In the West, most of us are acquainted with only a small variety of teas. Perhaps you grew up with only one: “Sweet.” And while there’s nothing wrong with a tall glass of sugary black tea over ice, the world has a much larger bounty of herbal beverages. Many of these have medicinal properties that may make a noticeable difference in mental and physical states. We’ll take a look at some of the more unusual teas (at least to the average Westerner). Most of these have been cherished in traditional medicine for eons and ready to provide you with an interesting new way to promote personal health and vitality.

Rehmannia

Rehmannia is a flowering perennial herb used in Chinese traditional medicine. The plant is also a common ornamental for gardens in Europe and North America. The plant can be prepared in various ways for use as a tonic. The resulting products can be consumed as food or steeped into a tea. Traditionally, rehmannia is used as a blood tonic, with applications for kidney health, longevity, and reproductive vitality.

Lobelia

Available as an extract from Mountain Rose Herbs, Lobelia is one of the most effective traditional remedies for cough suppression and mucus discharge. If you’ve been caught up in seasonal allergies, colds, or flu, Lobelia can be a wonderful, natural way to help improve your respiratory distress. This is the perfect tea for coughs that are persistent, lasting long after the primary illness is resolved. Lobelia may help you to recover faster.

Marshmallow Root

Marshmallow root tea is potentially effective for reducing dry coughs (not the mucousy coughs for which lobelia is recommended). Marshmallow root tea has also been shown to help relieve mild gastric distress - stomach aches, indigestion, and queasiness. Marshmallow root tea tastes great and is very affordable to buy. You can likely find it at your local health food store, and it’s available from many trusted online medicinal tea vendors.

Hawthorn Berry

Hawthorn berry has shown promising results in studies about its potential benefits for heart disease. Heart disease and heart failure are two of the most common causes of premature death in many parts of the world, particularly the West. Most often, this results from hardening and narrowing of the arteries, which can lead to heart attack and stroke. In the early stages of the illness, regular consumption of Hawthorn Berry tea can improve the condition of the heart and its related vessels. While improvement may be enjoyed in cases of more advanced disease as well, it’s important that patients follow doctors’ orders. Hawthorn berry isn’t a strong primary defense against advanced heart disease. As a preventative medication, though, it’s well suited to the task.

Rosehip Powder

Rosehips (or Rose Hips) are the rounded portion of the rose just beneath the petals. Rosehips are a delicious addition to any tea, but they can be enjoyed for their medical benefits as well. Rosehips have been shown to improve skin elasticity and health, when consumed regularly. For age-related skin conditions, rosehips are a gentle and well-tolerated way to age gracefully.

Bilberry Fruit

The potential benefits of bilberry fruit tea are numerous. To name just a few, bilberry has been shown to reduce capillary fragility, improve eyesight and night vision, improve the body’s response to free radicals (antioxidant action), inflammation, and may help to prevent infections. A delicious addition to many teas, bilberry is worth trying simply because of how yummy it is.

The world is full of interesting medicinal plants that can be enjoyed as teas. Try some from this list and do your own research to find other hidden gems from the world of natural remedies.