08/06/2012
Tea is said to be herbal if it is made of fresh or dried leaves, seeds, or roots of various plants. These plants are generally known to have some medicinal properties. Nowadays, with health issues having become the prime concern of many, herbal teas are becoming very popular. Hence, a number of companies are manufacturing herbal tea bags for various kinds of infusions.
Herbal teas are more useful for their medicinal properties and also for their stimulant, relaxant, or sedative effects. The effects of herbal tea vary from person to person. There are innumerable versions of herbal tea consumed by people in various countries; for example, karkade is a beverage made of hibiscus leaves and is very famous in Egypt. These are usually served in ahwas (tea houses) in this country.
In India, serving a cup of tea is a welcome gesture for guests in most of the households. Tea is the most popular and frequently drunk beverage in our country. Spiced tea or the masala chai is made by brewing tea with a mixture of aromatic Indian spices and herbs. Although these spices and herbs are mostly used in Ayurvedic formulations in several treatments, this type of tea is not considered to be a form of herbal tea. Herbal tea looks like ordinary tea but it contains herbal infusions known as tisanes. Tisanes are also brewed in hot water just like normal tea but their chief ingredient does not come from Camellia sinensis, a species from which all regular forms of tea are made. Instead, they are prepared by planning and carefully mixing many botanicals.
When consumed daily, these herbal beverages can relax your mind and have a soothing effect on the nervous system. They are found to aid in weight loss too and are good for stomach and digestive problems. They cleanse and detoxify your body and promote physical and mental well being. Some of the ingredients that can be used to make herbal tea are cinnamon, fennel, ginger, ginseng, lemon grass, parsley, peppermint, and basil leaves. Each of the above ingredients has certain medicinal properties in the world of Ayurveda. So, switching to herbal tea will definitely be worth it, considering all the health benefits that it can provide.
