Teas That Heal

There are many healing properties to tea, and while green tea and matcha tend to be the standouts and more popular, there are teas growing in your garden that pack a punch as well.

Because it’s summer, let’s start with the teas that cool.

Teas that Cool

1. Peppermint (Bo He) This is an excellent tea to cool down the body. I use it in clinic as a balm to relieve headaches when applied to the base of the skull (a very popular product made by Saje Natural Wellness). But it also clears heat from the head, the eyes and can help when taken at the start of a cold to clear sore throats.
2. Chrysanthemum (Ju Hua) like peppermint is considered a cooling herb and as such we use it to clear heat from the body. And like mint, this plant travels up to the head to clear heat from the head, the eyes and any other inflammation and fevers. Again you would drink this tea if you were starting to get a cold or headache.
3. Honeysuckle tea (Jin Yin Hua) This tea is used to clear heat and toxicity — in other words, if you were coming down with a sore throat, headache, or fever then a cup of honeysuckle tea would help clear this heat and toxicity from your body.

Teas That Warm – Black Teas

1. Earl Gray
2. English Breakfast
3. Black Lychee — Li Zhi He (my personal favourite found at the Tea Company on Bayswater)

Black teas warm the body and act like a diuretic by flushing water and waste from the body. Their antioxidants protect the body form free radicals that can damage cells and cause chronic diseases. The theaflavins and flavonoids found in black tea relieve inflammation, lower cholesterol levels and improve blood vessel function. They also lower blood sugar levels.  But black teas are not for everyone.

If you are a nervous person, these teas can be too simulating causing diarrhea and anxiety. They can also impact your sleep causing insomnia.

We drink them because they contain caffeine and L-theanine which improves focus and alertness!

Teas that Soothe and Calm

1. Rose Bud — Mei Gui Hua tea helps promote energy in the body. If you carry a lot of stress in your body especially in your chest rose bud tea will help release this. We like it for women who suffer from PMS because it moves energy (think bloating, constipation) but also promotes the flow of blood which relieves period pain.
2. Rose Hip — Jin Ying Zi  The rose hip has different healing properties from the rose bud. As the fruit of the rose it’s used to astringe or secure fluids. You would steep rose hips if you suffered from spermatorrhea, urinary incontinence or excessive vaginal discharge. It’s also used to treat chronic diarrhea. Rose Hip tea is also cooling so could be used to reduce hot flashes or intense summer heat.

These are just a few of the teas that can heal the body. Dandelion is also very beneficial when steeped in a tea.