Looking for new ways to keep your kids calm? One of my favourite tips for parents needing to find some peace on a winter evening is to relish the wonderful soothing effects of herbal tea. Here are 10 reasons why…
TOP 10 REASONS TO DRINK HERBAL TEA
1. It helps the parents and the kids find a calm happy place at the end of a cold busy day.
Yes! It’s great for adults and kids. You can give it to your kids from about 6 months of age or whenever they’re into solids and drinking water. The warmth and ritual of sipping a nice cup of herbal tea is the true essence of pausing to take time, enjoy the moment and find some peace or calm in your day.
2. It’s additive free
No nasty additives means it’s safe for kids to drink and a much better alternative to additive-laden juices, cordials or soft drinks with high sugar contents.
3. It can be enjoyed hot or cold
There’s nothing more refreshing than a cold iced herbal tea with some slices of citrus on a hot summers day, but obviously for winter, I recommend wrapping your paws around a hot cup of herbal goodness! There’s something about a calming dose of warm herbal tea in your kids little tummies that brings out the snuggler in them!
4. It’s actually good for you
Most herbal teas are therapeutic on many levels. For example, some contain antioxidants, antihistamines, help with digestion, help to detoxify your system, assist in staving off a cold of flu, and even alleviate skin problems! What better way to calm a sore tummy or assist with digestion at the end a meal, than with a healthy cup of herbal tea?
5. It’s an awesome alternative to hot chocolate
Don’t get me wrong, I’m a big fan of hot chocolate on a cold evening, but it can become far too appealing and more than an occasional treat really easily. Plus, however minimal, it does contain caffeine, which kind of goes against the purpose of bedtime soothing drinks. Herbal tea won’t keep them up all night and can actually help put them to sleep (look for special bedtime blends such as Planet Organic Bedtime herbal tea blend or Pukka Night Time herbal tea blend ).
6. It tastes great!
The flavours are a nice twist on plain water, help to introduce new tastes, develop healthy habits and require minimal sweetening. If you do need to add a bit of sweetness, a small dollop of honey or rice syrup will do the trick.
7. It can fill you up and help stop bad habits
It’s a good tummy filler to stop the sugar and dessert cravings and beat the habit of a sweet after dinner. Create a new habit of having a cup of herbal tea after dinner before even contemplating dessert, and you’ll soon find there’s less nagging for dessert and any claims of a tummy not being full yet quickly disappear.
8. It’s far cheaper than a dessert or hot chocolate
Only one ingredient – a mere teabag – means it’s a much less expensive option than some complicated desserts or the chocolate, milk and marshmallows required for a good hot chocolate.
9. It takes no time at all to make
For something that has way too many benefits, there’s little to no effort required and maximum reward. Even whilst it’s steeping, you’re getting the benefits of it’s warmth through your favourite tea cup.
10. It helps kids feel important when they have a cup of tea with you!
No matter what the age, there’s something very ‘grown up’ about having cup of tea. Kids notice this pretty early on and feel rather chuffed when included in the ritual!
Haven’t embraced the joys of a herbal tea before? Here are a few of our family favourites to get you started…
* Rooibos – just like normal tea without the caffeine, it’s readily available and even comes in yummy flavours such as vanilla rooibos
* Chamomile – an age old soother for little tummies or anxiety and a great bedtime tea (plus it tastes a bit like marshmallows)
* Peppermint – great for after dinner digestion and refreshingly minty too
* Rosehip or Hibiscus – have it cooled with a tiny bit of honey and voila! you’ve created additive free red cordial
* Ginger – the perfect calming tea, especially for an upset tummy, nausea or motion sickness
* Lemon balm or lemongrass – a refreshing tea, also good for sedating and calming
Perhaps you’d like to try your hand at making your own blend. I found some yummy recipes from creative folk such as Nourished Kitchen and posted them on my Pinterest Basics board. Click here to check them out!
TIPS:
* Be sure to go for organic herbal teas wherever possible to avoid pesticides and nasty chemicals, and check you’re not getting herbal blends with caffeine or wheat in them by reading the ingredients.
* Kids usually like a weaker tea, so don’t steep theirs for as long as yours (usually a few minutes is enough for kids).
* Remember to be diligent with safety and kids around boiling water and hot tea. Always water down or cool down to lukewarm or room temperature for kidlets!
* There are a gazillion different flavours of herbal teas, so when you or your kids get bored of a flavour, rather than lose the good habit, just change up the type of tea and find a new favourite.
Well, there you have it. Boil the kettle, grab a blankie, your favourite book, and someone to snuggle, and take a moment to find your inner calm. Or better still, find your kids inner calm, enjoy the peace and watch your serenity come naturally 🙂
I’d love to hear what herbal tea or blend you prefer, so join the conversation on Facebook and share your favourite!
Happy brewing!
Loren x
PS Want to know more about the benefits of herbal teas? Check out these cool links I found, all with an a-z list of herbal teas and their goodness! Source 1 Source 2 Source 3
