What Are Some Herbal Teas? Types and Health Benefits

Herbal teas span dozens of plants, roots, flowers, and bark preparations, each with a distinct flavor profile and a different set of studied health effects. Technically, most of them are not “tea” at all. True tea comes from the Camellia sinensis plant (black, green, white, oolong), while everything else falls under the term “tisane.” But common usage has won out, and chamomile, peppermint, hibiscus, ginger, and their relatives are universally called herbal teas. The research behind them varies widely, from well-supported blood-pressure effects for hibiscus to much thinner evidence for some of the trendier options.

Chamomile

Chamomile is probably the most recognizable herbal tea worldwide, and it has more clinical research behind it than most tisanes. The plant contains apigenin, a compound that interacts with several brain signaling pathways, including those involved in calming nerve activity and reducing inflammation.¹ That biochemistry translates to real-world effects on anxiety. A systematic review of clinical trials found that daily chamomile intake improved anxiety symptoms across a range of groups, from people with diagnosed anxiety disorders to postmenopausal women and people dealing with insomnia-related anxiousness. No threatening side effects were reported across those studies.²

In one randomized, placebo-controlled trial, participants who took chamomile extract saw a significantly greater drop in anxiety scores compared with placebo over the study period.³ That trial used a concentrated extract rather than brewed tea, which is worth keeping in mind: most clinical trials dose active compounds at levels higher than what you would get from a single cup. Still, the direction of the effect is consistent enough that chamomile is a reasonable choice if you’re looking for a calming evening drink.

Peppermint

Peppermint tea is the go-to recommendation for digestive complaints, and the research supports that reputation to a degree. Animal studies show that peppermint has a relaxing effect on tissue in the gastrointestinal tract, and human studies confirm analgesic and soothing effects in both the gut and the respiratory system.⁴ Several clinical trials have tested peppermint oil specifically for irritable bowel syndrome symptoms, and those tend to show a modest benefit for bloating and abdominal discomfort.

There is a distinction worth noting between peppermint tea and peppermint oil capsules. The capsules deliver a concentrated dose of menthol directly to the intestines (some are even enteric-coated to survive stomach acid), while brewed tea delivers a lower dose that passes through the stomach first. If you’re dealing with occasional bloating or an upset stomach after a meal, a cup of peppermint tea is a reasonable and pleasant option. For chronic digestive conditions, the capsule form has stronger evidence behind it. One caution: peppermint can relax the valve between the stomach and esophagus, so people with acid reflux sometimes find it makes their symptoms worse.

Hibiscus

Hibiscus tea, made from the dried calyces of Hibiscus sabdariffa, has some of the strongest clinical evidence of any herbal tea, particularly for blood pressure. In a trial of people with stage 1 hypertension, drinking two cups of hibiscus tea every morning for a month produced a significantly greater reduction in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure compared with the control group.⁵ A systematic review and meta-analysis that pooled data from multiple trials confirmed the blood-pressure-lowering effect and also found that hibiscus significantly lowered LDL cholesterol compared with other teas and placebo.⁶

The cholesterol story is worth unpacking because it is more nuanced than the headlines suggest. A trial in people with type 2 diabetes found that hibiscus tea raised HDL (“good”) cholesterol significantly while lowering total cholesterol, LDL, and triglycerides.⁷ But another randomized trial in people with abnormal lipid levels found that while total cholesterol and LDL dropped within the hibiscus group over 12 weeks, the differences between the hibiscus and control groups were not significant for most lipid measures except HDL.⁸ So the blood-pressure effect looks solid; the cholesterol benefits are promising but inconsistent across studies. In either case, hibiscus tea works best alongside dietary and lifestyle changes, not as a substitute for them.

Ginger

Ginger tea is best known for settling nausea, and the evidence is strongest for pregnancy-related nausea and vomiting. A Cochrane-level review found that during the first trimester, ginger improved nausea and vomiting scores by about four points on a 40-point scale, and it stopped vomiting entirely for roughly one in three women by the sixth day of use.⁹ The largest study in that review found no increase in fetal malformations or stillbirths, though smaller studies were less reassuring, so pregnant women should discuss it with their provider before making it a daily habit.

Outside of pregnancy, ginger tea is commonly used for motion sickness, post-surgical nausea, and general stomach upset. The active compounds, gingerols and shogaols, appear to work by speeding up gastric emptying and by acting on serotonin receptors in the gut. Fresh ginger sliced into hot water delivers a stronger dose of gingerols than dried ginger powder, which contains more shogaols due to heat-driven chemical conversion during drying. Both forms work, but the flavor and chemical profile differ.

Passionflower

Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) tea is less well-known than chamomile but has an interesting niche as a sleep aid. A double-blind, placebo-controlled study gave healthy adults with mild sleep difficulties either passionflower tea or a placebo tea for a week. Sleep quality ratings were significantly better in the passionflower group.¹⁰ The effect was modest and based on subjective sleep diaries rather than polysomnography (the gold-standard sleep measurement), but for a cup of tea with essentially no side effects, a modest improvement in perceived sleep quality is still useful.

Passionflower contains compounds that are thought to interact with GABA receptors in the brain, similar to chamomile’s mechanism but through different chemical routes. It is worth noting that this study tested a low dose in the form of brewed tea, not a concentrated supplement, which makes the results more directly applicable to someone who wants to brew a cup before bed.

Holy Basil (Tulsi)

Holy basil, or tulsi, has a long history in traditional Indian medicine and has gained attention as an “adaptogen,” a plant thought to help the body manage stress more effectively. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial tested a holy basil extract against placebo in adults experiencing stress. The holy basil group showed significantly lower salivary cortisol and salivary amylase after a stress test, along with lower blood pressure responses and lower subjective stress ratings. Perhaps the most striking finding was that hair cortisol, which reflects long-term stress hormone exposure, was substantially lower in the holy basil group.¹¹

Tulsi’s stress-buffering effects appear to work through regulation of cortisol pathways and neuroendocrine balance. Clinical and experimental data suggest it can improve sleep quality and reduce symptoms of anxiety, fatigue, and cognitive impairment under stress.¹² Tulsi tea has a peppery, slightly clove-like flavor and is widely available in blends. If the stress-management claims interest you, it is one of the few adaptogens with placebo-controlled evidence to back them up.

Lemon Balm

Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) is a mint-family herb with a bright, citrusy aroma that has been used for centuries as a calming drink. Its key phytochemicals include rosmarinic acid, citral, and ursolic acid, and laboratory research indicates these compounds may influence GABA, cholinergic, and serotonergic brain signaling pathways, which are involved in mood, memory, and relaxation.¹³ The human evidence for lemon balm is earlier-stage than chamomile’s, but the direction of findings is consistent: it tends to reduce self-reported anxiety and improve calmness. It blends well with chamomile and passionflower in nighttime tea formulations, and it has a pleasant enough taste to drink on its own.

Yerba Maté

Yerba maté sits in an unusual spot because it contains caffeine, which makes it not quite the same category as caffeine-free tisanes. Made from the leaves of Ilex paraguariensis, it is the traditional drink of South America and delivers roughly as much caffeine as green tea per cup, though this varies with preparation method. Beyond the stimulant effect, yerba maté has been studied for its influence on fat metabolism. One study found that consuming yerba maté before exercise increased fat oxidation by about 24% across a range of lower exercise intensities.¹⁴ That does not mean it is a weight-loss miracle, but it suggests a genuine metabolic effect beyond what caffeine alone would explain.

Yerba maté is traditionally drunk from a gourd through a metal straw (bombilla), but it is increasingly available in tea bags and loose-leaf form. If you’re looking for an herbal option that still provides alertness, it fits that role, though people sensitive to caffeine should treat it accordingly.

Dandelion

Dandelion root tea has a rich, slightly bitter, coffee-like flavor and is often marketed for “detox” and liver support. The liver claim actually has some animal research behind it. In a study using an animal model of acute-on-chronic liver failure, dandelion root extract significantly prevented the severe increase in liver damage markers that occurred in untreated animals. The effect was dose-dependent, and at the optimal dose, dandelion root outperformed silymarin, the active compound in milk thistle, which is itself widely used for liver support.¹⁵

The big caveat is that this is animal data using concentrated extracts, and it tested a severe liver injury model rather than everyday liver maintenance. Brewing dandelion root into tea gives you a much lower dose of active compounds than the extract used in research. There is no strong human trial evidence that drinking dandelion tea meaningfully “detoxes” anything. It is a pleasant, caffeine-free coffee alternative, and the preliminary liver data is interesting, but the marketing outpaces the science for now.

Raspberry Leaf

Raspberry leaf tea has a specific reputation among pregnant women: the folk wisdom is that it “tones” the uterus and shortens labor. The evidence is mixed enough to warrant caution. A systematic review found that raspberry leaf does have real biophysical effects on smooth muscle, including the uterus. One human study showed a clinically meaningful reduction in the length of the second stage of labor and less need for labor augmentation in women who took raspberry leaf, though the result did not reach statistical significance.¹⁶

Laboratory work adds a layer of complexity. Raspberry leaf preparations had variable effects on uterine tissue depending on pregnancy status and the type of preparation used. In pregnant animal tissue, raspberry leaf tea sometimes augmented existing contractions and sometimes inhibited them. The researchers concluded that the data do not support the idea that raspberry leaf augments labor through a direct effect on uterine contractility.¹⁷ Human studies have not shown harm from raspberry leaf, but the evidence for benefit is thin. If you are pregnant and considering it, this is a conversation to have with your midwife or obstetrician rather than a decision to make based on tea-box marketing.

How Brewing Affects What You Actually Get

The health benefits of any herbal tea depend partly on how you brew it. Research on tea extraction consistently shows that hotter water and longer steeping times pull more antioxidants and polyphenols into your cup. In one study comparing different temperatures and durations, steeping at boiling temperature for ten minutes yielded the most antioxidant activity overall.¹⁸ Another study confirmed that antioxidant yield climbed with hotter water and longer brewing, though extremely long extraction times (two hours and beyond) actually degraded the beneficial compounds.¹⁹

This pattern holds across different types of herbal teas as well. Research on juniper herbal tea, for instance, found that increasing both temperature and time significantly enhanced antioxidant activity and total phenolic content, with the ideal extraction point at boiling temperature for about 80 minutes.²⁰ In practical terms, you do not need to steep your chamomile for 80 minutes. But the five-minute steep that most people default to is on the short side for extracting the full range of beneficial compounds. If you are drinking herbal tea specifically for health effects, steeping for seven to ten minutes with a lid on the cup (to retain volatile compounds in the steam) gets you meaningfully more of the active ingredients than a quick dip.

What Happens to Polyphenols After You Drink Them

A common misconception about herbal tea is that your body absorbs most of its beneficial compounds in the stomach or small intestine. In reality, many of the polyphenols in herbal teas have low bioavailability, meaning they pass through the upper digestive tract largely intact and reach the colon in unaltered form. Once there, gut bacteria break them down into smaller metabolites, some of which are then absorbed into the bloodstream and some of which are excreted.²¹²²

This has two implications. First, the health benefits of herbal tea polyphenols may depend partly on your individual gut microbiome. People with different bacterial populations may produce different metabolites from the same cup of tea, which could explain some of the individual variability in study results. Second, the polyphenols that reach the colon appear to act as a kind of prebiotic, selectively feeding beneficial bacteria. So even the compounds your body does not directly absorb may be doing useful work in the gut.

Safety, Contaminants, and Drug Interactions

Herbal teas are generally safe for most people, but “natural” does not automatically mean “harmless.” One concern that most consumers are unaware of is pyrrolizidine alkaloids, toxic compounds that can contaminate herbal teas through weeds mixed into the harvest. A risk assessment of herbal teas found that the vast majority of samples tested, over 90%, contained detectable levels of pyrrolizidine alkaloids, with concentrations varying enormously depending on the type of tea and the source.²³ At high levels over extended periods, these compounds can cause liver damage. Buying from reputable brands that test for contaminants reduces your risk, and rotating among different types of herbal tea rather than drinking large quantities of a single one every day is a sensible habit.

Drug interactions are another consideration. The good news is that green tea, one of the most widely consumed options, appears unlikely to cause clinically significant interactions with major drug-metabolizing enzymes, despite some concerning results from lab studies. A review of clinical data concluded that green tea and its main catechin are not expected to meaningfully alter how your body processes most medications.²⁴ However, other herbal products can change how drugs are absorbed, distributed, or broken down in the body, sometimes increasing or decreasing a medication’s effects in unpredictable ways.²⁵ If you take prescription medications, especially blood thinners, blood pressure drugs, or medications with a narrow therapeutic window, it is worth mentioning your herbal tea habits to your pharmacist. This is particularly true for concentrated herbal supplements and extracts, which deliver much higher doses of active compounds than brewed tea.

A few specific cautions are worth listing:

Hibiscus: Because it lowers blood pressure, people already on antihypertensive medications should be aware of an additive effect.
Peppermint: Can worsen gastroesophageal reflux by relaxing the lower esophageal sphincter.
Chamomile: People allergic to ragweed or other plants in the daisy family occasionally react to chamomile.
Ginger: In large amounts it can thin the blood slightly, which matters if you are on anticoagulants or preparing for surgery.
Licorice root: Contains glycyrrhizin, which in large doses can raise blood pressure and lower potassium. This is one herbal tea where “more is better” thinking can genuinely cause problems.

Rooibos and the Caffeine-Free Alternative Market

Rooibos, made from the South African plant Aspalathus linearis, deserves mention as the most popular caffeine-free base tea. It contains a unique compound called aspalathin, a type of dihydrochalcone that is rare in the plant kingdom and found almost exclusively in unoxidized (green) rooibos. Rooibos has a naturally sweet, slightly nutty flavor that works well as a stand-alone drink and as a base for blends with vanilla, chai spices, or citrus.

The health claims around rooibos are earlier-stage than those for hibiscus or chamomile. Animal and cell studies suggest antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and there is preliminary interest in its effects on blood sugar regulation, but large human trials are scarce. The practical appeal of rooibos is straightforward: it tastes good, it has no caffeine, it is very low in tannins (so it does not become bitter if you forget about it and oversteep), and it is unlikely to interact with medications. For people who want something warm and comforting without worrying about timing it around sleep or medication schedules, rooibos is a safe default.

Echinacea tea is another popular option, typically marketed for immune support during cold season. A randomized trial tested a standardized echinacea preparation for treating common cold symptoms, using a formulation that combined specific active compounds from freshly harvested Echinacea purpurea plants.²⁶ Echinacea research as a whole has been inconsistent, and the challenge is that different preparations use different species, plant parts, and extraction methods, making it hard to generalize from one trial to the next. If you enjoy the taste and want to try it at the first sign of a cold, there is unlikely to be any downside, but the evidence does not support the strong immune-boosting claims you see on packaging.