Chamomile has long been used in the form of herbal tea. Here are some tips to prepare chamomile tea at home.

Chamomile is a popular herb with a wide range of health benefits. It is said that this plant has been used by humans since the ancient Egyptian period. Even now, chamomile tea is widely used for its therapeutic effects. It is usually made from the dried leaves and flowers of this herb. Even fresh flowers can be used for this purpose.

This herbal tea has a relaxing, soothing, and calming effect; and is used as a sleep aid. It is said to be beneficial for relief from various health problems, like abdominal and menstrual cramps, indigestion, diarrhea, gas, colic, mouth ulcers, eczema, contact dermatitis, diaper rash, stress, infant colic, and fever. This herbal tea can be consumed as such, or can be added to bathing water or healing compresses.

How to Make Chamomile Tea

You can easily prepare this herbal tea, if you have the dried flowers and leaves of chamomile plant. You can purchase chamomile tea, either as tea bags or in the loose form. In order to prepare a cup of this herbal tea, you have to boil one cup of water in a saucepan. As the water boils, add a teaspoon of chamomile tea into it. Boil for another minute, with the lid on. Remove from heat, and let it sit for one or two minutes, so that the flowers are allowed to steep. You can strain the tea and consume it with honey. You may even add a little bit of lemon juice to this tea. If you want to prepare this tea in large quantities, just increase the ingredients proportionally.

Fresh Chamomile Tea Recipe

You may use fresh flowers to prepare this tea. If you have chamomile plants in your house, collect the flowers. Otherwise, you may collect the flowers from wild varieties of this herb, that can be easily distinguished with their white-colored flowers that resemble lilies. You may also buy fresh flowers from health stores. You have to boil a cup of water for making a cup of herbal tea. Add a teaspoon of fresh chamomile flowers, as the water starts boiling. Let the flowers steep for another five minutes. After that, remove the tea from heat. Strain it and add some honey, before consumption.

Iced Chamomile Tea

You can prepare the tea, according to the methods mentioned above. But, once you remove the tea from the stove, strain and let it cool for a while. After that, refrigerate the tea, till serving. You may also add some white grape juice and apple juice to this tea. For a cup of iced chamomile tea, you can add 4 tablespoons each of both juices. Mix them well and add honey. Place ice cubes in serving glasses and pour the tea over them. You may also brew this tea using hot water and chamomile flowers, using a tea infuser or tea ball; and add ice directly to the brew, to make it cool.

You may add other herbs along with chamomile, for making tea. It is said that adding a few leaves of lemon balm, increases the sedative effect of this herbal tea. Adding equal amounts of yarrow and sage to the brew is said to be good for reducing inflammation. You may also brew chamomile tea with an equal amount of dandelion and a few fennel seeds. This tea is beneficial for skin problems, like rashes and boils. If you are planning to use chamomile tea for medicinal purposes, consult a qualified herbal practitioner. It will be better to use this herbal tea in moderate amounts, as excess consumption may cause chamomile side effects, like vomiting, dizziness, and high sedation. It is also not recommended for newborns, pregnant and nursing women, and those, who are prone to allergies.