As we’ve talked about before, there are plenty of benefits of drinking tea. Whether you’re drinking tea for its essential vitamins and minerals or to help you fall asleep at night, there’s a benefit for everyone when it comes to tea. A common misconception, though, is that you need to buy some expensive tea in order to get its full health benefits. We’re here to bust that myth, as homemade tea is just as delicious and nutritious. In fact, we’re going to share 7 of our favorite homemade tea recipes and break down all of their benefits for you.
There are so many benefits to tea, it’s hard to fit all the details into one blog post. With multiple varieties of teas out there that we can make, the range of possibilities of what we can target and treat with tea seems to be never-ending. Besides improving sleep, promoting relaxation, reducing stress, and improving blood pressure, homemade tea can also help us detox our bodies of toxins. If you’re curious to know about some other ways we can benefit from regularly drinking homemade tea, check out these common benefits:
Green tea is known for being exceptionally high in flavonoids that can boost heart health by lowering bad cholesterol and reducing blood clotting (1). Scientific studies also show that green tea can help lower blood pressure, triglycerides, and total cholesterol. Other research has shown green tea to have an impact on liver, breast, prostate, and colorectal cancers. Plus, it’s anti-inflammatory, which is great for our skin health.
Peppermint tea contains menthol, which can soothe an upset stomach and serve as a cure for constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, and motion sickness. It can also serve as a go-to for those who suffer from headaches and migraines. Plus, it can freshen your breath, relieve clogged sinuses, improve energy levels, relieve menstrual cramps, fight bacterial infections, improve sleep, aid in weight loss, and improve concentration (2).
Ginger tea has a wide range of benefits including fighting morning sickness and motion sickness, treating chronic indigestion, and relieving joint pain. It has also been said to improve blood pressure and heart health, aid in controlling weight and blood sugar, relieve pain, and provide immune support (3). Ginger tea is also packed with antioxidants, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties.
As you might already know, water infused with lemon is a staple in the world of health and wellness. Therefore, so is lemon tea! There are a ton of amazing advantages of adding lemon tea to your diet, including detoxifying the body, boosting digestive function, combating infectious ailments, promoting heart health (4). Plus, the presence of vitamin C and antioxidants in lemon juice will enhance your skin’s wellness.
When consumers look for more healthy ingredients to put into their drinks, natural sweeteners like honey come in handy. Honey, for instance, was the first sweetener used in the world and has incredible antioxidant and antibacterial properties (5). When mixing honey with your tea, you’ll see its incredible benefits for the heart, managing cholesterol, fighting bad breath, improving brain function, easing the common cold, aiding in hair growth, and improving the skin’s appearance (6).
Like other teas on the list, cinnamon tea has its own long list of impressive health benefits. For example, cinnamon tea can lower inflammation, fights off bacteria, reduces menstrual cramps, and reduces blood sugar (7). Additionally, cinnamon tea is packed with antioxidants that can help us achieve youthful skin. As antioxidants ward off damaging free radicals that can cause aging, cinnamon tea will help promote blood flow and assist in new cell turnover. What’s not to love about it?
While apple cider vinegar has been upheld for its detoxifying benefits, turmeric has been used in skincare and for wellness for centuries. Together, this homemade tea packs a powerful, healthy punch. Turmeric has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that can reduce the damage of free radicals and prevent the signs of premature aging. Apple cider vinegar is also known to kill harmful bacteria, lower blood sugar and manage diabetes, aid in weight loss, and boost skin health.
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While your favorite tea from your favorite chain store is delicious, it’s likely loaded with sugar and little to no nutritional value depending on the added ingredients in it. This is definitely not what you want in a tea that you’re trying to use to detox. Not only that, but you’ll want to stay away from detox teas made for fad diets that could be mostly made up of laxatives. Instead, you should try your own homemade tea for detoxing – this way you’ll know all of the ingredients and know exactly what you’re putting into your body.
Written by Selena Ponton
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