About Rosemary Tea

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is a fragrant, perennial herb that belongs to the mint family (Lamiaceae) and is native to the Mediterranean region. Apart from being used in cooking, medicine,  making fragrances, and for other aesthetic purposes, rosemary has gained immense popularity among health freaks because of the benefits its tea offers. Rosemary tea is a simple preparation that smells of fresh forest and the sea. It has a soothing flavor and taste and can be combined with fresh lemon, mint, chamomile, and honey. Read on to find out the benefits of this subtle beverage.

Benefits Of Rosemary Tea

Rosemary tea is rich in diterpenes, flavonoids, phenolic derivatives, glycosides, and other phytochemicals that give it medicinal properties. The tea aids weight loss, boosts memory, prevents cancer, and aids digestion. Here’s a list of the wonders this tea does for you:

Traditional medicine used rosemary to improve memory power and prevent memory loss. Alzheimer’s is a condition that causes severe dementia and degradation of neuronal cells in people suffering from it. Rosemary tea has diterpenes that inhibit neuronal cell death and exhibit anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, antidepressant, and anxiolytic properties (1). Hence, having rosemary tea can help decelerate the loss of memory and disability.

2. Helps In Gradual Weight Loss

The phytochemical components of this tea inhibit the activity of lipase – an enzyme that breaks fats down to generate lipids. Since lipase is inactive, there is no breakdown of fats. You will feel fuller and will not binge and pile on extra pounds.

3. Cures Cancer

There are studies demonstrating the effect of rosemary on breast cancer. Specific constituents like rosmarinic acid and caffeic acid (found in rosemary tea) can cure and also prevent the onset of cancer in various organs. These chemicals are potent antioxidants and anti-proliferative and can protect your cells from free radical damage (2).

4. Manages Stress And Anxiety

Lifestyle and occupational disorders are on the rise. And apparently, we are all more depressed than our parents and grandparents. That’s a bad sign! Including herbal teas like rosemary tea in your diet brings significant changes in your stress levels. It contains ursolic acid and rosmarinic acid that exhibit antioxidative and anti-depressant effects. They help you fight stress and manage burnouts and anxiety (3). Rosemary tea increases your tolerance levels and soothes you by working on your brain and hormones effectively, as opposed to steroidal drugs that have serious repercussions.

5. Aids Digestion And Prevents Obesity

Not all microbes are harmful because we house a bunch of them in our gut! The composition of these microbes affects your digestion and absorption. Rosemary tea supports the growth of those species (Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, etc.), which helps in selective absorption of fiber and breakdown of lipids. This prevents obesity (4).

 6. Protects Your Liver From Damage

Rosemary tea has bioactive compounds that have free radical scavenging and anti-inflammatory properties. Carnosol is one such compound that protects your liver cells from chemical stress and inflammation. Rosemary tea inhibits the formation of harmful peroxides in the liver and preserves the structural integrity of hepatocytes (5). Say bye to cirrhosis and jaundice!

7. Has Anti-Aging Properties

Due to the presence of powerful antioxidants and antimicrobial phytochemicals, rosemary tea is a skin savior. Drinking it or applying it can cure bacterial or fungal infections, lesions, acne, and blisters. The antioxidants like rosmarinic acid eliminate the free radicals that cause wrinkles, fine lines, and pigmentation. Rosemary tea also tightens sagging skin to make it look younger, fresh, and glowing.

8. Is An Excellent Antidiabetic Additive

Traditional medicine used the leaves of rosemary to treat hypoglycemia (deficient levels of glucose in the blood). It contains camphene, borneol, luteolin, hesperidin, and carnosol that inhibit lipid peroxidation and trigger the production of antioxidant enzymes (6). These phytochemicals are potent antidiabetogenics and can also manage insulin dependence in diabetic individuals.

9. Promotes Hair Growth

Rosemary tea is a blessing in disguise for all those who have been suffering from hair loss. It improves blood circulation (carrying oxygen and nutrients) to your hair follicles, which, in turn, boosts hair growth. Rinsing your hair regularly with rosemary tea will solve problems like baldness, dandruff, hair fall, premature graying, and thinning. The antioxidants remove any product build-up and treat fungal infections on your scalp, giving you healthy hair.

10. Relieves Inflammation And Pain

The herb has antinociceptive properties and can heal aching joints, inflammation, and painful allergic reactions. Rosemary tea acts by improving blood circulation, reducing inflammation, and eliminating free radicals or chemical stress to relieve cramps or neuralgic pain. It is hard to believe that a wild herb growing in your backyard can do such wonders for you, isn’t it? Wouldn’t you want to make the magic potion all by yourself and get a taste of its abilities? Yes, this is the surprise I mentioned about. It’s time to learn how to make rosemary tea. Scroll down for the recipes.

How Do You Make Rosemary Tea?

Here’s the recipe to make rejuvenating rosemary tea.

What You Need

1 teaspoon rosemary leaves and stems (dried, fresh or powdered) 1 cup filtered water 1 teaspoon honey or sugar (optional)

Let’s Make It!

Antioxidant Properties Of Herbal Teas

Flavonoids are leading antioxidant compounds in plants that exhibit several therapeutic properties. But the phenolic content of herbal teas prepared by plant extracts rich in flavonoids is often determined by their brewing temperature. Rosemary tea has the highest flavonoid content when brewed at 100 degrees C. Here is the total flavonoid content of different herbal teas brewed at different temperatures.

Antioxidant Properties Of Herbal Teas

Now comes the bonus! Read on to know how to make rosemary rinse for your hair.

The Rosemary Rinse (For Smooth, Shiny And Healthy Hair)

What You Need

2 tablespoons of fresh rosemary leaves or 1/2 cup of rosemary tea (recipe above, do not add sweetener) 2 cups of water

Optional Add-ons

1 tablespoon of fresh or dried thyme, sage leaves, and lavender flowers Almond oil or argan oil

Let’s Make It!

Note: Wait for 2-3 minutes before washing the mixture off with water. After all the praises and uses, what if I tell you that like all herbal formulations, rosemary tea also has its share of side effects? Yes, unfortunately, it does.

Side Effects Of Having Rosemary Tea

Most side effects are due to the herb itself. There is very less information about rosemary tea specifically. Ingestion of a high amount of rosemary herb in any form might have the following drawbacks:

Allergy

If you are allergic to aspirin or salicylate drugs, you might develop an allergy to rosemary tea.

Pregnancy Risks

Pregnant women might face a risk of uterine bleeding if they consume a high amount of rosemary extract. It might also cause menstrual cycle and abortions in such women.

Worsens Seizures

Though it has anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive properties, an overdose of rosemary tea might worsen seizures or epilepsy. So, What’s The Verdict? How much rosemary tea is good for health? It is safe to have one to three cups a day. Consult your doctor if you want to consume more than the recommended dosage as it might have serious side effects. Can I make rosemary tea with milk? Yes, you can make rosemary tea with milk. You may boil a cup of milk with the herb and add a teaspoon of honey to enhance the flavor. Is rosemary good for kidneys? Yes, rosemary can help improve kidney health and reduce the severity of complications associated with kidney failure (7). Does rosemary raise blood pressure? Yes. The abundance of oxides and monoterpenes in rosemary can stimulate the nervous system and raise blood pressure (8). Can I freeze fresh rosemary leaves? Yes, you can freeze fresh rosemary leaves in ice cube trays suspended in either olive oil or filtered water. Is rosemary good for blood clots? Rosemary has antithrombotic effects, meaning it may help reduce the formation of blood clots (9). It may have a direct inhibitory effect on platelets.

References