Episode 144 – Five Herbal Teas You Should Have This Winter

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Welcome to the Thrival Nutrition Podcast with me as your host, Lahana Vigliano, owner of Thrival Nutrition and board certified clinical nutritionist! We’re on episode 144 today talking about herbals teas that you should have for the winter! I’ve been on such an herbal tea kick this month. The comfort of a hot cup of herbs before bed can really comfort your soul and your body! 

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Okay, so let’s talk teas! I want to start off with one of my favorite teas for relaxation and destressing because let’s the real, this time of the year can be STRESSFUL – holidays, winter illnesses that can keep a mama tired and stressed out taking care of the kiddos, traveling, you name it!

Chamomile

Chamomile tea should be in your cupboard at ALL times. Chamomile is known for it’s sleep inducing properties, but also since it’s a calming herb it can also quell inflammation that you may have going on with winter illnesses, like in the respiratory tract or the stomach. With its relaxation properties, chamomile is also recommended for anxiety. If you’re feeling real anxious with all the holiday parties and responsibilities coming up, this is the perfect tea to calm you down! Chamomile has been studied to inhibit tumor growth and take cancer cells through apoptosis (which is cell death). This herb can truly relax and keep you healthy throughout the winter.

Peppermint

Peppermint tea is another favorite for the winter. I’m sure you’re used to peppermint everything by now! Pumpkin spice is last season (literally) and peppermint is the new cool flavor – every winter! Outside of it’s holiday flare, peppermint tea is SUPER amazing for the digestive system. Peppermint helps diminish stomach cramps and nausea if you find yourself dealing with a stomach virus this winter. It also helps with other GI symptoms like gas, heartburn, and indigestion. This is actually a PERFECT tea to drink after your meals to help aid in digestion.

I’m sure you’ve heard of me talking about peppermint essential oils for headaches, but peppermint tea can also help if you’re struggling with headaches and migraines. Make a cup, inhale allll the smell, and drink. I do still recommend peppermint essential oils on the temple too! Those common colds during the winter are pesky and can really bring our respiratory system into chaos. Peppermint tea can help fight the inflammation, as well as open up those airways. To make a festive drink for the holidays, brew peppermint tea and then blend it with some almond milk and sweeten it with a little maple syrup and tada! A real peppermint latte for you (caffeine free!)

Yogi Tulsi Spiced Berry Immune Support

I’m DIGGING the Yogi Tulsi Spiced Berry Immune Support tea in my cupboard this winter! Preschool hasn’t been that kind to us like all the other years + we’ve got our share of stomach bugs + colds. Trust me when I say, the kids usually don’t pick up the viruses that go around – this year it’s been more than usual! Throughout the bugs that they’ve had, I’ve been sipping on some of this Yogi tea and it’s nipped these viruses in the butt when I feel something coming on. I’ve been drinking a cup before bed + results have been pretty amazing!

The flavors in it reminds me of winter, like clove, nutmeg, elderberry, licorice, ginger, etc. We see a lot of these spices during baking + now I have them in tea form and LOVING THEM! I highly recommend getting this tea to help your immune system going this winter!

Marshmallow Root 

No, it doesn’t taste like marshmallows, but marshmallow root tea is next up! I love this tea for the mucilaginous properties, which means it’s very soothing to the GI tract. It’s actually a tea that is a part of my gut protocol for healing leaky gut. I also love marshmallow root tea for those occasional sore throats that you might come across in the cold weather. You can think of it doing the same thing it’ll do in the GI system, it will help coat the throat! If you’ve heard of Traditional Medicinals Throat Coat, you’ll see that marshmallow root is in that blend!

It honestly doesn’t taste like much – sorry to burst your bubble if you were excited about a tea that might taste like marshmallows, but I love it + I find it’s easier to get the kids to drink because the taste isn’t strong!

Dandelion Root

Ya’ll definitely have heard me talk about dandelion root tea before because of its supporting the liver properties! After alcoholic drinks (maybe one too many) with all the holiday parties that you are going to, loving your liver extra hard this winter is vital! Don’t abuse your major detox organ! I buy the roasted dandelion root to make some dandelion lattes, which are on the blog, for some caffeine free drinks in the morning.

This is seriously one of my favorite teas and I refuse to run out of it because I love it SO much!

Don’t forget that with any of these teas that you brew – you are more than welcome to turn it into latte form, add some vanilla extract, or extra cinnamon spice to make fun twists on these teas. I see alot of holiday blend teas throughout coffee and tea shops and the grocery store, but I just want ya’ll to still be label readers and make sure that your tea is made with organic herbs when possible and doesn’t any extra artificial sweeteners or flavors. I buy organic because teas can easily be a place where you might not think of pesticides leaching into your drink from the herb itself and the bag that the tea is in. 

Loose leaf herbs will be your safest bet with a ceramic tea cup with infuser. I also use an electric tea kettle to help heat up the water to avoid using the microwave.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to email me at lahana@thrivalnutrition.com.