Have you heard about chamomile tea before? Are you aware of the myriad range of health benefits that it offers? Chamomile tea is an extremely popular beverage that contains numerous phytochemical compounds, advantageous to your health. Chamomile is an herbal plant that comes from a daisy-like flower family calledAsteraceae. You may not know but chamomile has been used for centuries as a medicinal plant, to treat various health disorders.
To prepare chamomile tea, you need to first dry the flowers and then infuse it in hot water. Chamomile tea does not contain caffeine, unlike coffee and black tea. So if you are looking for a good decaffeinated beverage, chamomile tea is the answer for you. It has a naturally sweet taste that you will generally not find in tea or coffee.
Organic chamomile tea improves sleeping patterns and cycles, thereby reducing the chances of suffering from insomnia. It also promotes the proper functioning of your digestive system and gives protection against some deadly types of cancer. If you want to improve your heart functioning, go for chamomile tea. It brilliantly controls your blood sugar levels, eventually encouraging the good functioning of a healthy heart.
Why drink chamomile tea?
You will find the beautiful flower of chamomile in the regions of Australia, Europe, North America, and Asia. Where do you think chamomile flower gets its anti-inflammatory properties? Chamomile contains various photoactive compounds, most importantly Chamazulene. This is an aromatic compound, which is responsible for the beautiful aroma of the tea. Chamazulene imparts the analgesic, antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory effects on your health.
So you if are having a tough cold, undoubtedly drink a cup of hot chamomile tea and relax. Gradually you will start enjoying its soothing effects. Sit back and inhale the magical floral fragrance of this golden brew. On a lazy afternoon, enjoy little sips of chamomile tea with an occasional mix of honey.
When it comes to the health benefits that chamomile tea offers, you will lose count! It has a multitude of effects on your skin and overall health, which you may hardly find in normal teas.
-
Improves your sleeping cycles
Chamomile tea has a huge impact on the quality of sleep patterns and cycles. It contains an antioxidant named apigenin, which binds to specific neuronal receptors to encourage sleepiness and lessen insomnia. So if you are having difficulty sleeping at night, take two cups of chamomile tea every day. In a month, you will definitely see the difference.
-
Promotes proper digestion
If you are facing trouble in digesting food, chamomile tea can help you. A cup of chamomile tea per day can improve your digestive functioning, and blow down risks of gastrointestinal disorders. Chamomile extract helps you overcome diarrhea, and also prevents the formation of stomach ulcers. It brings down the acidic level in your stomach and inhibits bacterial growth responsible for causing the ulcer. As chamomile has anti-inflammatory properties, it helps you fight certain stomach ailments like gas and associated nausea.
-
Protects you against particular classes of cancer
Chamomile has an antioxidant agent called apigenin that does all the anti-cancerous works. Antioxidants have a major impact on the promotion and progression of cancer cells. Thus, apigenin inhibits the growth of cancer in cells of prostate, thyroid, breast, uterus, digestive tract, and skin. For experiencing anti-carcinogenic effects, you need to drink at least 2 cups of chamomile tea.
How does chamomile regulate blood sugar and pressure?
Did you know that if you drink chamomile tea every day, you can keep your blood sugar level under control? If you are a diabetic person, chamomile will effectively help in dropping glucose levels in your blood. You become diabetic when your body fails to produce insulin, or utilize it properly.
The beta cells of the islets of Langerhans within your pancreas produces insulin, which breaks down glucose into glycogen. If your pancreatic beta cells are damaged somehow, insulin functioning will be hampered. So glucose will keep building up in your blood, making you diabetic.
Chamomile has an anti-inflammatory effect on your body, as it prevents your pancreatic cells from any damage during diabetes. Increased insulin in your blood works properly against the elevated glucose levels, thereby lowering your blood sugar. You may drink a cup of chamomile tea with any meal, to get the best results on your blood glucose level.
Can chamomile improve your heart health as well?
The antioxidant property of chamomile is a boon for your health when you take it in the form of tea. Chamomile flower has an abundance of flavones, which are a kind of antioxidants. These flavones help in regulating your cholesterol and blood pressure levels.
Chamomile brings down the level of bad cholesterol and triglycerides and encourages the production of good cholesterol in your body. It also lowers your blood pressure, thereby protecting you from the potential risks of various cardiovascular diseases.
Other health benefits:
- Boosts your immune system- Helps you fight harmful infections and pathogens, and treats sore throat and common cold in no time.
- Eases depression and anxiety- Chamomile soothes your nerves and calms you down during chronic stress. You may take chamomile tea as aromatherapy for relieving stress levels and depression.
- Prevents the loss of bones- Chamomile recovers you from diseases like osteoporosis.
- Encourages good skin- To improve your skin texture, drink chamomile tea or use it in cosmetic products like soaps, eye creams, and lotions. It works as a moisturizer and reduces skin inflammation.
Negative effects of chamomile:
Although chamomile has a wide range of health benefits to offer, it may also prove to be harmful in some cases. If you are allergic to flowers belonging from the similar daisy family, such as chrysanthemum, you shouldn’t consider chamomile for yourself.
If you are pregnant or suffering from any liver or kidney problem, do not drink chamomile tea on your own. Always take the consent of a health expert. However, it is safe for consumption as a whole, as there are no reports of any toxicity or life-threatening effects of chamomile so far.