Nutrition

Your Guide To Tea For Every Mood

Tired, stressed, or sad? There isn’t anything a warm, soothing cup of tea can’t solve. Try these teas to brighten your mood.

By Hima

27 Nov 2022

India is the second largest producer of tea after China, so it’s safe to say that most of us know what we’re talking about when it comes to tea. Initially consumed as a herbal remedy, a cup of tea today is enjoyed for mostly its taste, and then the benefits it provides.

With over a thousand varieties of tea, there is definitely a tea for every mood, even if you have to look to find it. According to Penn Medicine, various types of tea can boost your immune system, fight inflammation and even fight heart disease. There is also research that points out that tea plays an important role in mood and activeness.

Stressed? Depressed? Tired? There is definitely a type of tea to help you fight through it! From green to oolong, there is a whole world of tea you might not be aware of. Match your current mood with a tea blend, and awaken your taste buds too!

1. Tea For Days When You Want To Be Alert And Active

Green tea is infamous everywhere for helping people maintain and lose weight. But did you know they are great energy boosters? Green tea is a superfood that keeps you awake and active by boosting brain function. The caffeine present in green tea helps with energy levels without an extreme caffeine crash.

Matcha tea is lesser known but equally powerful. Matcha is a Japanese powder tea that is highly rich in antioxidants that boost your energy levels. Matcha tea is also rich in vitamin C, zinc, fibre, and many micronutrients that will leave you feeling energised, active, and focused.

Related story: These Food Help to Ease Anxiety

2. Tea For Days You Feel Anxious

Chamomile tea is synonymous with calm, making it one of the well-known, stress-relieving teas. A study published in the Phytomedicine Journal, 2016 showed that long-term use of chamomile drastically reduces symptoms of generalised anxiety disorder (GAD). Chamomile tea can also help to soothe the stomach by easing pain and inflammation.

Peppermint is a garden plant and it can be used for more than just seasoning. Some research suggests that peppermint tea has the ability to reduce frustration, anxiety, and fatigue. Another widely known tea for its mood-stabilising capabilities is lavender tea. Studies show that it has an equivalent effect of lorazepam (anxiety medication).

3. Tea For Days When You Have An Unbearable Headache

Ginger tea is one of the most frequently used teas for relieving headaches. Ginger is a common culinary spice in Indian households. It contains powerful antioxidants that reduce inflammation, one of the primary causes for headaches. Clove is another valuable spice in the Indian kitchen, and adding cloves to ginger tea can help relieve headaches quickly as clove has anti-nociceptive (help to reduce the perception of pain) properties.

Feverfew is a herb that has a long history of medicinal uses. Many studies suggest that feverfew tea may also help in the treatment of migraine in addition to treating normal headaches. Peppermint tea has a pain-relieving effect and so can also be consumed to reduce headaches.

4. Tea For Nights When you Are Fighting Insomnia

Valerian root tea is a herbal cure for insomnia and other sleep disorders. Various studies have shown that tea prepared from Valerian root helps reduce anxiety in women that are facing health complications. Lemon balm is a relative of the mint family, and is effective in inducing sleep after an anxiety-filled day. Lemon balm works by soothing stress by boosting the production of GABA, a neurotransmitter that reduces stress.

Another lesser-known tea that has the ability to decrease insomnia is magnolia tea. This tea is made from dried bark, buds, and stems of the magnolia plant. It contains honokiol and magnolol, compounds that are proven to have sedative effects. Chamomile tea is also good for sleeplessness as the little flowers contain mild sedatives that calms nerves and treats sleeplessness.