How to Make Your Own Herbal Teas

From a relaxing nightcap to an energizing morning blend, making your own herbal teas is easy and generally more sustainable than commercial options.

By
Diane Hoffmaster
Diane Hoffmaster 2
Diane Hoffmaster
Freelance Writer
  • University of New Hampshire

Dianne Hoffmaster is a writer and green living expert. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology with a minor in Health Management and Policy.

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Published June 22, 2023
Tea cup with several dried tea leaves and flowers
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Homemade tea has been used for centuries as both a simple beverage as well as for therapeutic treatments. However, your choices are not limited to the tea blend recipes found on your grocery store shelves.

From a relaxing nightcap to an energizing morning blend, making your own herbal teas is easy and generally more sustainable than commercial options.

Disposable tea bags often include plastic, and most people just throw them away after one use. Teabags also use a lot of material in the production process.

Making your own DIY tea blend recipes is more economical, and you can buy herbs in bulk and store them for months at room temperature—which is cheaper than buying tea bags and has the important bonus of being zero waste.

Herbal Tea Benefits

Herbal tea is a gentle, natural way to unwind and relax. Research suggests that is may help reduce pain, improve your digestive system function, and even boost the immune system with its antioxidants. 

Herbal tea can be consumed in many ways—hot or iced, with honey and lemon, blended into a smoothie—all of which have their own benefits. Herbal tea is also a great alternative to coffee, which can cause jitteriness and stomach ailments in some people.

Making your own herbal teas is very simple, however, care should be taken to buy herbs from reputable sources. Look for key characteristics such as organic or Fair Trade Certified. Sustainably harvested is another important attribute you might want to look for when you decide to make your own tea.

Store your dried herbs carefully. Keep them in a place that is dark, dry, and not prone to temperature changes. Make sure to keep them in a sealed container whenever possible.

When making herbal tea, use two to three teaspoonfuls of fresh or dried herbs for one cup of water. Bring the water to a boil and allow the herbs to steep for 10 to 15 minutes and then strain the herbs out of the tea before serving.

Use a tea strainer or tea ball to contain the herbs if desired. This makes it easier to remove them after steeping and before drinking your tea.

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Sleepy Tea Recipe

Certain herbal ingredients have been shown to have relaxing qualities that may result in a more peaceful sleep. Preliminary studies have suggested that chamomile may help calm anxiety and is a great addition to this sleepy tea recipe. 

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup dried passionflower
  • 1/4 cup dried chamomile 
  • 1/4 cup dried lemon balm
  • 1/4 cup dried lavender
  • Raw honey (optional for sweetening)

Directions

  1. Combine passionflower, chamomile, lemon balm, and lavender in a glass jar. Make sure they are well mixed.
  2. To make a cup of tea, add 2 to 3 teaspoons of the tea blend in a tea strainer.
  3. Place your tea strainer in a mug.
  4. Pour 1 cup of boiling water and let the herbal tea steep for 10 minutes.
  5. Remove the tea strainer.
  6. Sweeten with a teaspoon of raw honey if desired.
  7. Drink this sleepy tea an hour before going to sleep or whenever you want to relax.
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Immune Support Tea

Stress and lack of sleep can have a negative effect on our immune system, making us more prone to illness. Boost your resistance to disease by drinking a mug of immune support tea regularly. Some preliminary research suggests that elderberries may relieve symptoms of flu or other upper respiratory infections.

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup dried elderberries
  • 1/4 cup chamomile flowers
  • 1/4 cup rose hips
  • 1/4 cup astragalus
  • 1/4 cup echinacea
  • Raw honey (if desired for sweetening)

Directions

  1. Combine the elderberries, chamomile flowers, rose hips, astragalus, and echinacea in a glass jar, mixing gently to combine.
  2. To make a cup of tea, add 2 to 3 teaspoons of the tea blend in a tea strainer.
  3. Place your tea strainer in a mug and pour boiling water over the herbs.
  4. Let them steep for 10 minutes and remove the tea strainer.
  5. Sweeten your homemade tea with a teaspoon of raw honey if desired
  6. Drink immune support tea whenever you are starting to feel sick.

Check With Your Health Care Provider

Herbs may be natural, but they are also powerful. Before consuming herbs and herbal supplements, be sure to check with your health care provider to get the green light on which herbs you may need to avoid.

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Soothing Tummy Tea

An upset stomach can be caused by many factors including poor diet, stress, and infection. Soothe an upset stomach with peppermint and ginger. While studies are limited, some research points towards the beneficial effects of these two herbs on digestion.

Ingredients

  • 1 ounce chamomile flowers 
  • 1 ounce peppermint leaves 
  • 1/4 ounce dried ginger root   
  • 1/4 ounce fennel seeds 
  • 1/4 ounce dried orange peels

Directions

  1. Combine chamomile flowers, peppermint leaves, dried ginger root, fennel seeds, and dried orange peels in a glass jar. Make sure they are well mixed.
  2. To make a cup of tea, steep 2 to 3 tablespoons in boiling water for 10 minutes as described above. 
  3. Drink this tummy tea whenever you need to soothe an upset stomach.
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Anti-Inflammatory Tea Recipe

Inflammation is often the root cause of numerous ailments, from upset stomach to generalized pain. Anti-inflammatory tea including ginger, black pepper, and turmeric may help reduce inflammation and reduce symptoms.

Ingredients

  • 2 inches of fresh ginger root, washed and thinly sliced
  • 2 inches of fresh turmeric root washed thinly sliced
  • Peel from half a lemon, cut into strips
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper  
  • Raw honey, if desired for sweetness

Directions

  1. Combine the ginger, turmeric, lemon peel, and black pepper in a tea strainer.
  2. Steep tea for 10 minutes in boiling water as described above.
  3. Drink this anti-inflammatory tea to help reduce pain and inflammation.
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Morning Wake Up Tea Blend

A cup of morning wake-up tea may help give you the energy to power through your day. Yerba Mate is a common ingredient in energy supportive teas due to its stimulating effect on the central nervous system. 

Ingredients

  • 1 tsp peppermint leaf
  • 2 to 3 slices of fresh ginger
  • 1 Tbsp yerba mate
  • Raw honey if desired for sweetness

Directions

  1. Combine peppermint leaves, fresh ginger, and yerba mate in a tea strainer and place in a mug.
  2. Pour 1 cup of boiling water and let steep for 10 minutes.
  3. Sweeten with a teaspoon of raw honey if desired.
  4. Drink this morning tea blend whenever you need a bit of energy.
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Stress Relief Tea

This stress relief tea combines the relaxing properties of chamomile with Tulsi, which has been shown to have antibacterial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic properties. It is the perfect tea to help relieve that stress headache and stiff neck from sitting at the computer all day. 

Ingredients

  • 3 parts chamomile flowers
  • 2 parts dried lemongrass
  • 1 part Tulsi (otherwise known as Holy Basil) 

Directions

  1. Combine all ingredients in a glass jar. Adjust amounts depending on how much you would like to have on hand.
  2. Add two to three teaspoonfuls into a tea strainer and steep in boiling water.
  3. Sweeten if desired with honey.
  4. Drink this stress relief tea whenever you are feeling stressed out or anxious.
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Chrysanthemum and Goji Berry Tea

Chrysanthemums are more than just pretty flowers to grow in your garden. They also have been shown to have antioxidant properties that may help slow the aging process. Add in some dried goji berries for a lightly sweet flavor and even more antioxidant power. 

Ingredients

  • 10 to 15 goji berries
  • 5 chrysanthemum buds
  • 1 cup of water

Directions

  1. Add the goji berries and chrysanthemum buds to your tea strainer.
  2. Cover with 1 cup of boiling water and steep for 10 minutes.
  3. Remove the tea strainer and enjoy.
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Sore Throat Relief Herbal Tea

When that cold starts to hit and your throat is tender, this sore throat relief herbal tea blend might be just what you need. Studies on the medicinal effects of licorice indicate that it may have anti-inflammatory properties and a soothing effect on sore throats. 

Ingredients

  • 1 cup dry licorice root, chopped into small pieces
  • 1/2 cup cinnamon chips
  • 2 Tbsp whole cloves
  • 1/2 cup chamomile flowers
  • 1/4 cup dried orange peel

Directions

  1. Combine all the ingredients into a glass bowl and mix well. 
  2. Once well-blended, place into a glass mason jar with a tight-fitting lid.
  3. To make this licorice tea, add 2 to 3 teaspoons of tea mixture to a tea strainer. 
  4. Place the tea strainer in a mug and add one cup of boiling water.
  5. Let ingredients steep for 10 minutes before removing the tea strainer.
  6. Drink whenever your sore throat needs a bit of pain relief.
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Rose Hip and Lemon Tea

Studies have shown that rose hip extract may help reduce body fat when consumed as part of a healthy diet—here is a tea made from the rose hips themselves. Combined with lemon peel, this tea is a bit tart, so add honey or raw sugar if you prefer a sweeter flavor. 

Ingredients

  • ½ cup rose hips
  • 3 TBSP dried lemon peel
  • Honey for sweetening

Directions

  1. Place the rose hips in a bowl and crush to open them slightly.
  2. Combine rose hips and lemon peel and mix until combined.
  3. Place in a glass mason jar with a tight-fitting lid.
  4. Add 2 to 3 teaspoonfuls of the tea mixture into a tea strainer.
  5. Pour boiling water over the top of the dried ingredients.
  6. Let steep for 10 to 15 minutes before removing the tea strainer and enjoying your tea.