In the eighth grade, I read an article stating coffee could be irritating to acne, and that anyone looking to avoid breakouts should instead drink green tea. I feel blessed to have learned that at such a young age (pre-coffee habit!) because I’ve since learned that there’s a tea for almost freaking everything! Stomachache? Tea. Lack of energy? Tea. Can’t sleep? Tea. Want clear skin? Tea. I mean the list goes on. To give you an idea of how you can use these delicious, herbal blends to help heal you from the inside out, we rounded up all the teas you’ll need for almost every problem in your life—but no, there’s not one that will pay your rent.
Unable to Sleep
If you find yourself tossing and turning for an uncomfortable amount of time before ultimately having a slight freak out due to your exhaustion, calm down and grab some chamomile. Chamomile tea is known for its calming effects and has been proven to decrease the amount of time it takes to fall asleep, improve your quality of sleep, and even decrease the number of times you might wake up in the middle of the night. Additionally, it’s been proven to reduce overall stress—now don’t we all need a little of that?— as well as help with anxiety and depression.
Common Cold
You know those few weeks of the year you spend with a slightly blocked nose and a nearly permanent tickle in your throat? Tea could help ease that. While Echinacea tea will not cure your cold, it will sure as hell make your symptoms feel better. Echinacea provides a huge immunity boost, which can help reduce the length of a cold, soothe your sore throat, and reduce your scratchy cough. Take one look at “cold time” teas, and they’re typically Echinacea, but now you know why!
Nausea
If there’s one thing my family can count on me for, it’s definitely for getting carsick on family vacations. What started when I was six is only now beginning to subside, all thanks to my BFF, Ginger! Ginger tea is fantastic for calming the stomach down and easing any signs of vomiting because of its strong anti-inflammatory properties. It’s worked for me for years, personally, but studies show it’s a godsend when it comes to pregnancy or chemotherapy-induced nausea.
Skin Irritation
Did you know that green tea can help improve the look of blemishes and redness when consuming it orally AND when applying it topically? Green tea is dense with antioxidants, so it helps fight free-radical damage inside and outside the body. Drinking a cup a day can help your skin maintain clarity, but it’s also been proven to work when applies topically. If you have acne-prone skin, consider sipping on a cup or using products with green tea as a part of the essential ingredients.
Stomach Pain
If there’s one thing I REALLY love tea for, it’s for its ability to melt any gastro problem away, and peppermint tea happens to do the trick every time. Peppermint has been shown to have a basket full of benefits for the digestive tract, including its ability to relax spasms happening in your digestive system, relieve indigestion, pass gas, and work to aid the digestive process… if you know what I mean (and if you don’t I mean it helps you poo!). Additionally, it’s been proven to ease symptoms of the way to common, but not talked about enough, irritable bowel syndrome.
Lack of Energy
There’s more than one type of tea containing caffeine, but black tea is by far the most energy-boosting tea known to man. An eight-ounce serving typically provides half the amount of caffeine as coffee; so if you’re looking for an energy boost that’s not as intense or jittery as that of coffee, aim for a cup of black tea to start your morning. There are tons of black teas on the market, so a good starting point is breakfast tea. Whether it’s English breakfast or Irish breakfast is totally up to you.
However, if black tea ain’t your thang, then you may want to explore the ever-so-popular matcha. Besides having a Kermit-the-Frog glow, matcha is known to provide a more steady flow of energy throughout the day instead of coffee’s instant boost—which is perfect if you’re looking to avoid a hard afternoon crash.
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Feature Image via Catarina Mouta