Chamomile tea is one of the most popular teas out there -- and for good reason. With origins that date back to Ancient Egypt and Rome, this tea has been used as an herbal remedy for centuries.
Known for its floral, lightly sweet flavor, chamomile tea also has a number of health benefits, ranging from boosting your immune system to aiding your sleep quality.
In this blog, we'll discuss the history of chamomile tea, its many health benefits, and how to brew the perfect cup of chamomile tea.
What is Chamomile Tea?
Before we break down what's in your cup, let's what chamomile itself actually is. Chamomile is a daisy-like flower of the Asteraceae plant family. This beautiful flowering plant is named from the khamaimēlon, meaning “earth apple,” which refers to chamomile’s fruity, yet lightly earthy sweetness.
To make chamomile tea, you can either dry chamomile flowers and infuse them in hot water, or add a chamomile extract to another base tea. While either technically "counts" as chamomile tea, you will experience the greatest health benefits by consuming tea infused with real chamomile flowers, rather than chamomile extract.
Chamomile Tea Bags vs. Chamomile Loose Leaf Tea
Similarly, commercial chamomile that can be found in a tea bag (you may recognize it best with a sleep bear on the box...) is usually made with leftover or broken dust and fannings from the chamomile flower. Authentic loose leaf chamomile, on the other hand, is distinguished by its large flower heads. The extra surface area of an unbroken chamomile flower brews a higher quality tea, which is why loose leaf chamomile is the best option.
Chamomile is commonly found in Egypt, but at Mosi, we source our chamomile flowers from Uttar Pradesh, India for a sweet, bright tonic paired with our green tea from mid-Darjeeling and North Bengal, India.
Health Benefits of Chamomile Tea
If you're familiar with chamomile, you may already know that the experience of drinking chamomile tea is incredibly calming. Its light, floral scent is soothing yet bright, and its sweet, warm flavor adds a coziness to your cup. But beyond its comforting flavor, chamomile offers many health benefits.
Helps Improve Sleep Quality
Beyond just the relaxing flavor of chamomile, this tea has actual health benefits that make it an incredible nightcap.
Chamomile tea has been used for centuries to help aid in sleep quality. Chamomile contains apigenin, which is an antioxidant that has been shown to promote sleepiness due to its mild sedative effect. Several studies have sown that those who consumed chamomile tea twice daily fell asleep faster and woke up less during the night than those who did not. While these findings and anecdotal data are promising, more research is needed to determine chamomile tea's full effects on sleep.
Anti-Inflammatory Properties
Chamomile tea is known to contain anti inflammatory properties that help it act similarly to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug. Chamomile has been used for centuries to treat chronic inflammatory conditions and ease the pain associated with these conditions.
Because Mosi's Green Chamomile tea is a green tea blend, it also contains polyphenols and is high in antioxidants. Polyphenols are known to act as an anti inflammatory, and also are known to increase immunity.
Soothes a Sore Throat
When you have a sore throat, a warm beverage is one of the best things to help soothe the pain. But chamomile does more than just soothe with heat; it actually contains healing properties and acts as a therapeutic agent. We recommend adding a bit of honey to your chamomile tea to add a boost of antimicrobial properties to your steaming cup of chamomile.
May Lower Blood Sugar Levels
If you are looking to lower your blood sugar levels, drinking chamomile tea is a great place to start. Several studies conducted with diabetic subjects have demonstrated that consuming chamomile tea daily significantly lowers blood sugar levels. Chamomile tea also has been shown to lower blood sugar spikes after eating.
Helps with Digestion
Thanks to its anti inflammatory properties, drinking chamomile tea can help aid in digestion. Studies have also shown that chamomile tea is helpful in preventing stomach ulcers, nausea, and gas. Chamomile tea is also known to contain compounds called cesquiterpene lactones, which help the pancreas produce digestive enzymes.
Because of the gut-brain connection, chamomile's anti-anxiety properties also aid in stress-related digestive issues like IBS.
Soothes Cold Symptoms
Chamomile is known to help reduce symptoms of the common cold. Beyond its ability to soothe a sore throat, this ancient remedy is known to keep your cold symptoms at bay. Because it is naturally cooling to the body, it helps balance out a feverish state. And chamomile's natural immune-boosting properties may even help you get over a cold more quickly.
Finding Quality Chamomile Tea
Brewing a quality cup of chamomile tea requires quality tea leaves. To find high quality chamomile, make sure to look for a loose leaf variety that includes full-flower chamomile. There are many options for single-ingredient chamomile teas, which are caffeine free herbal teas that brew a pale gold colored infusion.
At Mosi, we offer a wonderful Green Chamomile, which is a delicate blend of hand-picked green tea, chamomile, and lemongrass. While this blend does include green tea, it is still low in caffeine and can be used to aid in sleep.
How to Brew Chamomile Tea
We recommend using about one teaspoon of loose leaf chamomile tea leaves for every 8 ounces of water, and brewing at 185F (just under boiling). Chamomile tea is at its best when infused for about 3-5 minutes.
Using a portable infuser will allow you to take your tea on the go or brew it cold. To make a refreshing cold brew chamomile, simply fill the sieve of your Mosi portable tea infuser with loose leaf chamomile tea, fill the cup with cool water through the spout, secure the lock and leave it upside down over night. Enjoy in the morning over some ice for a perfectly summery drink.
While chamomile tea is delicious on its own, many enjoy a cup of chamomile with a bit of sugar or honey to elevate the natural sweetness of the floral drink.
