Chamomile tea. Benefits and harms

Chamomile has long been one of the favorite plants in Russia. Today it remains a common herbal medicine. Drinking chamomile will help solve many health problems. It can have both a preventive effect and cure a number of diseases.

This plant is used in the form of decoctions, tinctures, and teas. Delicious chamomile tea is a pleasant drink that brings many benefits to the body.

Chemical composition

Chamomile is a herbaceous perennial plant of the Asteraceae family. Chamomile flowers are beautiful basket-shaped inflorescences, which many associate with summer. The fruits of this plant are achenes. For medicinal purposes and for making tea, fully opened flowers are collected in June-July. Chamomile can be regular or pharmaceutical.

Pharmaceutical chamomile can be confidently called an excellent remedy for treatment proven by more than one generation. It contains food antioxidants - flavonoids, as well as vitamins A and C, tannins, polysaccharides, essential oil, free organic acids - isovaleric and nonyl, and many other substances.

If we look at some of them in more detail, the set of properties of the flowers of this plant turns out to be very serious:

• Chamomile essential oil should be named first. It has a bluish color and liquid consistency. Basics active substance– azulene, chamazulene, an anti-inflammatory and antihistamine element, also very active against pathogenic bacteria.
• Flavonoids– apigenin, luteolin, quercetin. Substances with antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory effects.
• Coumarins, which have an antispasmodic effect on the body.
• Phytosterols– lower blood cholesterol.
• Carotene– an antibacterial substance that affects the growth of animals and humans.
• Coumarin– natural anticoagulant.
• Organic acids the composition provides a sedative, anti-inflammatory effect.
• Calcium– ensures the full development of bone tissue.
• Selenium- a fairly rare substance in plants middle zone Russia, responsible for protective functions body.
• Apiin, apigenin– antispasmodic substances.

This one is far from full list allows you to make sure that chamomile tea will have numerous beneficial qualities and will become a real healing drink.

Beneficial features

It is not surprising that with such a unique set useful substances, chamomile herbal tea has a large amount medicinal properties:

The benefits of these properties are obvious - such a drink can help with pain, reduce bleeding, eliminate allergic swelling, relieve inflammation in organs, wounds or mucous membranes, and help with problems with sleep and fatigue.

This set of qualities helps remarkably in solving stomach problems. For gastritis with increased acidity, ulcerative lesions, chamomile tea is taken as a disinfectant, antispasmodic, analgesic, and wound healing agent. A healthy drink dilutes the concentration of gastric juice, and the attack of gastritis subsides.

Chamomile tea It calms the nerves well, so it is recommended to drink it before bed for nervous disorders and depression. By thinning the blood, it lowers blood pressure, reduces muscle tone and relaxes the body.

For women, chamomile is a real storehouse of benefits. It is successfully used in the treatment of gynecological diseases, weight loss and cosmetology. For men it is medicinal plant no less useful. It is believed that it has a positive effect on reproductive functions and potency.

Contraindications

The best is the enemy of the good, everyone knows this. Useful plant may cause harm to the body if used incorrectly. When used for a long period of time without a break, unpleasant side effects can make themselves felt. This may include headache, nausea and vomiting, irritability and weakness. Exceeding the dosage sometimes leads to stomach upsets.

A tendency to allergies is a signal for caution in the use of any drugs, including those of natural origin. The harm from an allergic reaction can be very serious to the body. Although there is no age limit for taking chamomile, you should test for an allergic reaction before using it on your baby. To do this, a small amount (no more than a teaspoon) of cooled chamomile tea is given to the child and the condition of the mucous membranes, skin and respiratory organs is closely monitored throughout the day. If you have a reaction, you should consult a doctor.

Individual intolerance is a contraindication to the use of chamomile in all medicinal types and forms.

You should pay attention to joint use with sedatives and diuretics. Mixing with them can lead to an overdose, so before joint therapy, consultation with a specialist is required.

Do not use chamomile tea for acute diarrhea - it may worsen the symptoms.

During pregnancy and lactation, chamomile is not prohibited. However, there is an opinion that increased production of estrogen can lead to miscarriage, so it should be taken only after consultation with a doctor.

The combined use of chamomile tea with drugs that improve blood clotting is strictly contraindicated. This drink, on the contrary, thins the blood, so taking medications will be useless.

The contraindications listed above are not so serious, but they must be treated with attention in order to avoid undesirable consequences.

When does it help?

Chamomile tea is not only a tasty drink, but also healthy. It contains all the properties of the medicinal infusion of this plant, and its aroma will be pleasant to everyone. Due to its unique chemical composition, the mechanism of the beneficial effects of chamomile tea on the body is large and diverse. Herbal tea from this plant, when used systematically, can cure and alleviate many diseases.

Since ancient times, chamomile tea, sometimes with various additional herbs, has been used in the treatment of colds. If you have a cold with chills or high temperatures, drinking chamomile will ease the patient’s condition and help get rid of intoxication in the body. Drinking plenty of warm tea will lower body temperature, relieve sore throat, and help the patient relax and fall asleep. Chamomile tea contains hippurate, which is a natural immunostimulant and antiseptic substance. Ginger, honey, lemon, linden blossoms will enhance this effect.

Diseases of the nasopharynx, throat and larynx can also be successfully cured by chamomile tea. Taking it for stomatitis helps reduce pain and inflammation, stop the activity of fungal microorganisms, and promotes wound healing. For laryngitis, pharyngitis, and tonsillitis, drinking this herbal tea relieves sore throat, kills pathogenic bacteria and facilitates the healing process. To treat diseases of the throat and oral cavity, it is recommended to drink this tea in small sips and hold it in the mouth to enhance the antiseptic and anti-inflammatory effect.

Tea with chamomile and linden inflorescences for bronchopulmonary diseases facilitates the discharge of sputum and softens coughing attacks. Drinking can be combined with inhalation - you can breathe a little over a cup of hot drink during the course of the disease. This procedure will significantly improve the patient's condition. However, it should be remembered that any inhalation should be carried out carefully to avoid burns.

Chamomile has an excellent effect on the gastrointestinal tract. Digestive problems can be treated with this plant due to its healing, antispasmodic and disinfectant effects. In case of poisoning, rotavirus infections Abdominal pain and the consequences of intoxication are well relieved by a drink made from chamomile flowers. It also copes well with enveloping ulcerative lesions of the stomach or intestines. Chamomile tea relieves pain in the abdominal cavity of other origins no less well.

Chamomile tea will also provide relief from alcohol intoxication. The substances in its composition improve the flow of bile, break down and remove toxins, and saturate the brain with necessary substances. Therefore, we can say for sure that such herbal tea successfully treats a hangover and helps to recover faster from the condition. alcohol intoxication. Improving the flow of bile also has a good effect on the body with pancreatitis.

Chamomile tea can even replace specific medications for its treatment for a short time. Treatment of poisoning and intestinal dysfunction with phytotherapeutic agents should be carried out in accordance with the patient's condition. The fact is that strong tea will stop diarrhea, while weak tea, on the contrary, will enhance intestinal peristalsis. To treat diarrhea, about two tablespoons of dried inflorescences are infused in a liter of water; when treating constipation, the concentration is halved.

The value of chamomile tea for nervous system difficult to overestimate. Systematic intake of this drink can help with any problem in the area of ​​nervous disorders. Drinking tea before bed will help with insomnia and obsessive dreams, especially in combination with aromatherapy with lavender oil.

Multi-component teas containing chamomile calm irritation and relieve migraine headaches. State nervous tension and anxiety often plagues middle-aged and older people, daily drinking tea with chamomile and valerian will be beneficial for them.

Syndrome chronic fatigue- a problem for many. A large number of people get up in the morning in a state of fatigue and weakness, they are constantly haunted by the feeling that they are not resting. In this case, chamomile tea is prescribed in the morning, before bed and once during the day. Within two weeks of use, improvement in such conditions is diagnosed in most cases. Glycine in the composition nourishes the brain and calms the nervous system.

The benefits of brewed chamomile for women are very large and varied. This drink improves the condition of women during menstruation. It relieves painful contractions of the uterus, relieves back pain, and has a beneficial effect on the nervous system. The course of premenstrual syndrome becomes easier, irritability and tearfulness go away, pain is alleviated. Chamomile tea, thanks to its natural phytoestrogens, helps normalize hormonal levels, so it can be recommended for use by women during hormonal disorders and menopause. The use of chamomile internally helps with inflammatory processes in the organs of the female reproductive system, normalizes the condition of the ovaries in case of their dysfunction.

This is widely used amazing plant in cosmetology. Regular consumption of chamomile tea normalizes metabolism, cleanses the body, and relieves the effects of stress and nervous tension. All this has a beneficial effect on the condition of the skin, helping to get rid of pimples, blackheads, youth acne and the causes of their occurrence. Hair also becomes healthier, hair follicles are strengthened thanks to vitamins and microelements.

The problem of losing weight worries many, mainly women. Everyone wants to be slim and beautiful. Often, dubious medicines and teas are used for this. An excellent alternative to them is chamomile tea. This property is achieved through complex effects. Chamomile cleanses the body of toxins and eliminates digestive problems. Since this plant also has the ability to control blood glucose levels, appetite also returns to normal. In addition, chamomile is a good diuretic, and together with excess liquid the kilograms are gone.

Men can also gain a lot of benefits from a cup of this drink. First of all, it relaxes muscles well, relieves pain in the back and joints, which is very important for those who are exposed to physical activity. Chamomile tea significantly speeds up the process of treating prostatitis by normalizing the activity of the genitourinary system. Doctors have different opinions about the effect on reproductive function, but spermogram readings improve after regular consumption of chamomile tea.

The most important area of ​​application of chamomile is the prevention of cancer. Chamomile is a strong antioxidant. Such substances prevent the development of cancer cells in the body. Together with the regulation of hormonal levels and a calming effect, this property allows for preventive therapy chamomile tea. It helps reduce the risk of cancer of the female and male reproductive systems, liver cancer.

It is important to consume the drink correctly for desired effect and absence side effects. It is recommended to use it three times a day and combine it with the correct regimen, healthy sleep and moderate physical activity.

How to properly prepare and take?

Today, in order to be able to enjoy chamomile tea at any time of the year and cure your ailments, it is not necessary to prepare these inflorescences in the summer. There are various types of this drink in pharmacies. These can be ready-made herbal teas, with or without additives, in dosed sachets or packaged. Dried inflorescences are also sold in bulk, allowing you to prepare a drink based on your needs and taste preferences.

The option of purchasing at a pharmacy is very convenient. However, only by collecting and drying the plants yourself can you be one hundred percent sure of its quality. Inflorescences can be collected in an environmentally friendly place during flowering. Usually this is June. Only the opened flowers are picked, without the stem.

Dry chamomile at home in the same way as any other herb - lay it out thin layer in a shady room with good air access (attic, outdoor shed). For 5-6 days, it is carefully mixed, preventing the petals from falling off. You can also dry it in the oven at very low temperatures or in a special dryer.

It should be remembered that direct rays of the sun and temperatures above 40 degrees reduce the set of its qualities to zero. It’s easy to determine readiness - the receptacle begins to easily grind into dust. Store dried inflorescences in canvas bags or cardboard bags or boxes. The optimal shelf life is one year.

To make chamomile tea, its flowers need to be brewed with boiling water. This is done at the rate of 1-2 teaspoons per 200 ml of water. Tea should not be boiled. You can insist for 5-7 minutes, after which the drink is ready. You can add sugar or honey and take it orally. For a richer taste, you can keep the infusion in a water bath for about 20 minutes.

If you don’t like the taste of chamomile, you can always brew chamomile tea with some additive to diversify the taste and aroma, as well as enrich it with healing substances.

There are several chamomile tea recipes for those who like different flavors:

• Tonic. 2 tablespoons of dried chamomile inflorescences, a teaspoon of green tea, a couple of leaves of mint or lemon balm. Pour boiling water over everything and leave for 20 minutes.
• Vitamin. 2 teaspoons of dried chamomile inflorescences, 4 leaves of fresh mint (or 0.5 teaspoon of dried mint), grated zest of a small lemon, 2 teaspoons of honey. Pour 500 ml of boiling water over chamomile and mint, leave for 5 minutes, then add zest and leave for about 5 minutes. After straining, honey is added.

These are just a few recipes, there can be many options. Additional components can be any berries and fruits, herbal teas (fireweed, oregano, St. John's wort, thyme, sage and others) depending on your wishes. Ivan tea, for example, has a beneficial effect on the gastrointestinal tract, sage will help the bronchi and lungs get rid of phlegm, oregano will ease the condition of a cold.

When purchasing ready-made chamomile tea, it is better to give preference to the unpackaged version; its quality is usually higher. You should also avoid packaging that lists the flavorings in the product. Be sure to check the expiration date of your tea. It is better if the date of harvest of the plant is indicated on the packaging.




For children

Many people remember the taste and smell of chamomile tea from an early age. Not surprising, because with a huge number of healing properties, it has no age restrictions for use. Many parents give this drink from a very early age. It should be remembered that for children under one year of age, before using any treatment, you need to consult a pediatrician.

Chamomile tea for children can be prepared using this recipe. One teaspoon of chamomile extract is brewed in 250 ml of boiling water. After 30 minutes of infusion, the drink needs to be strained, and the baby should drink 3-4 teaspoons after meals. The solution should look transparent and have a light yellow color. If it turns out richer, it can be diluted with boiled water.

Many pediatricians recommend chamomile to relieve infant colic. The gastrointestinal tract of babies under three months is not fully formed, so the problem of colic is acute for almost all young parents. Chamomile tea has a good effect on the digestive system and also helps cope with constipation, diarrhea, and flatulence.

One of the most popular ways to treat colds in children is chamomile drink. In the absence of contraindications and side effects, if the dosage is observed, it remarkably relieves pain and fever, helps eliminate viruses and toxins. These teas are drunk at night.







Chamomile in combination with linden gives a strong expectorant effect. The bactericidal and softening effect of chamomile tea will help with sore throat, cough and runny nose. When used during an acute respiratory disease of a viral or bacterial nature, recovery occurs faster. This tea, combined with proper patient care, will help you avoid taking more serious medications.

For school-age children, chamomile tea is prescribed for overwork, poor performance at school, sleep and behavior disorders.

The dosage of chamomile for children is quite strict. For young children this is up to 50 ml per day, for older children - up to 100 ml. Today, manufacturers offer a wide range of different chamomile teas for children's use: trade marks Hipp, "Granny's Basket" and others.

For adults

Adults will enjoy not only the healing effect, but also the taste of chamomile tea. It has a pleasant aroma, and different brewing recipes will allow you to choose the drink to suit your taste.

The beauty of chamomile pleases the gaze of admiring people almost all summer. Many people have no idea that such beauty can provide health benefits and improvements. appearance, and also simply strengthen your immunity to prevent various diseases.

Medicinal properties and contraindications of chamomile are an integral part of studying this beautiful flower. The benefits and harms of solar plants will be discussed below.

Chemical composition of chamomile

After complete drying, you can begin making the collection. If necessary, the inflorescences should be separated from the stems, and can also be used separately in medicinal purposes flower leaves.

Grind the preparations and put them in bags - this way you do not have to purchase a ready-made mixture at the pharmacy.

What is this all for? The fact is that chamomile has a rich and quite beneficial effect on human health chemical composition . So, the following components are distinguished here:

• Essential oils in large quantities– have a medicinal effect on the human body. Chamomile contains at least 40 essential components.
• Flavonoids are a useful component with antiviral effects.
• Salicylic, ascorbic, nicotinic acids– participate in life and all important biochemical reactions of the human body.
• Tannins and pectins– promote cell restoration.
• Vitamin A and beta carotene– have a healing effect, which is successfully used in cosmetology.
• Fernesene - restores the epithelium of the skin and mucous membranes.
• Bisaboloxide and herniarin– contribute to the reduction and complete elimination of pain.

Contains large amounts of microelements such as manganese, magnesium, iron, calcium.

If you haven’t stocked up on herbal tea in the summer, but the desire and need to use it still arises, this will do. The collection contains a highly concentrated composition and may also contain additional useful chemicals and elements.

Chamomile: beneficial properties and contraindications

We can talk about the benefits of chamomile for a long time, persistently proving each time that using this herb is beneficial for the human body.

The benefits of the flower will be considered separately for each case. Now we should give the general beneficial properties of chamomile.

Benefits of chamomile

The beneficial properties of the presented plant include:

Harm of chamomile

Contraindications to the use of chamomile decoction or infusion include the following aspects:

• availability of individual intolerance to herbal components;
• presence of diseases kidneys, bladder and urinary system as a whole;
• Availability mental disorders, since the calming effect of the herbal mixture in this case may not follow, but, on the contrary, will only aggravate the situation and lead to nervous overexcitation.

Contraindications should be observed unconditionally before starting treatment with chamomile. Otherwise this beautiful flower will lead to irreversible consequences and complications.

Chamomile tea: benefits and harms

Separately, you should consider the issue of preparing and using chamomile tea.

The presented herbal drink has a beneficial effect on the body as a strengthening, disease prevention and treatment of existing ailments.

How to make chamomile tea

It is very important in the matter under consideration to observe tea preparation instructions. Thus, many people make the mistake of using herbal tea purchased at a pharmacy, since the entire plant is often used to make it.

Only flower inflorescences are suitable for making tea, so you need to study the composition of the herbal collection when purchasing.

Dried and crushed in the amount of one teaspoon, pour a glass of boiling water.

The drink should be kept for 3-4 minutes for complete infusion, after which the tea is filtered and drunk in small sips.

Depending on your taste preferences, you can add sugar, honey or a slice of lemon.

Benefits of chamomile tea

Chamomile tea When used regularly, it has the following effects positive impact on the human body:

1. anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects– it is recommended to use tea for gargling for colds, and you can also simply drink tea every time there is an exacerbation of chronic inflammatory diseases;
2. the presented drink has excellent choleretic effect, which is useful for the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract;
3. sedative effect– if you drink at least a glass of tea every day, you can get rid of stress and anxiety, and also helps cope with insomnia;
4. diuretic effect will help cope with swelling;
5. tea helps vasodilation– this has a positive effect on mental activity, so schoolchildren and students should drink a cup of tea a day;
6. tea helps eliminating fermentation– this has a positive effect on the functioning of the intestines, relieving a person of bloating and subsequent diarrhea.

Tea with chamomile also helps to gently cleanse the liver and the entire body of waste and toxins.

As a result of such cleansing, you can even normalize the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and improve metabolism, which will gradually lead to excess weight loss.

Harm of chamomile tea

Tea also has some contraindications for use, knowledge of which will help you avoid numerous health problems. Here are the following aspects:

• don't drink tea people with allergies to the constituent components of the plant;
• should not be brewed highly concentrated chamomile tea– this will lead to a deterioration in the person’s condition in the form of a headache or weakening of muscle tone, as a result of which the person will feel a general malaise;
• Not recommended for use by people with psychological disorders;
• you can't drink tea people with low blood pressure.

You should not get carried away with chamomile tea beyond measure. The drink is allowed for daily use, but no more than 4 cups per day - the dosage is indicated for an adult.

It should also be noted that the best therapeutic effect tea only works if you drink the drink an hour after eating - this important condition must be observed for beneficial use.

Chamomile during pregnancy and breastfeeding

An important question: ? There is a lot of controversy among experts here.

But most of them still limit the expectant mother from drinking chamomile tea, because the constituent components of the presented plant lead to the release of estrogen- a hormone that leads to muscle spasm and loss of tone, and this is fraught with miscarriage or premature birth.

If a woman cannot refuse chamomile drink, she should consult with her doctor.

There are also specific instructions for using chamomile tea during pregnancy. According to the instructions, the tea is brewed weakly, and the daily norm is no more than one cup.

Is it possible to drink chamomile when breastfeeding ? There is also a lot of controversy here.

On the one hand, chamomile tea promotes lactation. On the other hand, chamomile, penetrating into the blood and breast milk of a woman, can subsequently cause a severe allergic reaction in the baby.

Therefore, the use of herbs during lactation should be approached with caution and the drink should be taken only with the permission of a doctor.

Several cooking methods

There are several ways how to prepare chamomile. Each of the compositions finds application in various areas. Here are the three most common ways to prepare herbs:

Before using the product, you must carefully read the instructions for use. It can vary significantly depending on the existing disease.

How to brew chamomile correctly? Video:

Chamomile-based remedies in the treatment of diseases

Chamomile is used to treat a wide variety of diseases. The most common treatment methods should be considered.

Colds

Chamomile for colds– the most the right remedy. Several treatment methods are used here.

So, for a sore throat, you should use the infusion to gargle. Flu can be treated with simple inhalations using chamomile decoction.

For general strengthening immunity You should drink tea with chamomile and honey at night.

If the patient heat , it can be knocked down with compresses on the forehead. A decoction or infusion can be used as a liquid composition.

Drinking tea with chamomile, sugar and cream - The best way to relieve sore throat, has an excellent warming effect.

Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract

For treatment peptic ulcer or gastritis Chamomile decoction has excellent healing properties. It is used as treatment and prevention. Here you can use any of the above cooking methods.

The infusion can be consumed every day 10 minutes before meals in the amount of half a glass. It is better to use the decoction only if pain occurs during an exacerbation of the disease.

As for other methods of treatment, you can use a slightly different method, which is used only for the treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

You can prepare an effective decoction pour a tablespoon of plant flowers into 200 ml of boiling water. Then the resulting composition should be boiled for 5 minutes. The decoction is kept for half an hour for complete brewing.

Accept similar chamomile decoction inside¼ cup before each meal for a week or until pain is completely eliminated.

Gynecology

Chamomile decoctions and infusions work great with diseases in gynecology. So, they should be taken for inflammation of a woman’s reproductive organs.

Equally important is the use of the presented compositions for the treatment of fungal and infectious diseases genitals, vagina. Here you can use douching and simple daily rinsing.

Also, most of the fair sex say about the benefits of chamomile oil in the treatment of thrush and other unpleasant phenomena. Here you should take a tampon, moisten it in pre-prepared and slightly warmed oil and insert it into the vagina for 2-3 hours.

If discomfort or burning occurs, remove the tampon and rinse the intimate area with plain water.

Rheumatism and other joint diseases

If a person has joint diseases or he simply feels characteristic fatigue and aches, you can use baths before bed or immediately after a hard day of work.

So, to prepare a bath, you need to make an infusion based on chamomile, where required collecting the plant in the amount of 8 tablespoons and 1 liter of boiling water.

The herb is poured with boiling water and infused for 2 hours. The resulting infusion is poured into a bath with warm water. Such procedures should be performed for at least 15 minutes.

If a person has only one painful joint, you can use lotions. Gauze or a piece of cloth is moistened in a decoction or infusion with a high concentration and applied to the sore spot.

The moistened cloth is covered with polyethylene and wrapped with gauze. Can withstand such a compress within 1.5-2 hours. In this way, you can treat various joint diseases, as well as simply eliminate pain.

Chamomile-based products in cosmetology

The presented plant is deservedly used in the manufacture of various cosmetics. Here they highlight creams, masks, shampoos, conditioners. But you can prepare such remedies at home yourself, and the benefits from them may be even greater.

Treatment and restoration of hair structure

Chamomile plays a special role in treating hair and restoring its structure. So, here we use oil for a mask or a decoction with infusion for rinsing. There are several ways to use chamomile-based formulations:

1. Chamomile for hair provides all possible assistance in eliminating problems such as prolapse or section. The above method for making oil can cope with the task if you make a mask with the resulting composition weekly.

To do this, prepare your own chamomile the oil is rubbed into the roots and applied to washed, damp hair for 1.5-2 hours. The head is covered with polyethylene and a scarf or towel. After time has passed, the composition is washed off running water using shampoo or conditioner.

2. The second way to use chamomile composition- this is the achievement of natural shine, volume and health of hair using a decoction or infusion.

Immediately after washing, rinse your curls using one glass of any given composition. If necessary, you can also rub a small amount of beneficial liquid into the hair roots - this will help in the overall strengthening of the hair follicles.

3. For general strengthening and prevention of various hair problems just add a teaspoon of chamomile oil into the shampoo used during each procedure.

Chamomile decoction or infusion will help cope with nail problems and regular occurrence of hangnails. In this case, you can resort to using hand baths or just finger baths.

Fingers are placed warm in the prepared medicinal liquid and kept for half an hour. This method also helps strengthens nails and stimulates their growth.

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Pharmaceutical chamomile is the herb that is familiar to everyone, not just caring mothers and traditional healers. Since childhood, we have known that these small flowers, with a convex yellow center and white thin petals and a specific smell, are medicinal. Chamomile actually has a lot of different properties; it is used in medicine, herbal medicine, homeopathy, folk healing, dietetics, and cosmetology. There are many recipes for health and beauty for all ages, for men and women.

— Babies are given chamomile infusion, it helps them calm down, eliminates colic and their tummy stops hurting. Children are also bathed in chamomile; it has a good effect on the skin and helps cope with prickly heat and diaper rash.

— Girls and boys with rashes on the face It is recommended to wash your face with chamomile decoction or wipe your face with chamomile tonic- all pimples dry out and heal, inflammation goes away.

— Blondes use brewed chamomile to rinse their hair, so they get beautiful shade and become shiny.

— It is useful for older women to wipe their face and décolleté with ice cubes from frozen chamomile infusion—tired skin immediately becomes toned.

— For men, chamomile baths help cope with excessive sweating of the feet.

Benefits of chamomile tea

Chamomile tea deserves special attention - it helps against many diseases and unpleasant conditions, acts gently and does not cause side effects. Chamomile tea is known as a natural sedative that relieves tension and irritation and improves mood. It is recommended to drink it for stress, overwork, neuroses, hot-tempered and angry people. Chamomile decoction also helps get rid of insomnia; it is recommended to drink it at night with honey and milk.

Brewed chamomile is good for solving digestive problems, it relieves irritation and inflammation of the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines, stops the fermentation process, and kills pathogenic microflora. Chamomile is an excellent antiseptic; it can be drunk for preventive purposes to prevent upset or indigestion. If you drink chamomile tea after a heavy dinner, it will improve digestion, relieve heaviness, and prevent heartburn.

Chamomile tea is useful for colds and ARVI as a drink and gargle. It relieves inflammation and actively fights bacteria.

Pharmaceutical chamomile has a very specific taste, not everyone likes it and therefore chamomile tea often consists of several components that significantly improve it taste qualities, increase usefulness and effectiveness.

Chamomile tea recipes and brewing methods

To prepare chamomile tea, you can use loose purchased or self-prepared herbs, as well as crushed chamomile packaged in separate bags. It goes well with black, green, red, white tea and other medicinal herbs, fruit additives, and spices.

Calming chamomile tea

Take one tablespoon of chamomile, a sprig of mint, a teaspoon of valerian root, a tablespoon of green tea and brew in a liter of boiling water. You can add honey and lemon to your tea to taste. This tea is great for calming and lowering blood pressure.

Toning chamomile tea

To prepare the drink, you need to take a tablespoon of chamomile, 10 tea rose petals or 1 tablespoon of hibiscus, 3 dried orange peels, a pinch of cinnamon and a tablespoon of black tea. All ingredients are mixed and poured with 1.5 liters of boiling water and left for 40 minutes.

Medicinal chamomile tea

To prepare medicinal tea, take equal parts chamomile, calendula, linden blossom, mint, leaves and dried raspberry fruits, celandine and St. John's wort. The mixture of herbs is brewed in the proportion of 2 tablespoons per liter of water, and allowed to brew before use. You can add lemon, honey, sugar to taste.

Chamomile tea for beauty

To prepare chamomile tea for health and beauty, you need to take a tablespoon of dry chamomile, a teaspoon of ginger, a teaspoon of licorice, a tablespoon of black or green tea, and any dried berries (raspberries, strawberries, rose hips). Add honey and milk to the prepared tea to taste.

Vitamin chamomile tea

This chamomile tea is good to drink when you have a cold, winter time when the body lacks nutrients and the immune system weakens. In equal parts you need to mix chamomile, rose hips, dry orange peels, raspberry and black currant leaves, mint, lemongrass, linden. You can add green or black tea, ginger, a few slices of lemon, honey.

Harm and contraindications of chamomile tea

Chamomile tea cannot cause any particular harm, but you should not abuse it and make the drink strong. Pregnant and lactating women, allergy sufferers, people with low blood pressure and those taking sedatives should drink it with caution.

The beneficial properties of chamomile were first described in the 17th century, but the plant was used for medicinal purposes long before that time. Previously, chamomile was used mainly to treat female diseases (fibroids, mastopathy), so another name for the flower is “uterine herb.” You can use chamomile in the form of infusions, decoctions, external compresses, but the most affordable and in a convenient way therapy is considered to be the use of chamomile tea.

Benefit

To prepare chamomile tea, use dried flowers plants. You can collect them yourself or buy ready-made mixtures at the pharmacy. Experts advise giving preference to pharmaceutical chamomile, since all raw materials sold in pharmacy chains undergo several degrees of purification and are carefully checked for the presence of nitrates and other hazardous substances.

Chamomile is an excellent anti-inflammatory agent, so the drink is most often used as an aid in the treatment of colds. Chamomile decoction helps reduce the severity of the inflammatory process, soothe irritated mucous membranes of the larynx and relieve pain.

The product can be taken orally, replacing morning and evening tea with a drink, or used for local treatment as a solution for gargling. Chamomile flowers have a pronounced antiseptic and bactericidal effect, so drinking warm tea from this plant is indicated for the following infections:

• angina;
• influenza and respiratory diseases (ARVI and acute respiratory infections), accompanied by cough and sore throat;
• tonsillitis;
• laryngitis;
• pharyngitis;
• tracheitis.

Drinking the drink during inflammatory processes of the lower respiratory tract(bronchitis, pneumonia) helps relieve a painful cough, moisturize the mucous membranes of the larynx and esophagus and facilitate the discharge of sputum. To achieve pronounced therapeutic effect It is recommended to drink chamomile tea 3-4 times a day. You need to gargle more often - 5-6 times.

A large amount of vitamins in chamomile flowers has a positive effect on the state of the immune system during illness, alleviates the severity of symptoms and speeds up recovery.

Chamomile tea has a moderate diaphoretic effect and allows you to quickly remove toxins and bacterial waste products through the skin. Thanks to this, the patient’s headache goes away, the temperature drops and other signs of intoxication disappear.

For stress and insomnia

For people suffering from neuroses, depression, or constantly in a state of emotional agitation, doctors recommend taking a decoction or infusion of chamomile internally. This excellent remedy to combat stress, since the active components of chamomile have a gentle effect on the nervous system and have a slight calming effect.

Drinking chamomile infusion before bed will help cope with insomnia, improve sleep quality and avoid nighttime wake-ups associated with anxiety. If you add a little honey, milk or a few branches of lemon balm to chamomile tea, you will get an excellent natural medicine for restoring your psycho-emotional state.

For pain

Chamomile is considered one of the most effective plants that help fight various types pain. An extract from chamomile flowers eliminates spasms and helps muscles relax, so drinks based on this plant are recommended for colitis, muscle pain and other painful conditions caused by muscle spasms.

It is especially worth mentioning the benefits of the product for women with painful menstruation. Chamomile will help not only relieve pain, but also cope with emotional outbursts characteristic of this period, so an infusion or decoction of the plant should be included in the menu before the end of menstruation.

For gastrointestinal diseases

• elimination of bloating and flatulence;
• neutralization of excess hydrochloric acid;
• normalization of intestinal function.

After entering the intestines, chamomile disinfects its walls and organ cavity, destroys pathogenic flora, reduces slagging, removes toxins and prevents decay processes. Preventive intake of chamomile-based drinks helps improve the functioning of the large and small intestines, strengthen the immune system and improve the health of the body.

The use of chamomile tea is also recommended for liver diseases, as the product gently cleanses the organ and has a slight hepatoprotective effect, protecting liver cells from the effects of adverse factors.

Harm and contraindications

Despite the large number of beneficial properties, chamomile tea can bring not only benefits to the body, but also harm. Most often, negative reactions when consuming the product are caused by improper use or non-compliance with recommendations for preparation and administration.

When brewing tea, it is necessary to strictly observe the proportions, since a drink that is too strong can produce the opposite effect to the desired one and cause headache, apathy, muscle weakness. We should not forget about the expressed sedative effect chamomile, so the plant is not recommended for use by patients with mental disorders and severe forms of depressive disorders.

A concentrated infusion of chamomile can significantly lower blood pressure, so before taking it it is important to make sure that the patient does not suffer from hypotension.

If a person (or his blood relatives) previously had chamomile intolerance reactions, drinks from this plant should be consumed very carefully, starting with 1-2 teaspoons. If there are no complications, you can continue taking it, gradually increasing the amount of drink you drink.

Is it possible for pregnant and lactating women

In some cases, chamomile can cause allergic reactions - for this reason doctors before recommended that the pregnant woman stop drinking chamomile drinks. Now experts do not object to the inclusion of chamomile decoctions in the diet expectant mother, especially since they can help cope with some pregnancy problems.

• Chamomile has a moderate diuretic effect, so it can be used to prevent edema and gestosis.
• To eliminate heaviness and fatigue in the legs, which appears already in the second trimester due to a shift in the center of gravity and increased stress on the joints, a woman can use foot baths with chamomile infusion.
• In the third trimester, chamomile tea with linden and honey will help cope with the growing anxiety before the upcoming birth without the use of sedatives.

Breastfeeding women can also include chamomile decoction in their diet, especially since it helps increase lactation, but provided that the woman and baby are not allergic. If your baby develops allergy symptoms (rash, watery eyes, redness of the eyes and skin), you will have to stop drinking tea.

Compound

Chamomile tea has almost zero calorie content - only 1 kcal per 100 ml finished product. At the same time, the drink has a rich vitamin and mineral composition.

Vitamins (per 100 ml):

Minerals:

Chamomile tea also contains essential oils, tannins, amino acids, polysaccharides, mucus and gum.

How to cook?

Tea. To prepare tea, you can use loose raw materials or buy ready-made filter bags for one-time brewing. The second preparation method is preferable, since dosed sachets eliminate the possibility of preparing a drink that is too strong and concentrated. In this case, you need to pour one sachet with a glass of boiling water and leave for 3-4 minutes.

If tea is prepared from loose raw materials, the actions will be similar, but you need to take into account that only chamomile inflorescences (dried or fresh) are suitable for a medicinal drink. To prepare tea you will need 1 teaspoon of chamomile.

You can drink tea cold or hot. If desired, you can add lemon, honey, lemon balm, linden and other ingredients to it that will help diversify taste sensations. You can drink tea an hour after meals.

Decoction. To prepare the decoction, you need to take 4 tablespoons of chamomile and pour 400 ml of boiling water. Place on the stove and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes. Let the mixture brew for 3-4 hours, then strain through cheesecloth or a sieve.

Infusion. The proportions are the same as for preparing the decoction. The difference is that the mixture does not need to be boiled. It is enough to mix chamomile with water in a thermos and leave for 4 hours. It is best to drink the infusion strained.

Storage

Dry chamomile can be stored for 2 years if storage conditions are met. It is best to place dried raw materials in a bag made of natural thick fabric and put it in a dark place (exclude high humidity air).

Ready tea can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than 20 hours. After this period, the drink loses half of its medicinal properties. Tea can be left out of the refrigerator for 2 hours.

How to choose?

If chamomile is purchased at a pharmacy, you only need to check the expiration date and the integrity of the original packaging. When purchasing fresh flowers, you should carefully inspect the petals and stem to ensure there are no signs of pest damage, dust or chemicals. If there are black dots and specks on the stem, it is better to refuse the purchase.

What does it go with?

Chamomile tea can be drunk instead of regular tea. An excellent addition to such a drink would be jam, jam or natural honey. Fresh chamomile leaves can be added when brewing to black tea or other varieties. Combination with other medicinal herbs (calendula, thyme, St. John's wort) will help enhance the taste of the drink, but before drinking such tea you will need to consult a specialist.

Chamomile infusion can be beneficial or harmful - it all depends on the correct use and compliance with the recommendations of specialists. In most cases, chamomile drinks are well tolerated, but cases of individual intolerance may rarely occur, so they should be consumed carefully, observing the measure (4 cups per day).

Chamomile officinalis (also known as chamomile) is a proven all-purpose healing agent. It contains flavonoids (food antioxidants), free organic acids, coumarins, tannins, phytosterols, vitamins A and C, as well as carotene - and this is far from complete. Coumarins have an antispasmodic effect, and phytosterols reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood.

But the most valuable component is the essential oil, which has a very wide range of beneficial properties. The fact is that chamomile oil contains azulene, a substance known for its anti-inflammatory and bacteriostatic activity. This allows the use of teas and decoctions from chamomile inflorescences for prevention and treatment huge amount various diseases.

Benefits of chamomile tea

First of all, chamomile tea is recommended for restoring the nervous system and eliminating migraines. The glycoside apigenin contained in chamomile helps achieve a state of complete peace and relaxation, so decoctions of this plant are especially helpful for increased excitability.

It is best to drink chamomile tea just before bed.

Tea made from dry crushed chamomile flowers is ideal for the prevention of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and is often used as an aid in their treatment. Drinking chamomile tea helps reduce, cleanse the intestines and restore its microflora. In addition, this is one of the few drinks indicated for people with high acidity of gastric juice. This tea is best drunk before meals, as it stimulates and prevents cramps.

Indirectly, chamomile tea helps improve the condition of people suffering from cardiovascular diseases due to its soothing properties.

Chamomile also has a choleretic and anti-inflammatory effect, so it is well suited for preventing the formation of bladder stones and. It is useful for women to drink chamomile decoction to reduce pain in the abdomen and lower back.

Finally, chamomile tea has long been drunk for colds. It is an excellent diaphoretic and effectively helps the body fight viruses. Chamomile herbal tea improves immunity and helps you stay in good shape.

Related article

Chamomile tea has long since moved from the pharmacy category medicines to the list healthy products for daily use. Even well-known tea companies now have herbal and, in particular, chamomile teas.

Benefits of chamomile tea

The benefits of chamomile have been known for hundreds of years. The ancient Romans used it to treat many diseases and used it as a tonic infusion. All parts of this plant are saturated essential oils and phytoncides that have a beneficial effect on the human body. Chamomile is mainly used as an infusion and in herbal teas.

Chamomile tea has a delicate, unique aroma that cannot be confused with any other. If we talk about the benefits of this tea, then no other herbal infusion does not have similar ratio its beneficial properties to any side effects and contraindications. In fact, the maximum harm from chamomile can only be revealed in some kind of individual intolerance, or the influence of too large a dose of alcohol. But in order for negative overdoses to appear, you need to drink as much as is unlikely to be possible. That’s why chamomile tea is prescribed even to infants to improve digestion and overall effect.

Chamomile has anti-inflammatory properties, successfully fights colds and improves immunity. In addition, regularly drinking a cup of chamomile tea will improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and digestive system of the body. Chamomile cleanses toxins, improves blood circulation and generally increases the body's resistance to various diseases. The antibacterial properties of chamomile have an effect on all human organs, starting their effect from the process, thereby clearing pathogenic bacteria oral cavity and preventing stomatitis.

Cooking recipes

Chamomile can be purchased at any pharmacy and in any desired form. These can be ready-made teas, or dried chamomile flowers in packaged packages. Preparing chamomile tea from a bag is absolutely identical to brewing any regular teas. But it is much preferable to brew tea from chamomile flowers in accordance with your tastes and in an individual dosage.

A couple of tablespoons of chamomile flowers are poured into a teapot, poured with boiling water and left to steep for 15 minutes. You can mix chamomile with green tea, and then this drink will acquire a more tart taste and rich color. A couple of mint or lemon balm leaves will enrich the taste of chamomile tea and make it extremely aromatic.

Sources:

• Chamomile tea in 2019
• Pharmaceutical camomile. Beneficial features. Treatment. Application in 2019
• Pharmaceutical camomile