If you enjoy relaxing in the evening with a fragrant cup of chamomile tea, you may be doing more than simply soothing your soul. Chamomile tea has been shown to have some surprising health benefits. This is welcome news to the ears of those who enjoy the sweet, delicate taste of this herbal concoction. Here are some of the many chamomile tea health benefits:

It May Strengthen The Immune System

Historically, people have used chamomile tea to treat a variety of ailments ranging from the common cold to stomach viruses. It may turn out that century old wisdom regarding the benefits of chamomile tea was right on the mark. In 2005, a study appeared in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry which suggests that chamomile tea helps to boost the immune system. Although this study only involved fourteen people, the results were encouraging. When you combine these results with the fact that chamomile tea is natural and appears to have no toxic effects, it might be a potentially inexpensive insurance policy against colds and viruses. Chamomile tea appears to exert its antiviral and antibacterial effects through increasing levels of hippurate in the bloodstream which are thought to have antimicrobial activity.

It May Help Menstrual Cramps

Drinking chamomile tea not only increases levels of hippurate, people who drink this herbal tea also have higher levels of an amino acid called glycine in their urine. This amino acid has been shown to be effective in reducing muscle spasms which may explain how it helps to relieve menstrual cramps in women.

It Can Help With Sleep and Relaxation

Chamomile tea has long been used to help relax the mind and help promote sleep. As it turns out, the same amino acid, glycine, which helps to soothe menstrual cramps also acts to relax the nerves and promote a mild sedation. This may explain why this tea is such an effective sleep aid.
It May Soothe Skin Irritation

Chamomile tea is rich in an essential oil called azulene which has anti-inflammatory properties and can help to relieve skin irritation and itching. Herbal skin care companies have picked up on the soothing properties of chamomile tea and have added them to a variety of lotions and creams to treat irritated skin. Getting the skin soothing benefits of chamomile tea can be as simple as applying the tea to a gauze dressing and securing it to the area of irritation. You can also add the tea to a variety of homemade lotions and creams you make in your own kitchen.

Chamomile tea is also thought to aid the digestive process when consumed with or immediately after meals. It's a delightful way to potentially reduce the symptoms of indigestion after overindulging.

It's nice to know as you sip the sweet flavor of a hot cup of chamomile tea, you may be doing your body a favor in a variety of ways. Why not give this healthy tea a try?