Herbal teas are all the
rage for the many medicinal qualities they are supposed to possess. It's
claimed they can help with everything from easing a cold and indigestion to
fighting infection and nausea.
But when choosing a herbal
tea remedy, make sure you pick the right one. While fruit flavoured teas - such
as rosehip, apple and orange - tend to be delicious, they are developed for
their flavouring more than anything else.
Herbal teas on the other
hand, such as thyme, peppermint and ginger have greater therapeutic virtues.
Susan Curtis, a homeopath
for Neals Yard Remedies, says that fruit teas tend to be blended from synthetic
ingredients, but herbal teas often contain real herbs. 'This means they make
effective remedies if drunk at least three to four times a day,' she says.
Susan suggests reading the
ingredients first.
'If the label mentions
real herbs then the quality will be good,' she says. 'Avoid any teas with
artificial flavourings. The best quality herbal teas tend to be organic.'
We've rounded up ten
herbal teas picked for their medicinal benefits and explain what each could do
for you.
The white blossom from the
Elder tree is a traditional cure for colds. It is an effective decongestant
because it helps clean the nasal passages of catarrh. It is also a good
diaphoretic - meaning it encourages the body to sweat. Naturopaths believe that
viruses are unable to breed in a raised body temperature.
Lemon Verbena: Lemon
Verbena - like citrus
liqueurs such as Poire
William and Calvados - are traditionally used in France as a digestive aid.
This is because the citrus content helps to break down fats in the digestive
tract.
All tea has caffeine,
usually less than coffee, though exactly how much varies from tea to tea, which
leads some tea companies and pundits to break down caffeine content by broad
style: green tea has this much caffeine, black tea that much, etc. They usually
claim that black teas have more caffeine than oolongs, which in turn have more
caffeine than greens and whites, though none of them agree on amounts.
Depending on who you ask, a cup of black tea could have as little as 25
milligrams per cup or as much as 90. (Of course no one ever specifies the size
of the cup.)
Broad generalizations like
these make as much sense as saying all IPAs have the same alcohol percentage.
All sorts of things influence a brewed tea's caffeine concentration, including
where and how it's grown, the size of the finished leaves, and the exact
processing style (roasting, aging, and fermentation can all diminish caffeine).
A green tea may have as much caffeine as a black tea, and two black teas from
the same region might have totally different caffeine levels.
It's even more
complicated: The very same tea may yield different amounts of caffeine
depending on how it's brewed. In a study in the Journal of Analytical
Toxicology, researchers measured the caffeine content of 20 common tea products
and found no correlation between tea style (green, black, etc.) and caffeine
content. However, the longer any caffeinated tea brewed, the more caffeine made
its way into the cup. Steep an English breakfast tea for one minute and you may
get 14 milligrams of caffeine in your cup; steep the same amount for five
minutes and that concentration can double.
Ginger is an excellent
remedy in the early stages of an infection because, as a warming spice, it can
promote a fever and hasten healing. Ginger's warming effects are also said to
relieve rheumatic aches and pains by widening the blood vessels and stimulating
circulation.
Nettle: A British herb
that is good to take when feeling run down. This is because of its rich mineral
content. Nettle is a good source of iron, calcium and silica. Iron produces red
blood cells, essential for energy. Calcium and silica are important for
building bones, hair and teeth.So if you are looking to buy good quality tea
and coffee visit Allindiayellowpage.com
to get all information about tea,coffee and herbal drinks available shops in
your city.