If you love a cup of tea, but you’re trying to cut down on caffeine, or you’re looking for an accessible way to enjoy hot drinks, fruit and herbal teas could be the answer.
There are lots of delicious blends to choose from, with some fruit and herbal teas also boasting nutritional benefits on top of improving your hydration. Here we’ll look at the health benefits of some popular fruit and herbal tea blends so you can choose the type that suits you best.
The benefits of drinking tea
While unique fruit and herbal blends hold unique benefits based on their ingredients, drinking any type of tea can help improve your hydration, which can help support good health.1
Staying hydrated is simple. You must ensure you’re drinking plenty of fluids every day, but did you know that this can include more than just water? You can choose fruit and herbal teas, as well as diluted cordials, in your daily fluid intake too.2
Herbal and fruit tea benefits
These alternative teas use dried fruits, herbs, flowers, and spices instead of the brewed leaves of traditional tea. With so many types to choose from, you’re sure to find a fruit or herbal tea you love. Here are some of the most popular blends and their health benefits.
Chamomile
Chamomile tea is a bedtime favourite with a sweet, earthy taste. The flower contains an antioxidant called apigenin, which may promote sleepiness.3 If you’d like to try chamomile tea for the first time, brew a mug when you’re ready for bed and see how it affects your sleep.
Peppermint
Peppermint tea can use fresh mint leaves or a peppermint teabag. Peppermint leaves contain essential oils, which are released when you steep the leaves in hot water. This popular herbal drink is known for its digestive effects, making it an ideal choice for after a meal.
While there’s little research into this, there is some evidence that peppermint oil can help with digestive discomfort too.4
Ginger
Ginger is a versatile root with a unique flavour and lots of health benefits. You can make your ginger tea by chopping up chunks of fresh ginger and steeping them in water, or by using a convenient ginger teabag. You might like to add lemon or honey to sweeten your brew.
Ginger tea is an excellent way to hydrate yourself and is also associated with good digestive health and eliminating excess gas.5
Whatever type of fruit or herbal tea you choose, we’re sure you’ll fall in love with these caffeine-free drinks as a great way to warm up and relax.
Shop Teas
Last updated: 8 June 2020
Sources
1 https://www.nhsinform.scot/campaigns/hydration
2 https://www.nhsinform.scot/campaigns/hydration
3 https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/5-benefits-of-chamomile-tea
4 https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/health-benefits-peppermint-tea
5 https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/ingredient-focus-ginger
