Best herbal tea for natural healing

Harness the power of herbs, flowers and spices with these teas.

Herbal tea

by Ellen Kinsey |
Updated on

The best herbal teas will always hold a special place in our kitchen. Teas steeped in tradition offer more than just a warming, nourishing drink. They are a great way to drink the healing power of plants and can help bring you feelings of calm to aiding illnesses. From boosting immunity to aiding digestion to calming the mind and invigorating the senses, herbal teas' benefits are as diverse as the herbs themselves. We have rounded up the best teabags enclosing herbs and spices that have long been revered as natural remedies, their potent properties harnessed to heal and nourish the body.

Herbal teas are a delightful way to tap into this ancient wisdom, allowing us to incorporate these remedies into our daily routines. There are digestive aid herbs like the best peppermint tea or ginger to soothe a bad stomach. Through soothing chamomile and ashwagandha tea - we are here to help you find the best teas for your pantry.

Best herbal tea at a glance

Best blend for sleep: Clipper Organic Infusion Snore and Peace - view at BodyKind
Best for calming properties: Teapigs Chamomile Tea Made With Whole Flowers - view on Amazon UK
• Best for digestion: Yogi Tea Stomach Ease - view on Amazon UK
• Best for detoxing: Traditional Medicinals Tea Organic Dandelion - view on Amazon UK

Our guide to the best herbal teas has been chosen for its unique benefits and healing properties. Whether you're seeking a calming brew to ease anxiety, the best teas for sleep, or a comforting herbal drink to alleviate period cramps, there's a tea for every need.

All these teas are herbal and caffeine-free, but if you are looking for the best black tea, we also have a guide to that too. Teas offer a natural, nurturing way to support our health and wellbeing, so here are our best for sleep, anxiety, digestion, immunity and menstrual health to help you feel cosy from the inside out.

Best herbal tea for sleep

Herbs for sleep: Chamomile, Lemon Balm and Lavender

Best blend for sleep

If you need a little help to get some shut-eye, this chamomile tea is a classic choice for relaxation. This flower is known for its sleep-inducing properties and anxiety-soothing abilities, making it an excellent choice for unwinding before bedtime. Lemon balm tea is also known for its calming effects that could help reduce anxiety and improve sleep quality. In contrast, lavender tea is known for its soothing aroma and soothing properties. It's been used for centuries to promote relaxation and improve sleep quality - and this blend should help do just that.

Customer review: "I love this tea and drink it all the time, but it always feels like a treat. It's very tasty and easy to drink and definitely doesn't make me sleepy."

Pros

  • Made with organic chamomile and lavender
  • 20 individually wrapped tea bags
  • Good for sleep

Cons

  • Some reviewers found the flavour to be weak - depending on preference

Best sweet tea for sleep

This herbal tea can be a perfect addition to your nighttime routine, helping you drift off into a peaceful slumber. With sweet notes of apple and vanilla with calming camomile and passionflower plant that is known for its calming effects and is often used to treat anxiety and insomnia.

Pros

  • Caffeine-free
  • Made with chamomile, lavender, and lemon balm
  • Herbs for sleep

Cons

  • Maybe too sweet for some

Best herbal tea for anxiety relief

Herbs for anxiety: Chamomile, Valerian, and Passionflower

Best for uplifting effects

A blend of chamomile, lemongrass, lemon balm and valerian, this tea is an excellent choice for anxiety relief. It's been used for centuries to treat insomnia and anxiety due to its soothing properties and is enclosed in silk tea bags, so there is no micro-plastic to worry about.

Customer review: "It's a tea I choose to drink before bed or if I'm feeling a little stressed or upset. I find the aroma relaxing and the drink itself just calming."

Pros

  • Caffeine-free
  • Made with lemon balm, chamomile, and rosehip
  • Good for stress relief and calming the mind
  • Silk tea bags

Cons

  • May not be to everyone's taste

Best for calming properties

Teapigs Chamomile Tea Made With Whole Flowers
Price: $35.76

When it comes to easing anxiety, chamomile tea is a popular choice. Its calming effects can help soothe nerves and reduce stress levels, and this pure chamomile herbal tea is made with whole flowers enclosed in a silk pyramid to bring you a cup of calm.

Customer review: "By far the best chamomile tea out there."

Pros

  • Made with organic chamomile flowers
  • Good for sleep and relaxation
  • 50 individually wrapped silk tea bags

Cons

  • Some may prefer a blend

Best CBD tea

This box features a range of CBD teas and infusions designed to be enjoyed at different times of the day, each with a different focus. Energise yourself for the start of the day with Power Up, soothe and digest with Soul Soother and then wind down in the evening with Sleep Deep. Each tea has 15mg of CBD to help you unwind.

Our review: "These beautifully CBD tea blends are made from high-quality ingredients, 15mg of CBD, silk tea bags, and taste amazing. The Sleep Deep blend is particularly effective and helps you wind down before bed."

Pros

  • Contains 15mg of CBD per tea bag
  • Range of CBD teas and infusions for different times of the day
  • Silk tea bags
  • Calming effects

Cons

  • Some may not like CBD

Best herbal tea for digestion

Herbs for digestion: Peppermint, Fennel, Chamomile, and Ginger

Best for digestion

Ginger tea, with its naturally fiery flavour, is a potent digestive aid that can help with discomfort and nausea. Made from a blend of ginger, fennel, and cardamom, it is a warming, sweet, nourishing herbal blend that will bring you comfort whether you have a bad belly or crave a cosy cuppa.

Customer review: "They are excellent value for money and work on IBS and settle my stomach x what more could you ask for"

Pros

  • Made with ginger, fennel, and cardamom
  • Good for digestion and nausea
  • The paper is FSC-certified

Cons

  • Some may prefer silk tea bags to paper

Best for bloating

Peppermint tea is a global favourite for its digestive benefits - and this blend of three mints is an absolute powerhouse when it comes to dealing with bloat and belly discomfort. It's known to relieve indigestion, nausea, and stomach pain and prevent acid reflux and cramps - this refreshing tea is both fresh and invigorating.

Our review: "Cooling, refreshing and tingly. You really feel the punch from the three-mint blend. It offers a lovely refreshing taste but also feels warming."

Best for after dinner

With its sweet, liquorice-like flavour, Fennel tea is also known to aid digestion and relieve bloating. This tea is an excellent antidote to a full stomach after dinner and works as a digestif.

Customer review: "Pleasant and light taste great for making your stomach feel like it had a cleanse”

Pros

  • Made with organic fennel seeds
  • Energising
  • Good for digestion and bloating

Cons

  • Some may not like the liquorice taste

Best anti-inflammatory tea

Ginger tea is a potent digestive aid with its distinctly spicy flavour. It's known to improve digestive function, reduce nausea, and soothe the stomach and combined with turmeric makes for a fantastic anti-inflammatory tea.

Customer review: "Very helpful and effective."

Pros

  • Made with ginger, turmeric, and fig
  • Good for digestion and nausea
  • Anti-inflammatory

Cons

  • Some may prefer silk tea bags

Best herbal tea for cold and flu relief

Best herbs for immunity: Echinacea, Ginger, Sage and Peppermint

Best for cold symptoms

Pukka Herbs | Elderberry and Echinacea
Price: $27.50

Echinacea tea, made from the flowers, leaves, or roots of the echinacea plant, is known to help the body fight off viruses and reduce congestion, making it useful for managing cold and flu symptoms. This lovely blend with elderberry will comfort you if you are looking for herbal remedies for congestion and colds.

Customer review: "I love Elderberry tea. It is tasty, good for you and very beneficial in many ways!"

Pros

  • Organic
  • Caffeine-free,
  • Immune-boosting
  • Nice taste

Cons

  • Some may not like the taste

Best for sore throat

Sage tea, made from the leaves of the sage plant, is a traditional remedy for sore throats and mouth ulcers. Its antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties can help soothe a sore throat and promote healing, making it a comforting choice when you're feeling under the weather. Oregano is also a brilliant herb for combatting cold due to its antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal compounds.

Customer review: "I really do enjoy this tea. The taste is very nice, not as grassy as many 'healthy' teas, and I do think that it makes me feel better after drinking it. Nothing miraculous, just better. I've given it as gifts to others who are concerned with healthy drinking/eating, and it's been well-received by them."

Pros

  • Variety of ingredients for a balanced blend
  • Oregano is anti-bacterial
  • Sage is good for sore throat

Cons

  • Not a sweet tea

Best herbal tea for heart health

Best for herbs for antioxidants: Hibiscus and Rooibos

Best for heart health

This heart-opening tea is not only beautiful but works wonders for the body. Hibiscus tea, known for its tart, cranberry-like flavour and vibrant red colour, is beneficial for heart health. It's been found to help lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, making it a great choice for those looking to support cardiovascular health.

Customer review: "Amazing product and good value."

Pros

  • Organic
  • Tart and refreshing taste
  • Heart healthy

Cons

  • Some may prefer silk tea bags

Best for antioxidants

Rooibos tea, a South African herbal infusion known for its rich, earthy flavour and high antioxidant content, may also help improve heart health. The antioxidants in rooibos tea are known to protect against heart disease, promote overall wellness, and taste delicious too.

Customer review: "I love this tea; it needs no milk. It's very nice can't be better."

Pros

  • Antioxidant-rich tea
  • Sweet

Cons

  • Some may not like the taste

Best herbal tea for menstrual health

Best herbs for detox and Menstrual cycles: Raspberry Leaf and Dandelion

Best for detoxing

Traditional Medicinals Tea
Price: $8.69

If you are looking for a tea that supports kidney function and healthy digestion - dandelion is a great choice. Known for its detoxifying properties, dandelion tea helps to cleanse the liver, which helps to cleanse your body of excess estrogen. In turn, this can have a clarifying effect on cramps and other PMS-related symptoms.

Customer review: "Five stars. Very tasty."

Pros

  • Supports urinary health
  • Detoxifying
  • Organic

Cons

  • Not sweet

Best for PMS

Raspberry Leaf tea, made from the leaves of the raspberry plant, is often recommended for women's health. It's been traditionally used to relieve menstrual cramps and is also known to help regulate irregular menstrual cycles. Its high mineral content can help nourish the body and support overall reproductive health. Have a cup on the days leading up to your bleed, and it will work its magic.

Customer review: “I really enjoy this raspberry leaf tea. It's the one I prefer to buy above other brands. The flavour is not overpowering. It's just right as far as I'm concerned.”

Pros

  • Refreshing sweet taste
  • Helps with cramps
  • Organic

Cons

  • Some may prefer silk tea bags

Buyer's guide: best herbal tea

What are the benefits of drinking herbal tea?

Cara Shaw, Nutritional Therapist at CRS Nutrition, tells us that plants or plant parts found in herbal teas can be highly concentrated in phytochemicals with numerous beneficial therapeutic effects. She says: "These include reducing feelings of stress, relieving stomach gassiness, boosting immunity, or invigorating and refreshing the body and mind, resulting in an energy boost."

How do the medicinal properties of herbal tea work?

"Each herb contains a variety of phytochemicals that offer a range of effects or ‘actions’ which can help with a range of health and wellbeing issues", says Cara. "For example, chamomile can reduce feelings of stress and anxiety by relaxing the nervous system. It is also anti-spasmodic, so it can give relief from gas and bloating. Lastly, it is also anti-inflammatory."

What are the ingredients to look out for in a tea :

Cara says that certain herbs have specific healing properties. Here is a quick guide to which herbs could target specific areas of your health.

Sleep – chamomile and lavender. Here is our guide to the best chamomile tea.

Anxiety – chamomile, valerian, and passionflower

Digestive issues – peppermint, fennel, chamomile, and ginger

Energy – liquorice and ginseng

Cold/ Flu – fennel, ginger, liquorice, echinacea and turmeric

Skin – nettle and spearmint

Fennel Seeds with Fennel Tea

How does CBD work in tea?

Urvashi Agarwal, Founder of artisan tea brand JP’s Originals, states that CBD is a naturally hydrophobic compound, meaning it does not dissolve in water. Urvashi says that this means its bioavailability is low (the rate at which it is absorbed into the bloodstream), and the majority of CBD consumed is being discarded by the body.

"A good quality CBD team, such as the CBD Trinity from JP’s Originals, includes CBD in a water-soluble form, allowing the full 15mg of CBD in the blends to be absorbed by the body. As soon as the tea pyramid is steeped in hot water, the CBD in its water-soluble form dissolves and steeps with the natural herbs and ingredients, ready for you to enjoy."

Ellen Kinsey is a senior health and wellness product writer for Spirit & Destiny, specialising in natural health, beauty, and self-development. She lives and breathes all things spirituality, travel, holistic health and wellness.

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