5 Caffeine Free Ayurvedic Herbal Teas That Help You To Boost Your Immunity

Why are we addicted to tea? How much caffeine is safe?

We all drink tea but the problem with tea is that it contains caffeine which may boost our energy for a while and give us a kick for a short time. But after some time, your energy levels go low and again you crave up for a cup of tea. Sources recommend that on an average for a normal person it is safe to consume about 400 mg of caffeine a day. Do you know one cup of tea contains about 47 grams of caffeine.

Some people even drink 5-10 cups of tea a day which damages their system very badly. Drinking tea in moderation is okay but excessive consumption of tea is a big no from my side. These days some people have made tea into a compulsion for some it is 2 cups a day, while some can’t start their day without that cup of tea. This is a serious problem isn’t it? Do you know that excessive consumption of tea causes many serious diseases such as insomnia, anxiety, constipation, dry and itchy skin, variation in blood pressure levels, heart burn etc.

 

Are there any alternatives to tea that I can drink guilt free?

Yes of course there are alternatives to tea. You can replace your regular caffeinated tea with herbal teas that is mostly made by boiling roots, stem, barks or leaves of plants. The main advantage of herbal decoctions is that it is safe to consume and doesn’t have any side effects. You can hop on it on without any guilt. It will also help to boost your immune system greatly. At first it will be a little difficult for you to give up caffeinated teas. So, one thing that you can do is to reduce the amount of tea that you were drinking.

Suppose you were drinking 5 cups of caffeinated tea a day gradually you can make it to 3 cups and add 2 cups of herbal tea instead. You can follow this trick and one day you will be able to cut caffeinated tea from your diet and completely switch to herbal decoctions.

 

Is herbal tea good for health? Do they have any side effects?

Herb based teas are extremely beneficial for your health. Apart from boosting your immunity herbal decoctions can give you relief from headaches, sleep disorders, pain, inflammation, anxiety disorders, stress etc.

In my personal experience I have never experienced any side effects of herbal teas and for me it works miraculously. But certain people are allergic to certain substances so you must be aware of that. And consume herbal teas according to your body not according to the trend. Although herbal teas are safe to consume it may slightly increase pitta (heat) in your body so in extreme summers you should avoid it or take it in a small quantity.

 

5 herbal Teas that will boost your immunity

1.   Cinnamon Tea

Cinnamon also known as dalchini is a very powerful herb with many medicinal properties. It is basically obtained from the inner bark of the ‘cinnamomum verum’ tree.

 

Regular intake of cinnamon may reduce the risk of diabetes, studies prove that cinnamon can reduce the growth of cancer cells in our body. Even some studies have proven that cinnamon can prevent Alzheimer’s disease. According to a research cinnamon bark contains an extract called CEppt which may prevent Alzheimer’s symptoms from developing.

 

There are two types of cinnamon barks available in the market one variety is cassia and the other is Ceylon. Cassia cinnamon is also known as Chinese cinnamon and it is grown in the southern part of China. The problem with cassia or Chinese cinnamon is that it contains a compound called coumarin which is believed to be poisonous if taken in large quantities.

 

Hence, it is always better to go with the Ceylon variety aka real or original cinnamon which is grown in Sri Lanka.           

 

Ingredients

1 medium sized cinnamon stick preferably (Ceylon)

Water about 2 cups

½ inch ginger

Jaggery powder or palm jaggery powder / honey

 

Serves: 1

 

Method

 

1.   Crush the ginger with the help of a mortar or simply cut it into roundels

 

2.   Now, take a pan add 2 cups of water into it add the crushed ginger and the cinnamon stick

 

3.   Boil for on high flame for 10 min, then on simmer for another 10 minutes

 

4.   You will notice the colour of the water will change into light brown. Turn off the gas

 

5.   With a sieve strain the cinnamon stick and ginger and let it sit for 10 -15 minutes

 

6.   Pour it into a glass add jaggery or palm jaggery powder stir well. If you wish to add honey, don’t add it while the tea is too hot  

 

2.   Ginger Tea

Ginger is one of the healthiest and powerful herb mentioned in Ayurveda. Ginger contains a substance called gingerol which has anti inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Ginger tea if taken in appropriate quantity can help fight infections, reduce cough, cholesterol levels, common cold, menstrual cramps and headaches. If you are suffering from any fever consuming ginger tea would greatly help you.

 

Ingredients

½ inch ginger

5-10 tulsi leaves, torn in half

2 tsp dried coriander seeds (optional)

1 tsp lemon juice

Honey or palm jaggery to taste

 

Serves: 1

 

Method

1.   Crush the ginger using a mortar or cut it into roundels

 

2.    Now, take a pan add 2 cups of water into it add the crushed ginger, Tulsi leaves, and the coriander seeds, Boil on high flame for at least 5-10 minutes. Then keep on simmer for another 10 minutes.

 

3.   Remove from heat and strain

 

4.    Add the lemon juice and honey / palm jaggery to taste. Serve hot

 

 

Note: Don’t add honey immediately when the tea is too hot.  

 

3.   Lemongrass tea

Lemongrass is another alternative to regular tea. It is rich in medicinal properties. It boosts mechanism and promotes fat loss. Lemongrass being a great source of vitamin C and vitamin A gives you smooth skin and stronger hairs. Lemongrass is rich in anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. If you make lemongrass tea a part of your diet and consume it on daily basis and then it may give you relief from anxiety, muscle aches, acne, indigestion etc.    

 

Ingredients

 

2-3 lemongrass

½ inch ginger

Honey / jaggery / palm jaggery to taste

 

Serves: 1

 

 

Method
 

1.   Crush the ginger with the help of a mortar or simply cut it into roundels

 

2.   Now take a pan and add 2 cups of water into it

 

3.   Add the ginger and lemongrass, boil on high flame. When it comes to boil, reduce heat to low, and let it continue to simmer until the water turns light brown.

 

4.   Remove the pot from heat and cover it. Allow it to sit for 10 -15 minutes.

 

5.   Strain the liquid. Add the honey / jaggery to taste. Stir and serve hot.

 

4.   Sweet Rose tea

Rose tea is a delicious aromatic drink made from the petals of the rose flower. Rose tea promotes hydration and weight loss. It promotes sound sleep, boots immunity, cures sore throat and cough. Rose may help in treating urinary tract infections. Rose tea helps to maintain bacterial flora in the digestive tract thereby reducing constipation, indigestion, bloating or gas.      

 

Ingredients

½ cups rose petal (ensure the flowers are edible and not treated with chemicals or pesticides)

2 green cardamom pods

Honey / jaggery / palm jaggery to taste

 

Serves: 1
 

Method

1.    Take a pan and add 2 cups of water into it.

 

2.   Add the rose petals and green cardamom pods boil for 5 -10 minutes.  

 

3.   Remove the pot from the heat and cover it. Remove the pan and allow it to sit for 15 -20 minutes.

 

4.    Strain the liquid. Add the honey / palm jaggery / jaggery. Serve hot.  

 

 

5. Cardamom Tea

 

Cardamom is also known as elaichi. It is a very popular herb from Ayurveda. Cardamom has cancer fighting compounds. Cardamom is known to treat bad breath and cavities. Apart from this it protects the liver, reduces cholesterol, anxiety, and promotes weight loss. Cardamom tea flushes out the toxins in your body and keeps our internal organs clean.        

 

Serves: 1

 

Ingredients

2-3 Cardamom pods

½ inch Ginger

3 -4 pepper corns

2-3 cloves (optional)

Honey / jaggery / palm jaggery to taste   

 

Method

5.   Crush the ginger, cardamom pods, pepper corns and cloves with a mortar.     

 

6.   Take a pan and add 2 cups of water into it.

 

7.   Now, add the crushed ginger, cardamom pods, pepper corns, and cloves. Boil it for about 5-10 minutes on high flame.

 

8.   Remove the pan from heat and allow it to sit for 15-20 minutes.

 

9.   Strain the liquid. Add honey / palm jaggery / jaggery. Serve hot.