Here's Exactly Happens to Your Body When You Drink Herbal Tea Every Day

Did you know that tea is the most consumed beverage on the planet, second only to plain water? It’s true. An estimated 80% of Americans have tea in their pantries. There’s something soothing about sipping a hot cup of tea and, when it’s hot out, iced herbal tea is certainly refreshing.

But tea isn’t just a comforting beverage; drinking herbal tea regularly can benefit your health. Here, registered dietitians share six specific ways drinking herbal tea every day impacts the body, both in the short-term and in the long-term.

🩺 SIGN UP for tips to stay healthy & fit with the top moves, clean eats, health trends & more delivered right to your inbox twice a week 💊

What Makes Herbal Tea Healthy?

Herbal tea is made by steeping dried herbs, flowers, fruit, seeds or spices in hot water. Registered dietitian Elizabeth Harris, RDN, says that while herbal tea isn’t necessarily high in nutrients, it is high in antioxidants, polyphenols and other bioactive compounds and this, she says, is what makes it a healthy drink.

Unlike black tea or green tea, registered dietitian Gisela Bouvier, RDN, says that herbal teas are naturally caffeine-free. “They’re packed with plant-based compounds, like antioxidants and polyphenols, that can support overall health,” she says, echoing Harris.

Related: The Surprising Health Benefits of Tea

“Herbal teas can also promote relaxation, support digestion and even help with hydration,” Bouvier says. Both registered dietitians say that the benefits of herbal teas vary slightly, depending on the ingredients. For example, Harris says that lavender and chamomile teas are shown to help with relaxation while hibiscus tea can help support blood pressure. If you want the herbal tea you drink to support a specific health goal, it can help to do a little research into which herbs can help support your specific goal and find a tea made with those herbs.

What Happens If You Drink Herbal Tea Every Day

While all herbal teas have antioxidants, the dietitians reiterate that the exact ways drinking it every day impacts the body depends on the type of herbs in your tea. “Although tea has been used for therapeutic purposes for centuries, we need more high-quality research to understand its full potential as a functional food. A few limited studies have suggested that certain teas may offer specific benefits,” Harris adds.

Here, Harris and Bouvier highlight how drinking specific herbal teas every day can impact the body.

Related: Does Green Tea Help With Bloating? Experts Share the Truth

1. Your skin may look more radiant

Both dietitians reiterate that herbal tea is hydrating. (It is primarily water, after all.) This means that drinking it every day can benefit the skin, making it appear more plump and radiant. This benefit is true of all types of herbal teas, since all herbal teas are made primarily with water. “Antioxidant-rich teas, like hibiscus, can support skin health by fighting free radicals that contribute to aging,” Bouvier says, highlighting one herbal tea with extra skin benefits.

2. Your digestion may improve

If you are experiencing constipation or bloating or you have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), drinking peppermint tea regularly may help alleviate your symptoms. “Peppermint tea has been shown to have a relaxing effect in certain areas of the digestive tract, which may help alleviate uncomfortable symptoms related to IBS,” Harris says.

Related: Here Are 50 Reasons You Should Be Drinking Green Tea

3. You might sleep better

Both dietitians say that drinking lavender or chamomile tea in the evening is scientifically linked to supporting better sleep. One scientific study found that chamomile in particular significantly helped improve sleep quality for older adults. Just don’t have it too close to bedtime, or you may have to get up in the middle of the night to pee!

4. Drinking herbal tea every day supports brain health

One long-term impact of drinking herbal tea every day is better brain health. “Teas like rosemary or ginkgo may support cognitive function due to their antioxidant content,” Bouvier says. Scientific research shows that consuming rosemary decreases inflammation in the brain and may help with supporting memory. Similarly, consuming ginkgo is linked to supporting memory and lowering the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

5. It may lower your blood pressure

Want your tea habit to benefit your heart? Bouvier recommends sipping hibiscus or cinnamon tea, two plants associated with lowering blood pressure and cholesterol. One scientific study showed that hibiscus tea was more effective for lowering blood pressure than other types of teas. As for cinnamon tea, scientific research shows that regularly consuming cinnamon can help lower the risk of cardiovascular disease, due to its effect on blood pressure.

6. Your risk of chronic diseases will be lower

“The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds in many herbal teas may lower the risk of chronic conditions like heart disease and diabetes,” Bouvier says. This is because the polyphenols in tea help lower inflammation, which can lead to chronic health conditions. Of course, Bouvier says that simply drinking herbal tea every day is not enough to lower your risk; it’s important to have other healthy habits in place too. “These health benefits only occur if tea consumption is paired with an overall balanced diet, exercise, sleep and a stress-management regimen,” she says.

Herbal tea is certainly a healthy drink you can enjoy every day, but if you want to reap the health benefits highlighted here, it’s important to be mindful of what you add to it. If you flavor your tea with sugar or artificial sweeteners, it will negate many of the health benefits you would be getting otherwise. Bouvier recommends choosing an herbal tea you like the taste of as-is; after all, there are plenty to choose from! That way, you can get the absolute most benefits out of what’s in your cup, both now and in the years to come.

Up Next: 

Related: Does Green Tea Really Help You Lose Weight? We've Got All the Info You Need

Sources

• Elizabeth Harris, RDN, registered dietitian

• Gisela Bouvier, RDN, registered dietitian