Organic Herbs are everywhere these days. When we walk down the aisle at the local grocery store, we are bombarded with various products and advertisements promoting the benefits of organic herbs, such as organic tea. With all the attention and money associated in the highly lucrative organic herb business, how do we know what is truly Organic, are there true benefits or will we find that this is just a marketing ploy to sell higher priced tea?
The first thing to understand when searching for organic herbs such as organic tea is whether or not the organic tea is truly organic. The word organic means many things to many people but in a nutshell it has everything to do with the growing process. Organic tea is grown with natural compost and without pesticides or harmful fertilizers. This process results in a much higher concentration of antioxidants such as polyphones and catechins. There are guidelines in place for labeling these products as "organic tea". There are agencies such as the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movement (IFOAM) that certify that the products meet the requirements.
There are several types of organic teas, each with unique benefits to promote good health.
Green Tea: This is a very popular and widely used organic tea. One of the many benefits is that organic green tea is said to increase your metabolism to reach a healthy weight. Green Tea is a antioxidant which are found to help fights off diseases like cancer and heart and stoke conditions. The only thing to be aware of with green tea is that it does contain small amounts of caffeine, but all in all it has much less caffeine that a cup of coffee.
White Tea: As an alternative to Green Tea, White tea does not contain any caffeine, but has the health benefits. There is very little processing when it comes to organic white tea which means that white tea maintains more of the health benefits such as antioxidants and vitamins.
Black Tea: For those of us who have tried the energy drinks, looking for more of a boost in energy throughout the day, organic black tea is a much healthier alternative. This tea is very flavorful and contains very little caffeine.
Rooibos Tea: This organic tea is not as well known as the others but many cultures swear by its benefits for babies. Many cultures use rooibos tea in place of standard medicine to relieve the aches and pains for babies. For example, Rooibos tea is used to help colic, nausea, sleeplessness and stomach cramps.
Chamomile and Fennel Tea: These are more popular teas and have been proven to aid babies and adults. Fennel Tea will help relax a restless, upset baby which will allow him to fall asleep more easily. In many cultures, adults and babies drink chamomile to settle stomach problems like cramps, nausea and diarrhea.
In the end, organic herb teas are always a better choice given the option. They may be more expensive but that is because the growing process in very labor intensive process and this very process ensures we consume more of essential antioxidants and vitamins we need.
