few dried chamomile flowers or a tea bag.

• Allow it to sit there for about 5 to 10 minutes. Take out the tea bag or strain the dried flowers.

• Add about ½ a cup of warm milk to the clear tea.

• Add a few drops of honey.

• For a tastier version, you can add a small pinch of cinnamon powder or vanilla extract.