Herbal Teas to Enjoy During Fall
By Madalina Hubert
As the weather cools, we find ourselves in a time of transition from the expansive energy of the summer to the more introspective energy of fall. It is a time when our bodies start longing for more nourishing foods and for warmer soothing drinks, such as herbal teas.
Interestingly, not all teas warm the body equally. Have you noticed that sometimes after drinking hot tea, your body feels somewhat ‘cool’ afterwards? That’s actually the effect of certain plants like peppermint and chrysanthemum. Other herbal teas, on the other hand, such as spearmint and ginger stimulate blood circulation and warm you up, regardless of whether you drink them cool or warm. Of course, during cold weather, it doesn’t hurt to drink them hot.
What are Herbal Teas
People have been drinking herbal teas to balance their internal body temperature for thousands of years. But they have also taken advantage of their many other healing qualities. According to Chinese mythology, Shennong, the Divine Farmer, classified hundreds of healing herbs according to their medicinal properties more than four thousand years ago. Herbal teas have since been an important part of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and of other traditional medicines around the world.
Herbal teas, however, differ from regular teas. Also known as tisanes, they are prepared from flowers, herbs, fruits, and spices. Regular teas, on the other hand, are made from the leaves of the plant camellia sinensis. These also have many beneficial properties. You can explore the different types of teas here.
The best tea to drink during the fall is oolong tea. Oolong is a semi-fermented tea, positioned between black tea, which is warming, and green tea, which is cooling. That makes it neither hot nor cold, except for when it is harvested during the fall. At that time, the tea leaves produce a slightly more warming effect, which can help your body transition into the introspective energy you need during the fall. It can also help moisturize and restore body fluid.
Warming Herbal Teas & Their Health Benefits
With that in mind, here are some warming herbal teas that are good for the fall season and that could bring you some other great health benefits as well:
Ginger Tea
As the weather gets colder, the immune system needs strengthening and that’s where ginger tea comes in. Ginger is a warming plant that works to increase blood circulation, stimulate the metabolism and protect the immune system from colds. To prepare ginger tea, simply add fresh ginger slices to hot water and steep. To address particular ailments, you can also combine ginger with other ingredients such as lemon and honey. For more on the medicinal qualities of ginger, see here.
Fruit Teas
Certain fruits are warming in nature and are great in the colder season. These include apricots, peaches, cherries, and pomegranates. These herbal teas often have antioxidant benefits, including detoxifying the kidneys and reducing blood pressure.
Goji Berry Tea
Goji berries stand out for their superfood properties. They help balance the body, tonify the liver and kidneys, and also help strengthen immunity. Steep the goji berries in hot water to get a sweet, nourishing herbal tea. For more benefits of this superfood, see here.
Many of the different herbs, flowers and spices can be used separately, but they are also mixed together to achieve specific healing results. Here is a herbal tea recipe that Chinese medicine practitioner Alan Koo uses to balance the body’s energy levels in the fall. It is a special combination of chrysanthemum flowers, green tea leaves, goji berries, rock sugar (or honey), dried longan and American ginseng. Click here for the video and recipe.
Now that you have some herbal tea ideas, here are also some delicious fall meal recipes to keep in mind:
- Ginger Beef Recipe for fighting colds and the flu
- Pumpkin Seafood Recipe
- Kimchi Tofu Soup
Madalina Hubert is a Toronto-based writer specializing in art, culture, travel, and culinary explorations.
Disclaimer: The contents of this article are purely informational and educational in nature. The information is not a substitute for professional medical expertise or treatment.
