What is Chamomile Tea or Hibiscus Tea?
Chamomile and Hibiscus are both excellent flowering herbs with many health benefits. Such herbs are usually dried then used with boiling water for consumption as herbal tea. Chamomile tea or Hibiscus tea is caffeine-free. Now, throughout the world, from India to Europe, even the United States of America, people use these teas.
I was just giving a little intro, in case you might not know about Chamomile or Hibiscus as herbs. Let's not dim your curiosity and go into the facts. First, I will summarize how these herbal teas work in your immune system. And how they create defense in your body against viruses.
How Herbal Tea can be Helpful Against Viruses
Most of the herbal tea, like Chamomile, Hibiscus has catechins and theaflavins, less or more. Catechins and theaflavins can fight viruses on the cellular level. Also, it boosts your immunity.
For a virus to grow in your body, it must break through your cell wall. When the virus breaches the cell and enters, it releases its RNA. The virus's RNA hijacks your RNA, takes over, and replicates itself. Now, if you drink enough green tea or herbal tea, then there are theaflavins and catechins for you.
Catechins and theaflavins stop the viruses from entering the cell wall by binding with the virus protein. If the virus cannot enter your cell, then it is not able to replicate itself. Afterwards, the antibody will remove the infection while it waits outside your cell wall.
The main point here is how tea is helping to beat the infection. Covid-19 is a new type of virus and a mutating one. Your immune system cannot help immediately, but catechins and theaflavins certainly can.
That's how herbal tea, like Chamomile and Hibiscus can be helpful in this war against Covid-19. But don't misjudge for this as a vaccine or cure.
I have just told one side of Chamomile & Hibiscus for you. They help your immune system in many other aspects. So, I am going deep into these herbal teas origin, benefits, and some other tips to help you in this Covid-19 situation.
Chamomile Tea
Chamomile is an ancient herb, used for centuries in Rome, Egypt, Greece, and West Asia. But now you can find it all around the world, and people use it as herbal medicine. Chamomile flower is scientifically called 'Matric aria chamomilla' originated from daisy-like flowers of the Asteraceae plant family.
Relief from Stress & Insomnia
For the past two months, you are staying home, surrounded by so many negative news. It is usual for you to feel stress, anxiety and insomnia. But Chamomile has an antioxidant, known as apigenin. It reduces your stress and calms your nerves.
Also, for your immune system sleeping well is necessary. A proper sleep creates cytokines; this protein builds an effective response to infections. So, for a peaceful sleep, get your teabag now.
Chamomile Tea Solves Stomach Problems
In this crisis, going to a doctor for stomach pain only, is not a good idea. Instead, you can have a cup of Chamomile tea regularly!
It will release you from stomach pain, diarrhea, nausea and abdominal pain. Also, this herbal tea can increase your digestive power. It is common knowledge that Hibiscus tea and Chamomile tea are excellent for our digestive system.
An Immunity Booster
This herbal tea is rich with phenolic compounds. And such compounds are essential to strengthen your immunity system. Besides, Chamomile is useful for treating sore throat and cold. It seems like this herb helps to heal one of the Covid-19 symptoms.
Also, it will help you against inflammation, bacteria as it has enough antioxidant for you.
You know White Blood Cells(WBC) plays a vital role in our body. WBC search & destroy the virus, bacteria which invades our blood. And Chamomile increases the production of WBC int your body. Thus, your immune system becomes more robust.
Chamomile Tea Helps to Prevent Cancer
You already know Chamomile contains antioxidant apigenin. Scientists have found that apigenin may fight cancer cells of the breast, digestive tract, skin, prostate and uterus. But still, research is going on about this magic herbal tea and preventing cancer.
Chamomile Tea is Good for Blood pressure & Sugar
Also, some other benefits you will get drinking this tea daily during this situation. You are staying at home for so long now. Your daily work-life, exercise is not the same as before. So, your blood sugar level may not be in control.
But here is your savior - CHAMOMILE TEA, it will aid you to control and improve your blood sugar level. And it will make your heart healthier because Chamomile has flavones, which lowers blood pressure. A study even found that Chamomile tea can improve cholesterol and triglycerides levels.
A study of 2010 has found that chamomile tea reduces the menstrual cramps if you consume it for a month. Women in the study also reported period pain with less stress and anxiety.
You might be thinking I have told you all the information and details about this herbal tea. But where will you find good Chamomile Tea? You can check Assamica Agro.
Note: Pregnant women should use Chamomile tea under the advice of their doctor, a cup for tea before bed, may relax you. But try not to have to much.
Hibiscus Tea
The eye-catching, semi-tropical plant, belongs to the mallow family, Malvaceae. Hibiscus is a herbaceous plant that originated from Egypt, but now it grows in warm regions around the world. There are many species of this herb, but companies use 'Hibiscus Sabdariffa L.' for tea.
Hibiscus Tea May Help Your Kidney
A study has shown that Hibiscus tea prevents forming calcium oxalate crystals into Kidney stones. The study is conducted on rats initially. Also, the antioxidant found in the herbal plant may be useful for damaged kidneys.
There is more study needed before calling it a kidney savior. But you can have a cup of Agua de Jamaica (Hibiscus tea) daily as there is no harm to it. It might be helpful for your kidney.
Strengthen Your Immune System
You already know that you need an immune booster to survive this crisis. Like Chamomile tea, Hibiscus tea can boost your immunity. It contains vitamin C a powerful antioxidant you usually get from lime juice. And has some anti-bacterial properties.
These dried Hibiscus flowers are also high in iron. Iron keeps your immune system balanced and assists the body to maintain red blood cells. And the vitamin C you get from this herbal tea will also increase the absorption of iron. Ultimately you will get an immune booster package in this pandemic.
Hibiscus Tea Help Your Digestion
Drinking Hibiscus tea is like having sugar-free and caffeine-free flavored water. So, it can be useful for hydrating your body. Thus it can prevent constipation and aids in digestion.
Good Friend of Urinary System
There are many harmful organisms which can make your urinary tract their home. And they can cause infection, and you will feel pain, itch and burn. But having a cup of Hibiscus tea can help you. This herb is not friendly against such microorganisms.
Besides, this hibiscus plant also have natural diuretics. In your body diuretics raise the amount of water and salt to remove as urine. So, the body balance will remain intact.
Hibiscus Tea Keeps Heart Healthy & Low Cholesterol
Already in the Chamomile tea section, I mentioned, you must maintain a healthy heart and low cholesterol in this lock-down.
And here is another magic herb which can help you in it. A study in The Journal of Nutrition, it is found that hibiscus extract is beneficial for your heart. It lowers the blood pressure. This wonderful herb has polyphenols which support a healthy cardiovascular system.
Another benefit of hibiscus tea is it increases 'HDL' known as good cholesterol. And decreases bad cholesterol named 'LDL'. From a 2013 study on animals, a fact came out which is Hibiscus tea may help your diabetes also. But scientists need more research to confirm these facts.
Also, if you are getting some fat in this lock-down, this herbal tea can aid you to lose your weight.
In this Covid-19 situation, you can get so many benefits in drinking a herbal tea, check Assamica Agro and get your cup of tea now.
Note: Don't start to drink Hibiscus tea if you are on medication and have hypo-tension (low systolic or diastolic blood pressure). First, consult your doctor, then drink it. Also, people allergic to Malvaceae plant family don't use it. These are some side effects.
How to Brew Chamomile Tea & Hibiscus Tea Perfectly
- Take a cup of water(150-200 ml).
- Heat the water until it starts to boil (100º Celsius).
- Take a little more than one teaspoon of tea (5 gram).
- Steep it for 5 to 6 minutes.
- Re-steep 2 to 3 times.
Note: Herbal teas are more effective if consumed hot.
Due to COVID-19, you are staying home and want to be safe. That's why you are focusing on your nutrition—searching for what is right for health and immunity. You may be paying a lot of cash on expensive foods, medications or herbs and spices.
But for an overall healthy daily life in this lock-down, you should start drinking these herbal teas. Chamomile tea or Hibiscus tea is like your regular green tea or black tea. Besides, these herbal teas are so cheap but very useful for your immunity against Corona virus.
Start having herbal teas from now on, check for your perfect taste on Assamica Agro.