Herbal tea. Two wonderfully simple words covering an enormous world of leaves, flowers, roots, fruits and spices.
One blend might be fresh and minty. Another earthy enough to make you feel like you've just befriended a forest. Some botanicals have been brewed for generations, while others are probably sitting in your kitchen cupboard right now without you giving their plant credentials a second thought.
But what exactly are you drinking?
From sage and lemon balm to peppermint and dandelion, we're taking a closer look at some of the botanicals commonly found in herbal infusions, where they come from, what they taste like and why they've earned their place in our teapots.
Kettle ready?
First things first: herbal tea isn't technically tea
Tiny botanical plot twist.
Black tea, green tea, white tea and oolong all come from the same plant: Camellia sinensis.
What we commonly call "herbal tea" is usually more accurately described as a herbal infusion. Instead of tea leaves, hot water is used to infuse different parts of plants, including:
- Leaves
- Flowers
- Roots
- Seeds
- Fruits
- Bark
- Spices
That distinction matters for another reason. Camellia sinensis naturally contains caffeine, whereas many herbs used for herbal infusions are naturally caffeine-free.
So if you're trying to reduce caffeine, herbal infusions can offer a whole new world beyond decaf.
But do check the ingredients. A botanical blend can still contain green tea, black tea or another caffeine-containing tea alongside its herbs.
Now, meet some of the regulars.
Sage: the aromatic Mediterranean one
Botanical name: Salvia officinalis
If sage immediately makes you think of stuffing, we need to expand its CV.
Native to the Mediterranean region, sage is an aromatic evergreen shrub belonging to the mint family, Lamiaceae. Its soft, grey-green leaves have a distinctive fragrance and a flavour that can be described as earthy, savoury, slightly bitter and intensely herbal.
In other words, sage is not a shy botanical.
Its leaves have a long history of culinary and traditional medicinal use, and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has published a European Union herbal monograph on sage leaf. [1]
The EMA recognises the traditional use of specific sage leaf preparations for several purposes, including the relief of mild dyspeptic complaints such as heartburn and bloating, excessive sweating, and inflammation in the mouth or throat. [1]
There's an important distinction here. In an EMA herbal monograph, "traditional use" does not mean that a health effect has necessarily been established through modern clinical trials. It means there is sufficient evidence of long-standing medicinal use for specified preparations and indications.
In a herbal infusion, sage brings a bold, aromatic and slightly bitter character, which is why it is often paired with softer or fresher ingredients.
Sage isn't here to blend quietly into the background. Frankly, we respect that.
Lemon balm: lemony, without the lemons
Botanical name: Melissa officinalis
Lemon balm is another member of the mint family, although you wouldn't necessarily guess it from the name.
Crush its green leaves and you'll discover where "lemon" comes into things. The plant has a fresh, gentle citrus aroma despite not being related to the lemon tree.
Native to parts of Europe, North Africa and western Asia, lemon balm has been cultivated for centuries and is now found much more widely.
Its flavour tends to be softer than peppermint, with delicate citrus and herbal notes that make it particularly easy to combine with other botanicals.
Lemon balm also has a history of traditional medicinal use. According to the EMA's Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products, specific lemon balm leaf preparations can, on the basis of their long-standing use, be used for the relief of mild symptoms of stress, to aid sleep and for mild digestive complaints such as bloating and flatulence. [2]
Again, these are traditional-use conclusions, rather than evidence that every cup of lemon balm tea will produce those effects.
From a purely drinking perspective, lemon balm is an excellent team player. It can bring a soft lemony freshness to blends without the acidity you'd expect from actual citrus fruit.
Peppermint: the unmistakably minty one
Botanical name: Mentha × piperita
Peppermint doesn't exactly require an introduction.
Cool, refreshing and immediately recognisable, it's one of the world's most familiar herbal infusion ingredients.
Peppermint is actually a hybrid mint, generally considered to have originated from watermint (Mentha aquatica) and spearmint (Mentha spicata). Its leaves contain aromatic compounds including menthol, responsible for much of that characteristic cooling sensation.
That sensation is particularly interesting because menthol activates cold-sensitive receptors in the body. Your peppermint isn't literally lowering the temperature inside your mouth, even though your brain may receive a rather convincing "ooooh, cold" message.
Botany is weird. We love it.
Peppermint leaf also has a well-established history of traditional medicinal use. The EMA concludes that specific peppermint leaf preparations can, based on long-standing use, be used for the relief of digestive problems such as indigestion and flatulence. [3]
The EMA notes that these conclusions are based on traditional use, meaning there is insufficient evidence from clinical trials to classify the effectiveness as clinically established, but the medicinal use is considered plausible and has been documented over a long period. [3]
In a cup, peppermint brings a clean, powerful freshness. It's delicious on its own but also plays nicely with ingredients such as lemon balm, liquorice root, fennel and various fruits.
Dandelion: yes, that dandelion
Botanical name: Taraxacum officinale
You know the one.
The yellow flower that appears in lawns approximately twelve seconds after you've finished mowing them.
Dandelion may be treated as a weed by enthusiastic gardeners, but virtually the entire plant has a history of use as food or in traditional herbal preparations.
The leaves can be eaten, the flowers have culinary uses and the root can be dried and used in herbal preparations and infusions.
Dandelion root has a very different flavour profile from delicate leafy herbs. It's earthy and slightly bitter, and when roasted it can develop deeper, toastier notes. This is why roasted dandelion root sometimes appears in caffeine-free drinks designed to provide some of the dark, roasted character associated with coffee.
The EMA has adopted European Union herbal monographs covering dandelion preparations, including dandelion root. Its assessment includes traditional medicinal uses relating to mild digestive complaints, temporary loss of appetite and increasing urine production for the flushing of the urinary tract in certain circumstances. [4]
Those medicinal indications relate to specific preparations and conditions of use. They shouldn't be interpreted as meaning that any food or herbal tea containing dandelion can automatically be marketed with the same health claims.
As an infusion ingredient, however, dandelion's earthy bitterness makes it an interesting counterpoint to sweeter, fresher or more aromatic botanicals.
Not bad for something regularly attacked with a lawnmower.
Chamomile: the little flower with a big reputation
When you picture herbal tea, there's a decent chance you're picturing chamomile.
The small daisy-like flowers are dried and infused to create a pale golden drink with a delicate floral aroma. Depending on the variety and preparation, you might notice slightly sweet, grassy or apple-like notes.
In fact, the name "chamomile" is thought to derive from words referring to a ground apple, a nod to its characteristic aroma.
Different plants are commonly referred to as chamomile, with German chamomile (Matricaria recutita) and Roman chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile) among the best known.
Chamomile is particularly useful in blends because its gentle flavour can soften stronger herbs without completely disappearing behind them.
Fennel: sweet, aromatic and unmistakably anise-like
Botanical name: Foeniculum vulgare
Fennel is another botanical with a double life.
The bulb can appear on your dinner plate, while the dried fruits, commonly called fennel seeds, are used as a spice and herbal infusion ingredient.
Fennel originated around the Mediterranean and has spread widely throughout Europe and beyond.
Its defining characteristic is its naturally sweet, aromatic, liquorice-like flavour. If you adore aniseed, hello, new best friend. If you don't, fennel is unlikely to sneak past unnoticed.
Because of its natural sweetness, fennel can round out herbal blends without requiring added sugar.
Ginger: technically not a root
We have another botanical technicality for you.
The part of ginger (Zingiber officinale) that we eat and infuse is commonly called ginger root, but botanically it is a rhizome, an underground stem.
Try dropping that into conversation the next time someone makes you ginger tea.
Native to Southeast Asia, ginger has been cultivated and traded for thousands of years. Fresh ginger has a bright, citrusy heat, while dried ginger tends to deliver a warmer and sometimes sharper spice.
That warmth makes ginger particularly useful in herbal blends where you want something with a bit of oomph.
It pairs beautifully with citrus, mint, turmeric, cinnamon and countless other botanicals.
Rooibos: the caffeine-free South African favourite
Botanical name: Aspalathus linearis
Rooibos deserves a mention because although we drink it much like tea, it doesn't come from the tea plant.
Rooibos is native to South Africa and is made from Aspalathus linearis, a shrub associated particularly with the country's Cederberg region.
Traditional red rooibos undergoes oxidation during processing, producing its characteristic reddish-brown colour and smooth, slightly sweet and earthy flavour.
Unlike black and green tea, pure rooibos is naturally caffeine-free.
This makes it particularly useful as a base for herbal blends when you want something fuller-bodied than many delicate herbal infusions.
Think cosy cuppa, minus the caffeine.
Why combine different botanicals?
Because drinking a mug containing seventeen ingredients that all taste aggressively medicinal isn't anybody's idea of self-care.
A good herbal blend isn't simply a collection of fashionable plants. Flavour matters.
Mint can bring freshness.
Ginger can bring warmth.
Fennel can add sweetness.
Lemon balm can add gentle citrus notes.
Sage can contribute aromatic depth.
Dandelion root can add bitterness and earthiness.
Rooibos can provide a smooth base that helps bring everything together.
The art is finding a balance where the ingredients complement rather than fight each other.
Because "contains lots of botanicals" and "actually tastes delicious" are not automatically the same thing.
Does natural mean harmless?
Nope.
Plants contain biologically active compounds. That's one of the reasons humans have been so interested in them for thousands of years.
But "natural" doesn't automatically mean suitable for everyone.
Some herbs can interact with medicines, while certain botanicals or amounts may not be appropriate during pregnancy, breastfeeding or for people with particular health conditions. Medicinal herbal preparations may also have specific recommended doses, age restrictions and contraindications.
If you're taking medication, pregnant or breastfeeding, have an existing health condition or are planning to use a herbal preparation specifically for medicinal purposes, it's sensible to check with a pharmacist, doctor or another appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
How to choose a herbal infusion
You don't need a degree in botany.
Start with three questions.
What's actually in it?
Turn the packet around and read the ingredients rather than relying entirely on the name on the front.
Does it contain caffeine?
If avoiding caffeine matters to you, look for a clearly caffeine-free blend and check whether it contains tea from Camellia sinensis.
Do you actually enjoy drinking it?
Possibly the most underrated consideration of all.
Herbal ingredients may have fascinating histories and traditional uses, but your daily cuppa still needs to taste good.
Welcome to the botanical rabbit hole
Once you start looking properly at herbal tea ingredients, an innocent little mug becomes surprisingly interesting.
Sage brings Mediterranean aromatic intensity. Lemon balm gives you citrus without the citrus fruit. Peppermint tricks temperature receptors into giving you that famous cooling sensation. Dandelion goes from garden nuisance to earthy infusion ingredient. Ginger isn't technically a root. And rooibos isn't technically tea.
Your kitchen cupboard has been keeping secrets.
So next time you're choosing a herbal infusion, take a look at the ingredients.
You might discover a new favourite.
And if nothing else, you can now casually inform someone that their ginger root is actually a rhizome.
You're welcome.
References
1. European Medicines Agency (EMA). Salviae officinalis folium, Sage Leaf.
European Union herbal monograph and assessment of Salvia officinalis L. leaf, including its recognised traditional medicinal uses.
EMA: Sage leaf
2. European Medicines Agency (EMA). Melissae folium, Melissa Leaf.
The EMA's Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products concludes that, based on long-standing use, specified lemon balm preparations can be used for mild symptoms of stress, to aid sleep and for mild digestive disorders including bloating and flatulence.
EMA: Melissa leaf
3. European Medicines Agency (EMA). Menthae piperitae folium, Peppermint Leaf.
The EMA recognises the traditional medicinal use of specified peppermint leaf preparations for digestion-related complaints such as indigestion and flatulence. The EMA explicitly notes that this conclusion is based on long-standing traditional use rather than sufficient clinical-trial evidence to establish efficacy.
EMA: Peppermint leaf
4. European Medicines Agency (EMA). Taraxaci officinalis radix, Dandelion Root.
European Union herbal monograph and assessment covering Taraxacum officinale root and its traditional medicinal uses.
EMA: Dandelion root
This article is for general educational purposes. References to traditional medicinal use relate to specific herbal preparations assessed by the EMA and should not be interpreted as health claims for every food, tea or supplement containing that botanical. If you take medication, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have a health condition, seek appropriate professional advice before using herbal products for medicinal purposes.
