Tea Time!

Fall – the season of soups and boots – is my favorite time of year because of, well, the soups and boots thing. Not to mention glorious foliage. Also: TEA, steaming mugs of fragrant tea sipped on chilly November mornings. So, this being a chilly November morning, let’s talk tea: herbal tea, health and wellness.

Herbal tea isn’t really made from tea—which is a specific kind of plant. Herbal tea an infusion of leaves, seeds, roots and bark extracted in hot water. I have nothing against tea tea. In fact, I drink quite a bit of green tea, but herbals do have specific properties that are believed to be health-promoting. I say “believed to be” because, if you’re looking for large-scale, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trails on herbal tea and its health benefits, you ain’t gonna find them. (Those kind of studies cost tens of millions to mount and are generally financed by pharmaceutical companies.) But you will find enthusiastic endorsements by herbal tea drinkers, naturopaths, herbalists and others. And you will find centuries of use in cultures that value herbal remedies. Here are a few commonly available, potentially health-promoting, counterclockwise herbal teas to consider this fall:

Peppermint is believed to be a stress-reducer. It’s also known for its ability to ease nausea, abdominal discomfort and bloating (holiday overindulgence, anyone?), relieve sinus pain and maybe even clear the skin. Personally, I find this tea peps me up. (I mean mood elevation not energy boost.)

Lemon Balm tea is thought to lift the spirits, ease digestion and help with sleep. And there is some science behind the sleep claim. Yes, clinical trails. Researchers have investigated lemon balm’s use in treating insomnia and anxiety, but most of these studies used a combination of lemon balm and other herbs like valerian, hops and chamomile. The University of Michigan Health System cites a preliminary clinical trial that compared the effects of a product containing lemon balm and valerian root with the insomnia medication triazolam, or Halcion. The study found that the herbal combination was just as effective as Halcion at improving the participants’ ability to fall asleep and quality of sleep.

Chamomile — wonderful, soothing, grandmotherly chamomile– is considered to have calming, sedative effects and muscle-relaxing properties. It may also be a boon to the immune system – the enduring strength of which is a key to a counterclockwise life — due to plant-derived compounds called phenolics. Plus, it smells wonderful.

Ginger tea is renown as a great digestive aid, used to curb nausea or settle an upset stomach caused by motion sickness. Ginger is rich in Vitamin C and Magnesium, as well as other healthy minerals, and is believed to improve blood circulation, reduce inflammation, fight respiratory issues and boost the immune system. And it grows in sidewalk cracks.

Rooibos tea – a tasty new favorite of mine – is high in vitamin C and has thus been touted for its antioxidant properties, which may protect against disease and mitigate signs of aging. I don’t know. I just love the taste of it. Rosehip tea, like rooibus, is a vitamin C powerhouse. I don’t like the taste, so it doesn’t get a separate listing. So there.

Nettle Tea is rich in B vitamins, iron and calcium. It is believed to have anti-inflammatory properties that make it beneficial in treating arthritis, diabetes and even heart disease.

The thing about these health and wellness claims is: maybe yes, maybe no. But there’s no downside to trying a cup.

Please write in with your go-to herbal teas.