How Long to Steep Herbal Tea For

By / Studio Anya

Herbal teas are different from your normal tea. You could say that herbal teas aren’t true teas. The main difference between true teas and herbal teas is that true teas are brewed from the leaves of a plant called Camellia sinensis. At the same time, herbal teas are made from dried herbs, flowers, fruits or even spices. These teas are free from caffeine which makes them beneficial for health.

If you’ve never had herbal tea before, you probably don’t know how long to steep herbal tea for, but that’s alright. Herbal tea is usually steeped in hot water for 5-10 minutes, but the time may vary depending on the type of herbs you’re using.

What You’ll Need

Regardless of the steep time, there are certain things that you’ll need to make a nice hot cup of herbal tea. Here is a list of things required for making herbal tea:

teacup and saucer containing herbal tea
  • Water
  • Kettle or a saucepan
  • Tea leaves
  • Mug or a teapot
  • Strainer
  • Sweetener (optional)

Basically, there are two ways to brew herbal teas. The first method is called the infusion method, while the other method is the boiling method. You can use whichever method you prefer, as both ways, you’ll end up with a healthy and delicious cup of herbal tea.

Step 1–Boiling Water

The first step is to boil water in both the methods mentioned above. For the infusion method, simply boiling water in a clean saucepan or a kettle is enough, but tea is added along with water if you go for the boiling method.

Step 2–Pre-Heat

The next step would be to pre-heat your mug or teacup. Pour hot water in and out of your mug to keep it nice and warm. This will allow your herbal tea to stay at the perfect temperature for a long time.

You can even pour your tea in a teapot once it’s ready to keep it warm for longer instead of directly pouring it into your mug.

Step 3– Steeping

This step is only applicable to the infusion method. Pour the tea leaves into your mug and add boiling hot water to it. Cover your mug with a saucer and let it sit for at least 5 minutes. Depending on the type of tea you’re using or your taste preference, you might have to increase the time. But keep in mind that if you steep herbal tea for too long, it’ll end up with a bitter taste. On the contrary, if you steep it for a short time, it’ll have a weak and watery taste. Creating balance is the key to making herbal tea.

For the boiling method, once the water comes to a boil, lower the heat, let it simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, and turn off the flame completely.

Step 4–Strain

The next step is to strain your tea. Make sure that you use a strainer that strains your tea well, and no leaves should remain in your tea after straining. Straining is an essential step in both the methods that we discussed.

Once you’ve strained your tea, all you have to do is pour it into your mug and have a nice long drink. You can always add a sweetener at the end if you want to enhance the taste of your tea. Adding honey is a great option, but you can always skip this step if you want.

7 Best Herbal Teas of All Time

Now that we’ve gone over how long to steep herbal tea for and make a herbal tea by two different methods, it’s now time to look at some of the best herbal teas. There are thousands of herbal teas out there, and they have countless health benefits to offer. Some herbal teas are even effective for treating the symptoms of chronic illnesses.

Here is a list of the 7 best herbal teas of all time:

1. Lavender

Lavender has a signature fragrance that’s popular all over the world. Its calming aroma is one of the reasons why lavender tea is one of the best herbal tea. Lavender tea is considered the perfect bedtime tea because it helps you relax.

Lavender tea is used to help people with sleeping problems like insomnia and sleep apnea. Lavender tea boosts the production of a hormone called dopamine. This helps your body relax and reduces stress levels. Moreover, has anti-inflammatory properties and is also great for improving your immune system. Lavender tea eliminates toxins from the body owing to its antioxidant nature and helps in relieving indigestion. The taste of lavender tea is similar to that of rosemary and has a hint of a minty flavor.

Here are some of the best lavender teas that you can find online:

2. Chamomile Tea

Chamomile tea is another great drink for bedtime. Its calming properties help the body relax and improve sleep quality. Moreover, research has shown that drinking chamomile tea regularly helps fight off diarrhea and stomach ulcers.

Chamomile is naturally antibacterial and has anti-inflammatory properties as well making chamomile tea great for the immune system. There is also evidence that chamomile improves blood sugar levels in diabetic patients. Moreover, chamomile tea reduces the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome.

Chamomile has a soothing taste and has hints of apple. Mostly, it has a honey-like sweet taste making it one of the most popular herbal teas of all time. Here are some of the best chamomile teas you can purchase online:

3. Peppermint Tea

Peppermint tea is one of the oldest and most widely used teas of all time. It has plenty of healing properties and is used to prevent chronic illnesses like cancer. Moreover, peppermint tea is naturally antiviral and antibacterial.

Peppermint tea is great for the digestive tract and relieves indigestion, stomach aches, and nausea. There has been evidence that peppermint tea aids in relaxing intestines, esophagus, and colon spasms. Basically, any type of discomfort in the digestive tract can be relieved by using peppermint tea.

Since peppermint contains menthol in it, therefore, peppermint tea has a minty taste. Plus, there is a mild sweetness to it which makes the tea taste delicious. If you love a cool minty aftertaste, peppermint tea is the one for you. If you want to add to the sweetness, you can always use a sweetener.

Here are some of the best peppermint teas you can find online:

4. Ginger Tea

Ginger tea is said to stimulate the immune system and is great for treating cancer and motion sickness. Ginger tea also works well in relieving nausea in early pregnancy.

Stomach ulcers, indigestion, and constipation are also treated with ginger tea. Furthermore, ginger tea helps in alleviating dysmenorrhea and menstrual pain. While it’s not a confirmed fact; however, some research has shown evidence that ginger tea helps regulate blood flow and control blood sugar levels.

Ginger tea, in general, has a slightly spicy taste and is full of flavor. A nice warm cup of ginger tea is perfect for cold nights and is a great way to improve your immune system. Consistent consumption of ginger tea ensures many health benefits in the long run.

Here are some of the best ginger teas you can find online:

5. Hibiscus Tea

Hibiscus tea is made from the flowers of the hibiscus plant. Just like all the other herbal teas, hibiscus tea has countless health benefits to offer as well.

Hibiscus tea is great for fighting off different viruses, and studies have proven that it is especially useful in combating bird flu strains. It is also used to help lower the blood pressure of hypertensive patients. Moreover, hibiscus tea helps in improving blood lipid levels.

It is one of the most relaxing and soothing teas of all time. The best part about hibiscus tea is that you can make both hot and iced tea out of it. What’s more, hibiscus tea has a pinkish-red color that is pretty to look at and has a great refreshing flavor.

Here are some of the best hibiscus teas you can purchase online:

6. Sage Tea

Sage tea has been popular for quite some time owing to its medicinal properties. Even science backs up the health benefits of consuming sage tea. Many researchers have found that sage tea helps in improving brain health.

For those who have Alzheimer’s disease, drinking sage tea has said to improve their cognitive function. Moreover, sage tea improves your overall mood and mental health. Studies have shown that drinking sage tea consistently also improves memory in adults.

Sage tea has anti-cancer properties as well and is especially effective in preventing colon cancer. Moreover, an improved lipid profile and heart health are seen in those who drink sage tea.

Sage tea has its unique taste; it’s sweet but at the same time has some earthy notes to it. It has an overall delicate taste and aroma.

Here are some of the best sage teas you can buy online:

  • Ancient Foods – Fresh Sage Tea Organic (ASIN # B07MJGX24L)
  • 100% Pure Sage Officinalis (Salvia officinalis) dried leaves Natural Wildcrafted Herbal Tea (ASIN # B071LRDD4S)

7. Lemon Balm Tea

Lemon balm tea is called so because it has a similar citrus taste as that of lemons, but at the same time, it has a slight minty flavor which makes a great combination of lemon and mint.

Drinking lemon balm tea regularly increases the elasticity of the arteries, which reduces the risk of heart diseases and stroke. Moreover, lemon balm tea is also great for your skin, especially those who want to cover signs of aging. Lemon balm tea can improve the elasticity of the skin, making it look younger.

On top of improving blood lipid levels, lemon balm tea also improves mental functionality. Research has shown that people who drink lemon balm tea regularly experience a better mood.

Here are some of the best lemon balm teas that you find online:

Our Final Thoughts

Herbal teas are great for our health, and every herbal tea has its own set of benefits to offer. Now you know the 7 best herbal teas of all time and how to make them. All the 7 teas that we discussed are easy to brew, and you also know how long to steep herbal tea for, so making them by either infusion or boiling method won’t be a problem for you.

But one thing that you should be careful about is allergies. If you’re allergic to any plant or flower, make sure that you don’t consume its tea as it can cause adverse effects. Plus, if you’re on medication, consult with your doctor first before consuming herbal tea as some herbal teas can hinder with drugs.

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