Have you ever seen something so beautiful that also smells incredible? If you did, you must have encountered lavender. 

Lavender is considered by many to be one of the most beautiful-looking plants in the world. But more than that, lavender flowers have a reputation for their amazing scent. From essential oils to soaps to air fresheners, the lavender flower surely made its impact worldwide. Its aroma is unique, memorable, and simply irresistible. 

But there is one more side of lavender that we haven't talked about enough. Other than being a blessing to our nostrils, lavender is also a gift to our overall health. And do you know the best way to obtain these benefits? It's by turning a simple lavender flower into an actual lavender tea. 

In this blog post, we'll be telling you everything there is to know about lavender tea. 

What is lavender tea? 

Lavender tea is made from the very buds of the lavender flowers, particularly the purple-colored bundles called "Lavandula angustifolia". This is a flowering plant native to areas of land surrounding the Mediterranean Sea and Southern Europe but is now being grown in several countries around the world, including the United States. What's more interesting is that lavender actually comprises more than 30 species, dozens of subspecies, and so many hybrids and cultivars. That's how wide the scope of this flowering plant is. 

Although lavender is usually known for essential oils and for being a fragrance agent, it also makes a very decent tea. It's a tea so amazing that, when you drink it, you absorb plenty of its nutrients that have significant positive effects on our health. 

What does lavender tea taste like? 

You may have an idea of what lavender tea smells like, but what about its taste?

Just like its aroma, lavender boasts a distinctive flavor that may remind you of rosemary and mint. Some other types of lavender tea blends provide woody or smoky flavors, while others may give you more floral and sweet tastes. Sometimes, lavender may also be quite similar to the flavors of green tea because of its rose, green apple, and earthy notes. 

Basically, lavender tea's taste may also vary depending on the ingredients used to make it. The bottom line is that whatever other elements it's being mixed with, it still ends up with great results. 

What are the health benefits lavender tea can give?

Lavender might not be everyone's first choice when it comes to tea, but knowing the health benefits it can provide might change your mind. The lavender flowers are rich in calcium, iron, vitamin A, phenolic compounds, and potent terpenes—all of which leave notable effects on human health. 

Find out more about the health benefits lavender tea provides below:

1. A helpful stress reliever

There's a reason why lavender tea is sometimes referred to as "stress relieving tea", it helps deal with issues like stress, mood swings, as well as anxiety, and depression. It has incredible soothing qualities and active components that relieve us of the tension that we feel in our brain and our emotions.

By drinking lavender tea, it can stimulate the release of neurotransmitters that deal with the excess stress hormones in the body, saving us from mental exhaustion. It has also been found that lavender tea comes with analgesic effects enabling the body to become less sensitive toward painful stimuli. So, if you're ever feeling stressed, irritable, anxious, or depressed, try having a cup of this relaxing tea from time to time. 

2. Improves sleep quality

This is another factor that proves lavender is a very ideal relaxing tea. Apparently, the lavender scent is closely affiliated with feelings of calmness and relaxation—two important things that we need to get a good night's sleep. This is mainly why there are plenty of pillow mists and sleep balms that have lavender as one of their main or even the only ingredient. 

In fact, a previous study involving 158 mothers who just gave birth showed that there was a significant improvement in the sleep quality of those who took 10 deep breaths of lavender fragrance compared to those with placebo. The test took place every 4 days of the week for a total of 8 weeks. 

3. Good for skin health

Why do you think lavender is a popular ingredient used in making soaps and other skincare products? It's because lavender flowers are shown to be effective in improving skin conditions. Lavender tea is a good source of antioxidants as well as anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties which may help combat free radical damage to your skin. 

Free radicals are compounds that can cause chronic diseases and premature signs of aging like wrinkles and fine lines. Fortunately, drinking lavender tea might help prevent that from happening by improving the texture of your skin. 

4. Helps reduce inflammation and relieve pain

Are you suffering from period cramps? Headaches? Joint pain? Put an end to your misery by indulging in lavender tea. Yes, lavender flowers contain anti-inflammatory properties that may help reduce different types of pain. 

Studies have revealed the positive effects of the inhalation or the usage of lavender essential oils to the body for pain relief, particularly for migraines. If lavender flowers are effective pain relievers if you inhale their scent, just imagine how much more effective it can be if you drink it as a relaxing tea. 

5. Helps with healthy hair growth

One of the benefits lavender tea may provide is helping with hair growth. Recently, lavender essential oils gained popularity for stimulating hair growth. A study conducted on mice revealed that the usage of lavender oil made their hair grow faster and thicker. 

In line with this, lavender may also help with issues like alopecia or pattern baldness. Though this is referring to lavender oils, in particular, drinking lavender tea might still be effective in providing the same benefits. 

How to make your lavender tea: Recipes you can try at home

If you are looking forward to preparing your own relaxing tea, here are some interesting lavender tea recipes that you can try:

1. Easy Lavender Tea recipe

 

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons lavender flowers (dried or fresh)
• 1 1/4 cups water 
• 1 teaspoon honey (or maple syrup, whichever you prefer)

Directions:

1. Boil the water. 
2. Put the lavender flowers in a tea strainer or tea ball. Once you've finished boiling the water, add the tea strainer with the lavender and let it steep for at least 5 minutes. 
3. Remove the tea strainer and add your choice of sweetener (honey or maple syrup). 
4. Enjoy your lavender tea! 

2. Lavender and Mint Tea 

Want a little cooling edge to your stress relieving tea? Add some taste of refreshing mint to it. 

Ingredients: 

• 1/4 cup lavender flowers (petals)
• 1 cup fresh mint leaves 
• Water

Directions:

1. Add the lavender, mint leaves, and water in a medium-sized saucepan.
2. Bring it to a boil. Once it does, bring the heat down to medium and let it simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Taste it every minute until you reach your desired flavor. 
3. Strain the flowers and leaves. Pour the infused water into a cup and enjoy your stress relieving tea. 

3. Lavender and Berry Iced Tea 

Want a refreshing take on the lavender tea? Here's something you can enjoy during hot summer days. 

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons lavender buds
• 1 cup berries (strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries). 
• 50 g sugar
• 25 g sugar syrup 

Directions:

1. Place the infused tea in the fridge for an hour. Leave the lavender buds in the tea for an enhanced flavor.
2. Create the syrup:
1. Mix 50g of sugar and 25g of sugar syrup in a medium-sized saucepan. Let it boil. Make sure to continuously stir it to avoid burning it. 
2. Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature.
3. Combine the tea and syrup before adding the berries.
4. Put it in the fridge for another 3 hrs. 
5. Serve with ice and enjoy! 

4. Lavender and chamomile tea

Want to drink lavender tea for sleep purposes? Here's a recipe perfect for that. 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 teaspoon lavender buds
• 1 bag chamomile tea 
• 8 oz unsweetened almond milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon honey

Directions:

1. Add the almond milk into a saucepan. Heat it up but do not let it boil. 
2. Add the chamomile tea and lavender buds. Let it steep for 5 to 6 minutes. 
3. Remove the chamomile and lavender buds by straining them. 
4. Pour the tea mixture into a teacup. 
5. Add the honey (or your choice of sweetener). 
6. Stir in the vanilla extract. 
7. Drink and enjoy! Sweet dreams. 

What are the possible side effects of lavender tea? 

Although lavender tea will do wondrous things for your body, there are certain side effects that you should be wary about. Check them out below:

• Hormones: Lavender has been associated with gynecomastia, growth in the breast tissue. This is common among prepubescent males. This is why some experts recommend limiting the consumption of lavender tea for males who haven't undergone puberty yet. On the other hand, pregnant women are also advised from drinking lavender tea because of its ability to mimic the hormone estrogen. If you're an expectant or lactating mother, it would be best to consult with your physician first before consuming herbal teas like this. 
• Allergies: People who are allergic to lavender flowers obviously should avoid drinking this tea. If you're sensitive to these flowers, drinking the tea might cause you to develop allergic reactions such as skin rashes, difficulty breathing, and throat irritation. 

Lavender tea: a scent you can enjoy, a taste that you will remember 

There are plenty of teas in the world. But if you ever find yourself searching for that stress relieving tea, a cup of lavender might just be perfect. It smells incredible, tastes incredible, and will provide you with a lot of incredible health benefits. What's not to like?

If you want to know more about more healthy and delicious herbal teas, you can check them out here.