Skip to content
What is Chamomile? Will It Supercharge Your Sleep? - Benefits, Nutrients & More
If you’re looking for a hot cup of tea to help you relax and unwind after a long day, look no further than chamomile tea. This herbal, sunny-colored tea is well-loved among tea connoisseurs for a good reason. If you’re deciding whether good ol’ chamomile is something you should add to your nighttime routine, this article is for you.
What is Chamomile?
Have you ever driven past a lush field of daisy-like flowers? That may have been chamomile!
The chamomile plant is a part of the Asteraceae family and has made waves for its natural medicinal properties. Many believe this plant can help cure inflammation, cramping, insomnia, and stomach issues[1]. It’s commonly made into an herbal tea that’s delicious as it is beneficial. To make chamomile tea, dried chamomile flowers are used and steeped in hot water.
What Nutrients are in Chamomile Tea?
Flavonoids are one of the most nutritional components in chamomile tea, and they are responsible for delivering the most benefits. Flavonoids are a type of phytonutrient that helps protect and heal your body on a cellular level[2]. They are antioxidants that have an incredible amount of advantages.
Aside from flavonoids, chamomile tea also has other nutrients worth mentioning. Small potassium, carotene, calcium, and folate concentrations can be found in the chamomile plant[3]. The vitamins and minerals in chamomile tea are why it has been used in ancient medicine for centuries. We all could use a little extra calcium in our diet, so why not get it with a delicious evening cup of tea?
What Are the Benefits of Chamomile Tea?
Chamomile tea doesn’t have any caffeine in it. Because of this, it likely isn’t your best midday pick-me-up. That is good news, however, for this tea’s use as a sleepy time beverage.
Night Time Superfood Tea
Increase deep sleep; fall asleep faster
A calming and soothing blend of adaptogens with Chamomile, Rose, and Magnesium to help you catch the ZzZ’s, and stay asleep*. Sleep tight and wake up refreshed.
There are plenty of chamomile benefits. It can reduce menstrual pain, lower blood sugar, reduce inflammation, treat cold symptoms, and even help mild skin conditions[4]. One of our favorite benefits of this tea, though, is its help with sleep and relaxation.
That’s right, if you’re looking to put your feet up and unwind after a long day, a cup of chamomile is the way to do it. The flavor is fruity, sweet, and mellow, which is the perfect mild experience to help you relax.
In fact, some studies suggest that chamomile tea may even act like a benzodiazepine. Those powerful meds are known to reduce anxiety and help you fall into a restful slumber. Like benzos, chamomile binds to benzodiazepine receptors[4] without the pharmaceutical overload.
How to Take Chamomile? Tea and More!
The easiest and most common method to consume chamomile is through tea. You make the optimal chamomile tea by steeping the flower for a minimum of five minutes in freshly boiled water from your kettle.
There are other creative ways as well to consume chamomile such as:
- Check out our Recipes page for endless ways to make your daily cup of tea
- Use it in baking to make tasty treats like cupcakes, muffins, or cake.
- Use chamomile oil in a diffuser to give your room a pleasant chamomile smell
- Tossing the heads of the flower into your salads
- Adding the flowers to cocktails or infusing it with alcohol
Summary: Is Chamomile Tea for You?
While the chamomile tea benefits we mentioned may be enough to convince you, you may be wondering if there’s a catch. If you have an allergy to ragweed pollen you may experience reactions, so be careful and never be afraid to consult your physician for questions. Other than that, It’s very safe! That’s why so many people around the world use this drink to relax.
References
- Srivastava, J. K., Shankar, E., & Gupta, S. (2010). Chamomile: A herbal medicine of the past with bright future. Molecular medicine reports, 3(6), 895–901. https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2010.377
- Panche, A. N., Diwan, A. D., & Chandra, S. R. (2016). Flavonoids: an overview. Journal of nutritional science, 5, e47. https://doi.org/10.1017/jns.2016.41
- (2021) The health benefits of 3 herbal teas. Harvard Health Publishing. https://www.health.harvard.edu/nutrition/the-health-benefits-of-3-herbal-teas
- Sullivan, D. (2020). What are the benefits of chamomile tea? Medican News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320031#_noHeaderPrefixedContent
