Inflammation is the body's natural defense against infections, wounds, and other threats. Inflammation, on the other hand, might be hazardous in some situations. Many disorders, for example, might cause inflammation to persist, resulting in tissue damage. You'll note that several of these suggestions are repeated from my previous posts; that's the beauty of teas: they can help with a wide range of symptoms.
Anti-inflammatory properties are present in natural chemicals found in several herbal treatments. There is, however, far less research in this area.
The herbal medicines having the most evidence for their anti-inflammatory qualities will be listed in this article.
Turmeric
If you're unfamiliar with turmeric, it's a root that looks a lot like ginger on the outside and belongs to the ginger family. It has flesh that is not the same hue as ginger. Ginger is yellow, whereas it has a dark orange tint. For centuries, it has been a staple of Ayurvedic medicines. It originated in India 3,000 years ago. Turmeric is typically sold as a yellow powder made from the turmeric plant's root. Curcumin is a substance found in turmeric that has anti-inflammatory properties. Aaron Kandola of Medical news says there are a variety of ways to get Turmeric in your diet and they come, "in the form of capsules, tablets, teas, pastes, and extracts. Methods of taking turmeric will vary, depending on the intended use."(Kandola)
There have been numerous studies showing the effects of Turmeric on inflamed individuals. Arizona Pain mentions this in their article titled 5 Of The Best Teas For Inflammation And Pain, stating that it has been quite effective in aiding with pain for individuals with arthritis pain and other disorders. "Its antioxidant properties and metabolic regulation have been found helpful for other inflammatory conditions like diabetes and Alzheimer's." (Arizonapain)
Ginger
This root is a superfood! It has so many anti-oxidant compounds. According to Health line's Ann Dahany MS, RDN there is, "Over 50 different antioxidant compounds have been identified in ginger. Many of them minimize the production of cytokines, which are pro-inflammatory substances in your body" (Danahy) For centuries, it has been studied for inflammation and discomfort by many people, just like Turmeric. Kando writes "There is evidence showing that many of ginger's constituents can limit the production of cytokines and the activity of cyclooxygenase enzymes, which promote inflammation." (Kandola) It can be dried and processed into a powder, or it can be sliced up fresh and used in tea. Other benefits according to Arizona pain are that it, "also prevents diseases related to oxidative stress, including heart disease." (Arizonapain)
Green tea
Did green tea come to your mind with its many health benefits as well? Then, you are correct my friend! Green tea is another superfood in my opinion. It's so versatile too. I saw a video where a chicken breeder (? I think that's what they're called) used green tea to help her chickens when they were sick. There were other ingredients, but I was really taken back by how many ailments green tea is used for. Green tea has anti-inflammatory qualities, which may explain why some of these health advantages exist. Medical News says, "For example, there is evidence to suggest that a component of green tea could disrupt processes that cause inflammation in arthritis." (Kandola)
Green tea has also been shown to reduce inflammation in persons with metabolic problems in other trials. It may be what's causing these anti-inflammatory benefits, according to researchers. Healthline mentions that "The health-promoting compounds in green tea are called polyphenols, of which epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is the most potent." (Danahy)
There are many green teas to pick from if you want to reduce inflammation, including sweet and vegetal Japanese green teas, light, and nutty Chinese green teas, and popular flavored green teas like Jasmine Yin Cloud and Moroccan Mint. Whatever you choose, you really can't go wrong with green tea. It's also more known and widely available.
Rooibos
Rooibos is a type of herbal tea grown primarily in South Africa. Rooibos tea, also known as red tea or red bush tea, has a full-body comparable to black tea with a lovely natural sweetness. This herbal tea is also caffeine-free, making it a good choice for tea enthusiasts who want to reduce their caffeine intake. Flavanoids, a form of antioxidant found in Rooibos, have been shown to greatly reduce inflammation and oxidative stress symptoms. The two most powerful flavonoids found in anti-inflammatory teas are "aspalathin and nothofagin." (arizonapain)
Moringa
Moringa is an amazing native tree to India. According to the Health line, all parts of the tree are used either, "eaten or used as ingredients in traditional herbal medicines." (Arnarson) There isn't as much research on Moringa, but the research available is showing a lot of positive outcomes when it comes to anti-inflammatory properties in Moringa. Erin Bunch of well+good writes, "Though research is still fairly early-stage, moringa powder seems to have anti-inflammatory effects thanks at least in part to the presence of antioxidant polyphenols (also found in berries), isothiocyanates (also found in cruciferous veggies), ascorbic acid, flavonoids, and carotenoids." (Bunch)
I really hope this info will help someone in need of some relief from chronic inflammation from my research. Just remember I am not a medical physician therefore, this is not meant to be a cure of any kind. These are the most researched herbal remedies. Please do your own research, and talk to a medically licensed physician if your symptoms are severe and persist. Thank you for joining me in this read. Please comment if you know of any other herbal remedies that work for you or subscribe for more adventures with me! Until next time, to our health and well-being.
Sources cited:
Arizonapain. “5 Of The Best Teas For Inflammation And Pain | Arizona Pain.” Arizona Pain, arizonapain.com, 16 Dec. 2021, https://arizonapain.com/best-teas-for-inflammation-and-pain/.
Arnarson, Atli. “6 Science-Based Health Benefits of Moringa Oleifera.” Healthline, www.healthline.com, 4 May 2018, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/6-benefits-of-moringa-oleifera#TOC_TITLE_HDR_2.
Basu, Arpita, et al. “Green Tea Minimally Affects Biomarkers of Inflammation in Obese Subjects with Metabolic Syndrome - PMC.” PubMed Central (PMC), www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, 27 Feb. 2011, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2952043/.
Danahy, Ann. “6 Delicious Anti-Inflammatory Teas.” Healthline, www.healthline.com, 17 July 2019, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/anti-inflammatory-tea.
Erin Bunch. “6 Moringa Tea Benefits That You Might Not Expect | Well+Good.” Well+Good, www.wellandgood.com, 10 Sept. 2018, https://www.wellandgood.com/moringa-tea-benefits/.
Kandola, Aaron. “Best Natural Anti-Inflammatory Herbs.” Best Natural Anti-Inflammatory Herbs, www.medicalnewstoday.com, 5 Feb. 2019, https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324368#turmeric.
Maggie. “The 12 Best Teas for Inflammation | ArtfulTea.” ArtfulTea, www.artfultea.com, 31 Jan. 2020, https://www.artfultea.com/tea-wisdom-1/best-teas-for-inflammation.
Singh, Rashmi, et al. “Green Tea Polyphenol Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate: Inflammation and Arthritis - PMC.” PubMed Central (PMC), www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, 10 May 2010, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3146294/.