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Lavender Tea: Origin, Health Benefits & Best Brewing Recipes

Most of us have busy, exhausting days and need peace more than ever. A cup of warm and fragrant herbal tea can help us relax and give us the peace we’re looking for. Lavender tea is one of those simple yet powerful herbal drinks that can calm our souls. This colorful and fragrant tea is brewed from the delicate flowers of lavender, a plant native to the Mediterranean regions. But these days you can find it in many backyard gardens and tea shops all over the world.

This tea is not a simple herbal tea. It is a drink with a unique flavor and a world of hidden properties, from calming the mind to improving pain to strengthening the immune system and helping us sleep better.

In this article, we’re going to explore everything about the origin, health benefits, and best methods to brew lavender tea.

Origin of Lavender Tea

Lavender, scientifically known as Lavandula angustifolia, is one of the oldest aromatic plants in the world. This plant is native to Mediterranean regions, primarily in southern Europe and North Africa.

Dried Lavender Flower Leaves

Lavender has been used for thousands of years by ancient civilizations such as the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans. The Egyptians used the flower in religious ceremonies and perfumery, and the Romans used it to wash and scent their baths.

Lavender Tea

Today, with the spread of organic farming, lavender is grown in many countries with higher quality and without the need for pesticides or other harsh chemicals.

What Are The Health Benefits of Lavender Tea?

Lavender tea is the source of many health benefits. It is the perfect herbal tea to drink regularly and benefit from many of its properties. Let’s explore the health benefits of this delicious herbal tea.

#1 Improves Sleep and Peace of Mind

One of the well-known benefits of lavender tea is its calming effect. It helps us get a restful sleep. The compounds in this plant reduce the stress hormone (cortisol) and increase dopamine, which makes you feel calmer and more relaxed before bed. Many people drink lavender tea as a bedtime herbal tea to sleep deeply and wake up energetic the next morning.

#2 Reduces Inflammation and Muscle Pain

Lavender tea has anti-inflammatory properties and is beneficial for those who suffer from joint pain, muscle cramps, or migraines. Athletes can benefit from this herbal tea a lot. They can brew it cold and drink it while they exercise or brew it hot to drink after intense workouts.

#3 Strengthens The Immune System

Lavender is rich in antioxidants, vitamin C, calcium, and magnesium. These compounds can help the immune system resistant to viruses, bacteria, and fungi, preventing many health problems and strengthening the body to overcome them quickly.

#4 Cleanses The Body of Toxins

The antioxidants also help eliminate free radicals. Free radicals cause premature aging and serious diseases. Therefore, you can drink lavender tea to protect your body against free radicals and live a better, healthier life. Lavender mixed with other herbal teas can be a strong and beneficial detox tea to drink regularly.

#5 Supports Healthy Digestion

Drinking lavender tea helps calm the stomach, reduce bloating, and improve digestion. It helps your gut health. Even its aroma can facilitate the digestion process by stimulating the secretion of bile.

#6 Opens The Respiratory Tract

With its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, this tea reduces dry coughs and sore throats and makes breathing easier. So, if you recently caught a cold and feel pain and soreness in your throat, give lavender a try to alleviate the symptoms and speed up recovery.

#7 Overall Calming Effect on The Body

Lavender is an aromatic flower, and when you brew a tea with it, a fragrant herbal tea. Its scent alone is considered a relaxing elixir. When you smell it as you’re drinking your hot cup of lavender tea, its effects are multiplied, helping your body to relax and your mind to calm down.

How to Brew Lavender Tea?

One of the charms of lavender tea is that you can easily brew this tea in different ways and with various blends. Depending on your taste, time, and mood, lavender tea can be both simple and a more fragrant and even refreshing herbal tea for summer.

Let’s explore some of the popular and easy ways to brew lavender tea:

Classic and Simple Method

The simplest way to brew laveder tea is the classic, simple method.

Classic Lavender Tea
Cup of pea tea Butterfly (pea flowers, blue peas) for weight loss, detox on a gray wooden table

For this method, all you need is dried lavender flowers. To prepare it:

  1. Add one or two teaspoons of lavender buds into a teapot.
  2. Fill half to 2/3 of the teapot with boiling water. You can use tap water or filtered water for a stronger taste.
  3. Let the leaves steep for 5 to 10 minutes to complete the brewing process.
  4. Strain the tea in a cup and enjoy your cup of hot lavender tea.

You can also add a little honey or lemon for a better taste and a unique tea-drinking experience.

Lavender and Chamomile

If you’re seeking a restful night, combine lavender with chamomile. Here’s the recipes for lavender and chamomile herbal tea:

  1. Add one teaspoon of dried lavender flowers and one teaspoon of chamomile in a teapot.
  2. Add boiling water to the teapot until it’s half to 2/3 full.
  3. Let the blend steep for 7 or 8 minutes.
  4. Strain and enjoy your cup of incredibly relaxing tea.

Lavender with Green Tea

Green tea is another herbal tea rich in antioxidants. When you brew it’s blended with lavender, you’re in for a beneficial and healthy herbal tea. Here’s how to correctly brew lavender with green tea:

  1. Mix one teaspoon of each herb and add it to your teapot.
  2. Let the boiling water cool down for 10 minutes. Then add it to the teapot.
  3. Let the blend steep for 3 to 5 minutes.
  4. Strain the tea into a cup and enjoy your hot herbal drink.

Lavender with Fresh Peppermint

If you like a refreshing lavender blend to enjoy in hot weather or relieve summer allergies, lavender mixed with fresh peppermint should be your choice. Here’s my recipe to brew lavender with peppermint:

  1. Add one teaspoon of lavender flowers to a teapot.
  2. Add a few fresh peppermint (or regular mint) leaves.
  3. Pour boiling water into the teapot until it’s half full.
  4. Allow the blend to steep for 5 to 7 minutes.
  5. Strain the tea into your favorite tea mug and enjoy a refreshing herbal tea with cooling effects.

Lavender Iced Tea

Did you know you can brew a glass of iced tea with lavender? It’s the perfect herbal drink for hot summer days.

Lavender Iced Tea - Lavender Cold Brew

It’s very simple. Here’s my recipe:

  1. Brew a regular, classic lavender tea (recipe provided above).
  2. Let it cool a 10 minutes. Then put it in the refrigirator.
  3. After a few hours, pour it into a cup, add a few ice cubes, and enjoy.

You can also add a few slices of lemon or mint leaves to enhance the flavor.

Possible Side Effects of Lavender Tea

Lavender tea is the source of many health benefits, but in some cases, you should be careful not to go over the limits to prevent its side effects. Here’s what you should consider if you drink lavender tea regularly, over 2 cups per day:

  • Drinking too much lavender tea may cause hormonal changes, especially in young boys.
  • Pregnant women should consult a doctor before drinking lavender tea.
  • If you are allergic to flowering plants, it is best to consume this tea with caution. Have a few sips first to make sure you’re not allergic to lavender.
  • Do not use lavender oil instead of buds because it is highly concentrated and should be consumed under the supervision of a specialist.

Conclusion

Lavender tea has proven that nature always has a solution for peace and health. It may seem like a small purple plant at first glance, but these delicate flowers have been used for years in all corners of the world to calm the nerves, help sleep better, reduce inflammation, and even strengthen the immune system. Brewing this tea at home is not only easy, but it is also an opportunity to take a few minutes away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and take a breather in the peace of a cup of hot drink. If you haven’t tried this tea before, it’s a good idea to include it in your nightly routine and experience its effects for yourself. Always remember that the best results are achieved when you prepare organic and fresh lavender flowers and use honey, lemon, or other herbal blends to make it more palatable. With this simple act, invite health and peace into your home together.