Saturday, April 12, 2014

10 Herbal Teas to Add to Your Diet


Brewed Herbal Tea with Health Benefits

You're smitten by coffee, accepting it as part of your daily habit, but the active compounds of coffee, especially caffeine, can keep you awake all night long. Here are 10 popular herbal teas, brews to gradually help reduce your coffee habit.

1. Chamomile Tea

A tea favored by many for its ability to induce relaxation, Chamomile tea has an active ingredient, an amino acid known as L-theanine, which sedates the body. Drinking the tea in the evening can prevent insomnia and relieve muscle spasms caused by the stresses of a hard day.

2. Green Tea

Green Tea is thought to reduce the risks of heart disease and cancer, green tea also acts as an agent of calm. The brew releases health enhancing antioxidants that inhibit cell damage. Other properties of green tea are its beneficial chemical factors, compounds that reduce bad cholesterol, optimizing metabolic action.

3. Peppermint Tea

You can imagine peppermint flavor adding zest to your diet and energy to your metabolism. Peppermint tea is indeed delicious, but it has practical applications as well. A daily intake of this tea assists in combating stress and in diluting the harmful toxins produced when the body is anxious. The aroma of peppermint climbs the sinus passages and eases congestion.

4. Lavender Tea

Yet another combatant against the stimulating effects of coffee, lavender has the potency to relax and sedate. It's used as an aid for relaxation in spas around the world, and, when infused in a cup of herbal tea, it permeates the brain, reducing anxiety that much faster.

5. Ginger Tea

This homely kitchen ingredient makes a delicious herbal tea, but few people know of the powers of the herb for healing and protecting against disease. The Chinese use ginger in many teas and a great deal of their cuisine, for taste and as a cure for ailments. Ginger tea has a rich, distinctive flavor and the power to strengthen the immunity system, reducing inflammation and increasing circulation.

6. Cinnamon Tea

Sweet and aromatic, this tea made with a healthy infusion of cinnamon travels smoothly down the throat to reduce soreness caused by inflammation. Increase its efficacy by adding a healthy dollop of honey. Additionally, cinnamon tea reduces health-risks posed by high cholesterol and is thought to improve circulation.

7. Lemongrass Tea

This healthy tea has the zesty taste of lemon and comes loaded with potent healing properties. The drink aids in relaxation, promotes a sense of well-being, and is commonly mixed with other herbal teas such as ginger and peppermint to create a tasty, robust drink that refreshes while healing.

8. Blackberry Tea

Berries are rich in powerful antioxidants, chemical components that remove harmful elements from the body while repairing damaged cells. Blackberry tea possesses plenty of these health-promoting agents, creating a tangy, fruity drink that's dark of hue and full of natural supplements for the drinker to soak up.

9. Clove Tea

A tea that benefits from a taste familiar to herbalists across the globe, clove aids in digestion and in balancing the energy of the body, restoring minerals and supplements that have been leached by coffee. The taste is instantly familiar to anyone that cooks with clove, while the potent properties of the tea aids in fighting bacterial infections.

10. Hawthorn Berry Tea

Slightly bitter to the taste but immensely satisfying with a spoonful of honey, hawthorn berries promote cardiovascular health, aid in reducing frustrating periods of insomnia, and relieve water retention.

All of these fine examples of herbal teas are pleasing substitutes for coffee. More than that, they act as superb detox drinks when dieting, and blood dilation agents to increase circulation

Yours in Good Health,
Eugene Wood
Licensed Massage Therapist
NYC Massage