FANS OF TRADITIONAL TEA who only make time for the occasional peppermint or chamomile infusion could be missing a trick. There’s a herbal tea for every occasion, with therapeutic effects reported by devotees that go beyond avoidance of caffeine.
Many herbalists and alternative nutritionists swear by herbal teas to help with issues as varied as indigestion and insomnia. Admittedly, if you’re looking for hard evidence, this is hard to come by. ‘Research looking into the health benefits of herbs – and herbal teas – tends to be limited and studies aren’t usually well designed or carried out on a large enough scale to draw any definite conclusions,’ says HFG nutrition consultant Juliette Kellow. ‘Results often vary widely, too, with many studies concluding there’s only a small benefit, if any at all.’
So why do they swear by them?