Editing Herbal tea

{{Short description|Beverage made from infusing or decocting plant material in hot water}}
[[File:Hibiscus Delight tisane.jpg|thumb|"Hibiscus Delight", made from hibiscus flowers, rose hips, orange peel, green tea, and red raspberry leaf,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Hibiscus Delight (Loose Leaf Tea Blend) – 1/2 lb |website=Lone Star Botanicals|url=https://www.lonestarbotanicals.com/product/hibiscus-delight-loose-leaf-tea-blend-1-2-lb/|access-date=2021-08-04}}</ref> [[steeping]]]]
[[File:Butterfly-pea flower tea 3.jpg|thumb|[[Butterfly pea flower tea|Butterfly-pea flower tea]]. The one on the right has had lime juice added, making it turn purple.]]

'''Herbal teas''', technically known as '''herbal infusions''', and less commonly<ref name=ngram>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=herb+teas%2Cherbal+teas%2Ctisanes&year_start=1800&year_end=2000&corpus=15&smoothing=3&share=&direct_url=t1%3B%2Cherb%20teas%3B%2Cc0%3B.t1%3B%2Cherbal%20teas%3B%2Cc0%3B.t1%3B%2Ctisanes%3B%2Cc0 |title=Google Ngram Viewer |access-date=2018-05-29}}</ref> called '''tisanes''' (UK and US {{IPAc-en|t|ɪ|ˈ|z|æ|n}}, US also {{IPAc-en|t|ɪ|ˈ|z|ɑː|n}}),<ref name=cam>{{cite web|url=http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/tisane?a=british |title=tisane |website=Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary |date=2018-05-23 |access-date=2018-05-29}}</ref> are beverages made from the [[infusion]] or [[decoction]] of [[herb]]s, [[spice]]s, or other [[plant]] material in hot water. Often '''herb tea''', or the plain term '''''tea''''', is used as a reference to all sorts of herbal teas. Many herbs used in teas/tisanes are also used in [[herbal medicine]] and in [[Traditional medicine|folk medicine]].

These "teas" do not usually contain any true ''[[tea]]'' (''[[Camellia sinensis]]''), but some herbal blends do contain true tea (e.g., the Indian classic [[masala chai]]). The term "herbal" tea is often used to distinguish these beverages from "true" teas (e.g., [[black tea|black]], [[green tea|green]], [[white tea|white]], [[yellow tea|yellow]], [[oolong]]), which are prepared from the cured leaves of the tea plant, ''[[Camellia sinensis]]''. Unlike true teas, most tisanes do not naturally contain [[caffeine]] (though tea can be [[decaffeinated]], i.e., processed to remove caffeine).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dictionary.com/browse/herbal-tea |title=Herbal tea |publisher=Dictionary.reference.com |access-date=2019-09-25}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Center|first=Garfield Medical|title=Different Types of Tea and Caffeine Content|url=https://www.garfieldmedicalcenter.com/GMC-Blog/2016/October/Different-Types-of-Tea-and-Caffeine-Content.aspx|access-date=2021-01-29|website=Garfield Medical Center}}</ref> 

A number of plants, however, ''do'' contain psychoactive compounds, such as caffeine or another [[stimulant]], like [[theobromine]], [[cocaine]] or [[ephedrine]]. Some have the opposite effect, acting as a [[sedative]]. Some common [[infusion]]s have specific names such as [[Mate (drink)|''mate'']] (yerba mate) and ''[[rooibos]]'' (red bush).<!--

== History ==
''[[Camellia sinensis|Camellia sinesis]]'', the tea plant, has been grown for around 2100 years.<ref name="lu">{{Cite journal|last1=Lu|first1=Houyuan|last2=Zhang|first2=Jianping|last3=Yang|first3=Yimin|last4=Yang|first4=Xiaoyan|last5=Xu|first5=Baiqing|last6=Yang|first6=Wuzhan|last7=Tong|first7=Tao|last8=Jin|first8=Shubo|last9=Shen|first9=Caiming|last10=Rao|first10=Huiyun|last11=Li|first11=Xingguo|date=2016-01-07|title=Earliest tea as evidence for one branch of the Silk Road across the Tibetan Plateau|journal=Scientific Reports|volume=6|page=18955|doi=10.1038/srep18955|issn=2045-2322|pmc=4704058|pmid=26738699}}</ref> The plant is a member of the family [[Theaceae]], its origins dating back to China and Southeast Asia.<ref name=lu/> The habitual consumption of tea grew in Asia, and eventually European explorers brought it to Europe in the [[17th century]] when it became a cultural staple.{{citation needed|date=January 2021}}
--><nowiki> </nowiki>[[Hibiscus tea]] is one type of herbal infusion, but many described as some other plant have hibiscus as the main ingredient, or a major one.<ref>{{cite web | title=Blackberry & Blueberry infusion| publisher=Sainsbury's | url=https://www.sainsburys.co.uk/gol-ui/product/sainsburys-blackberry--blueberry---acai-berry-tea-bags-x20 | access-date=6 March 2024}} A typical example, described as Blackberry & Blueberry, but has hibiscus as main ingredient, and 0.5% of the named ingredients.</ref>

== Etymology ==
[[file:Paul Berthon - Tisane Gauloise.jpg|thumb|A promotional poster for "Tisane Gauloise", by [[Paul Berthon]]]]
Some feel{{clarify|date=December 2021}} that the term ''tisane'' is more correct than ''herbal tea'' or that the latter is even misleading, but most dictionaries record that the word ''tea'' is also used to refer to other plants beside the [[Camellia sinensis|tea plant]] and to beverages made from these other plants.<ref>{{cite dictionary |url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tea |title=tea |dictionary=Merriam-Webster |access-date=2018-05-29}}</ref><ref>{{cite dictionary|url=https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/tea|title=tea|dictionary=Lexico|access-date=31 May 2022|archive-date=19 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171119112348/https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/tea|url-status=dead}}</ref> In any case, the term ''herbal tea'' is very well established and much more common than ''tisane''.<ref name=ngram/> 

Furthermore, in the ''[[Etymology of tea]],'' the most ancient term for tea was [[wiktionary:荼|荼]] (pronounced ''tu'') which originally referred to various plants such as [[sow thistle]], [[chicory]], or [[Polygonum|smartweed]], and was later used to exclusively refer to ''[[Camellia sinensis]]'' (true "tea").<ref>{{cite book |author=Albert E. Dien |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0zp6iMZoqt0C&pg=PA362 |title=Six Dynasties Civilization |publisher=Yale University Press |year=2007 |isbn=978-0-300-07404-8 |page=362}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |author=Bret Hinsch |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BdWpWha_0EsC&pg=PT14 |title=The ultimate guide to Chinese tea |publisher=Bret Hinsch |year=2011 |isbn=978-974-480-129-6}}</ref> 

The word ''tisane'' was rare in its modern sense before the 20th century, when it was borrowed in the modern sense from French. This is why some people feel it should be pronounced {{IPAc-en|t|ɪ|ˈ|z|ɑː|n}} as in [[French language|French]], but the original English pronunciation {{IPAc-en|t|ɪ|ˈ|z|æ|n}} continues to be more common in US English and especially in UK English.<ref name=cam/>

The word had already existed in late [[Middle English]] in the sense of "medicinal drink" and had already been borrowed from French ([[Old French]]). The Old French word came from the Latin word {{lang|la|ptisana}}, which came from the [[Ancient Greek]] word {{lang|grc|πτισάνη}} ({{lang|grc-Latn|ptisánē}}), which meant "peeled" barley, in other words [[pearl barley]], and a drink made from this that is similar to modern [[barley water]].<ref>{{Cite dictionary|url=https://www.lexico.com/definition/tisane|title=tisane|dictionary=Lexico|access-date=31 May 2022|archive-date=27 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210927014241/https://www.lexico.com/definition/tisane|url-status=dead}}</ref>

== Composition and usage ==
{{See also|List of plants used in herbalism|List of culinary herbs and spices}}
[[File:LE POINT DE VUE11n4000.jpg|thumb|Herbal tea in a glass [[teapot]] and [[Teacup|cup]]]]
Herbal teas can be made with any part of a plant, including fresh or dried [[Flower|flowers]], [[fruit]], [[Leaf|leaves]], stems, seeds or [[Root|roots]]. These parts may be steeped fully raw (as picked) or processed in some way (such as drying, roasting, crushing, tearing / cutting, steaming, etc.). 

[[file:Herbal tisanes for several ailments on sale at the Central Market, Port Louis, Mauritius.jpg|thumb| Herbal tisanes being sold in [[Mauritius]] as medicines for various diseases]]
Herbal infusions may be made by pouring hot or [[boiling]] water over the plant parts and letting them steep for a period of time. The infusion temperature and time can vary depending on the type of plant part used and their properties. For example, some plant parts are covered in oils which may take some time to separate. [[Cold brew tea|Brewing with cold water]] will take much longer as well, usually several hours. 

An herbal tea may be strained or not (as with [[Mate (drink)|mate]] where a special straw called a [[bombilla]] is used for drinking). 

Some herbal teas are blends which include various different herbs or plant parts. Herbal infusions may also be sweetened, spiced, salted, or combined with other additives, like milk or lemon juice. 

Some herbal teas are also infused in [[Alcohol (drug)|alcohol]], either for medicinal purposes or to make an herbal [[liquor]].

Herbal teas are commonly used in [[Herbal medicine]] and in traditional medical cultures, like Indian [[Ayurveda]] and [[Traditional Chinese medicine]]. Many ancient and medieval [[Herbal|Herbal texts]] contain evidence for the use of various herb infusions throughout human history. Various herbal teas have been promoted throughout history as [[Traditional medicine|folk remedies]] for various diseases and in some cultures they retain their status as local folk cures. 

Many companies produce herbal [[tea bag]]s for such infusions or sell bottled herbal teas.

<gallery>
File:Zingiber Ginger Coconut Rooibos - Teavana tisane.jpg|This retail mixture contains [[rooibos]], [[coconut]], [[ginger]], [[cinnamon]], [[apple]], [[cardamom]], [[black pepper]] and [[almond]].
File:Elderberries.jpeg|Dried [[Sambucus|elderberries]] ready to be [[Steeping|steeped]] into tea
File:2016 1212 Coffee blossom tea.jpg|Coffee blossom tea
File:Mr. Ollivanders Magic Potion fruit tisane.jpg|[[Apple]], [[rose hip]]s, [[orange (fruit)|orange]] [[zest (ingredient)|zest]], [[papaya]], [[peppermint]], [[liquorice]] root, [[cymbopogon|lemon grass]], [[cinnamon]], [[blackcurrant]]s, [[rose]] and [[Malvaceae|mallow]] blossoms
</gallery>

== Varieties ==
[[file:Erva mate chimarrao in big cuia.jpg|thumb|A [[yerba mate]] infusion, popular in South America]]
{{more citations needed section|date=November 2018}}
Herbal teas can be made from any edible plant material, below is a list of common herbal infusions. Some herbal teas are made from plants which contain [[caffeine]], and other herbal infusions may contain other [[Psychoactive drug|psychoactive]] compounds. However, many other common herbal teas have not been shown psychoactive properties when compared to [[Placebo|placebos]], though they may still have some physical effects. 

Many herbal teas on the market may also be blends which include various herbs or plant parts. These blends may also include additives, like [[Flavoring|flavorings]].

=== Caffeinated infusions ===
[[File:Lemoy011.jpg|thumb|[[Saturiwa (chief)|Saturiwa]] and his warriors drinking yaupon tea before battle, 16th century [[Florida]], by [[Jacques le Moyne]].]]
* [[Cacao bean]] tea, which contains [[theobromine]] and a small amount of [[caffeine]]. 
* [[Coffee-leaf tea]], [[coffee cherry tea|coffee fruit tea]], and coffee blossom tea are herbal teas made using the leaves, fruits and flowers of the [[coffee]] plant
* [[Ilex guayusa|Guayusa]] tea, made from the caffeinated leaves of the ''ilex guayusa'' [[holly]], native to the [[Amazon rainforest]]
* [[Mate_(drink)|Mate]], a South American caffeinated tea made from the holly [[yerba mate]] (''Ilex paraguariensis'')
* [[Black drink|Yaupon tea]], caffeinated leaves of the [[Ilex vomitoria|yaupon holly]], native to [[North America]]
* Tea made from ''[[Ilex cassine]],'' which has less caffeine than yaupon, but more [[theobromine]].
[[File:Fijian_kava_ceremony.jpg|right|thumb|Fijian [[kava]] ceremony]]

=== Other psychoactive infusions ===
* [[Cannabis tea]], which contains the psychoactive [[Thc|THC]]. It is a common drink in India, where it is known as [[bhang]].
* [[Coca tea]], infusion made from [[coca]] leaves. Contains trace amounts of [[cocaine]] and similar alkaloids.<ref name="ncbi_alkaloids">{{cite journal |vauthors=Jenkins AJ, Llosa T, Montoya I, Cone EJ |year=1996 |title=Identification and quantitation of alkaloids in coca tea |journal=Forensic Science International |volume=77 |issue=3 |pages=179–89 |doi=10.1016/0379-0738(95)01860-3 |pmc=2705900 |pmid=8819993}}</ref> In some countries where coca is illegal, products marketed as "coca tea" are supposed to be ''decocainized'', i.e., the pharmacologically active components have been removed from the leaf using the same chemicals as manufacturing cocaine.
* [[Kava]] root tea, common in Pacific island cultures ([[Polynesia]], [[Melanesia]], [[Micronesia]]), which has [[Sedation|sedative effects]] and [[anesthetic]] effects caused by compounds called [[Kavalactone|kavalactones]].<ref name="wang">{{cite journal |last1=Wang |first1=J |last2=Qu |first2=W |last3=Bittenbender |first3=H. C |last4=Li |first4=Q. X |year=2013 |title=Kavalactone content and chemotype of kava beverages prepared from roots and rhizomes of Isa and Mahakea varieties and extraction efficiency of kavalactones using different solvents |journal=Journal of Food Science and Technology |volume=52 |issue=2 |pages=1164–1169 |doi=10.1007/s13197-013-1047-2 |pmc=4325077 |pmid=25694734}}</ref> The traditional form is a water-based suspension of kava roots.
* [[Kratom]] tea made from the dried leaves of the kratom tree. It has [[opioid]]-like properties and some [[stimulant]]-like effects.<ref name="FDA2018">{{cite web |author=Gottlieb, Scott |date=6 February 2018 |title=Statement from FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D., on the agency's scientific evidence on the presence of opioid compounds in kratom, underscoring its potential for abuse |url=https://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm595622.htm |access-date=6 February 2018 |publisher=US Food and Drug Administration}}</ref><ref name="Cin2015">{{cite journal |last1=Cinosi |first1=E |last2=Martinotti |first2=G |last3=Simonato |first3=P |last4=Singh |first4=D |last5=Demetrovics |first5=Z |last6=Roman-Urrestarazu |first6=A |last7=Bersani |first7=F. S |last8=Vicknasingam |first8=B |last9=Piazzon |first9=G |last10=Li |first10=J. H |last11=Yu |first11=W. J |last12=Kapitány-Fövény |first12=M |last13=Farkas |first13=J |last14=Di Giannantonio |first14=M |last15=Corazza |first15=O |year=2015 |title=Following "the Roots" of Kratom (''Mitragyna speciosa''): The Evolution of an Enhancer from a Traditional Use to Increase Work and Productivity in Southeast Asia to a Recreational Psychoactive Drug in Western Countries |journal=BioMed Research International |volume=2015 |pages=1–11 |doi=10.1155/2015/968786 |pmc=4657101 |pmid=26640804 |doi-access=free}}</ref>
* [[St. John's wort]] tea, the plant has been shown to have [[antidepressant]] properties according to a 2017 [[meta-analysis]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Ng |first1=Qin Xiang |last2=Venkatanarayanan |first2=Nandini |last3=Ho |first3=Collin Yih Xian |date=March 2017 |title=Clinical use of Hypericum perforatum (St John's wort) in depression: A meta-analysis |journal=Journal of Affective Disorders |volume=210 |pages=211–221 |doi=10.1016/j.jad.2016.12.048 |pmid=28064110}}</ref> 
* [[Ephedra (plant)|Ephedra]] tea, mainly from the plant ''[[Ephedra sinica]]''.<ref name="Gurley_1998">{{cite journal |vauthors=Gurley B, Wang P, Gardner S |year=1998 |title=Ephedrine-type alkaloid content of nutritional supplements containing Ephedra sinica (Ma-huang) as determined by high performance liquid chromatography |journal=J Pharm Sci |volume=87 |issue=12 |pages=1547–53 |citeseerx=10.1.1.460.7810 |doi=10.1021/js9801844 |pmid=10189265}}</ref> It contains the stimulant [[ephedrine]]. It has been used in [[traditional Chinese medicine]], where it is called ''máhuáng,'' for more than 2,000 years.<ref name="Abourashed_2003">{{cite journal |vauthors=Abourashed E, El-Alfy A, Khan I, Walker L |year=2003 |title=Ephedra in perspective--a current review |journal=Phytother Res |volume=17 |issue=7 |pages=703–12 |doi=10.1002/ptr.1337 |pmid=12916063 |s2cid=41083359}}</ref><ref name="Huang2010">{{cite book |author=Kee C. Huang |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xKGxTcF8u-sC&pg=PR3 |title=The Pharmacology of Chinese Herbs, Second Edition |date=12 December 2010 |publisher=CRC Press |isbn=978-1-4200-4826-1 |page=9}}</ref> Ephedra tea was also used by [[Native Americans in the United States|Native Americans]] and [[Mormon pioneers|Mormons]], hence the name "Mormon tea" and "Indian tea". 
* [[Poppy tea]], brewed from the [[poppy straw]] or [[Poppy seed|seeds]] of several species of [[poppy]] (most commonly ''[[Papaver somniferum]]''). Since it contains [[opium]], it is consumed for its [[narcotic]], sedative and [[analgesic]] properties. 
* ''[[Salvia divinorum]]'' ("Sage of the diviners") tea which contains ''[[salvinorin A]]'', a compound that induces a [[Dissociation (psychology)|dissociative state]] and [[Hallucination|hallucinations]].<ref name="front">{{cite journal |last1=Butelman |first1=Eduardo R |last2=Kreek |first2=Mary Jeanne |year=2015 |title=Salvinorin A, a kappa-opioid receptor agonist hallucinogen: Pharmacology and potential template for novel pharmacotherapeutic agents in neuropsychiatric disorders |journal=Frontiers in Pharmacology |volume=6 |pages=190 |doi=10.3389/fphar.2015.00190 |pmc=4561799 |pmid=26441647 |doi-access=free}}</ref> 
* [[Calea ternifolia|Dream herb]] (''Calea ternifolia'') an [[oneirogen]] (dream inducing herb) native to the Americas made into a tea by Mexican peoples.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Sałaga |first1=Maciej |last2=Fichna |first2=Jakub |last3=Socała |first3=Katarzyna |last4=Nieoczym |first4=Dorota |last5=Pieróg |first5=Mateusz |last6=Zielińska |first6=Marta |last7=Kowalczuk |first7=Anna |last8=Wlaź |first8=Piotr |date=2016 |title=Neuropharmacological characterization of the oneirogenic Mexican plant Calea zacatechichi aqueous extract in mice |journal=Metabolic Brain Disease |volume=31 |issue=3 |pages=631–641 |doi=10.1007/s11011-016-9794-1 |issn=0885-7490 |pmc=4863909 |pmid=26821073}}</ref> 
* [[Silene undulata|African dream root]] ''(Silene undulata)'' which is an oneirogen used by the [[Xhosa people]] as a [[Entheogen|sacred plant]].<ref name="Sobiecki">{{cite journal |author=J. F. Sobiecki |date=2008 |title=A review of plants used in divination in southern Africa and their psychoactive effects |journal=Southern African Humanities |volume=20 |pages=333–351 |s2cid=37305695}}</ref><ref name="pmid29403350">{{cite journal |last1=Sanz |first1=Camila |last2=Zamberlan |first2=Federico |last3=Erowid |first3=Earth |last4=Erowid |first4=Fire |last5=Tagliazucchi |first5=Enzo |date=2018 |title=The Experience Elicited by Hallucinogens Presents the Highest Similarity to Dreaming within a Large Database of Psychoactive Substance Reports |journal=[[Frontiers in Neuroscience]] |volume=12 |page=7 |doi=10.3389/fnins.2018.00007 |issn=1662-453X |pmc=5786560 |pmid=29403350 |doi-access=free}}</ref> 
* [[Ayahuasca]], a highly psychoactive and [[Hallucinogen|hallucinogenic]] infusion brewed from the ''[[Banisteriopsis caapi]]'' vine and the leaves of the ''[[Psychotria viridis]]'' shrub. It is prepared and drunk by native peoples of the [[Amazon basin]] as a healing drug and as a spiritual [[Shamanism|shamanic]] brew. 
* ''[[Tabernanthe iboga]],'' which can be made into an infusion, is traditionally used by the peoples of [[Central Africa]] and in [[African traditional medicine]] as a stimulant (in low doses) or as a powerful ritual hallucinogen (in larger quantities)''.<ref name="drugs2">{{cite web |date=January 23, 2019 |title=Iboga |url=https://www.drugs.com/npp/iboga.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080601024047/https://www.drugs.com/npp/iboga.html |archive-date=June 1, 2008 |access-date=October 28, 2019 |publisher=Drugs.com}}</ref><ref name="koenig">{{cite journal |last1=Koenig |first1=Xaver |last2=Hilber |first2=Karlheinz |date=January 29, 2015 |title=The Anti-Addiction Drug Ibogaine and the Heart: A Delicate Relation |journal=Molecules |volume=20 |issue=2 |pages=2208–2228 |doi=10.3390/molecules20022208 |issn=1420-3049 |pmc=4382526 |pmid=26807959 |doi-access=free}}</ref>''<ref>Aubry-Lecomte, Charles Eugène, "Note sur quelque poisons de la côte occidentale d'Afrique", ''Revue Maritime et Coloniale'', vol. XII, 1864.</ref> 
* [[Tobacco]] tea, which contains [[nicotine]] and is traditionally used by the indigenous peoples of the Americas as a medicine for various ills (dizziness, headaches), as a [[laxative]], as an [[Vomiting|emetic]] and as an [[Mucoactive agent|expectorant]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tobacco |url=https://www.utep.edu/herbal-safety/herbal-facts/herbal%20facts%20sheet/tobacco.html |access-date=2024-06-19 |website=www.utep.edu |language=en}}</ref> 

=== Non-caffeinated and non-psychoactive infusions ===
[[File:Matricaria_chamomilla_flowers.jpg|thumb|''[[Matricaria chamomilla]]'' flower heads separated from [[Plant stem|stems]].]]
[[file:Rooibos tea in a glass with dry rooibos.jpg|thumb|Rooibos tea, a common drink in [[South Africa]]]]
[[File:Bebida de ginseng.jpg|thumb|Bottled [[ginseng tea]] from Korea]]
* [[Anise]] tea, made from either the seeds or the leaves
* [[Centella asiatica|Asiatic penny-wort]] leaf, in [[South Asia]] and [[Southeast Asia]]
* [[Artichoke]] tea
* [[Commiphora gileadensis]] tea, in the Hijaz region of western Arabia.
* [[Aegle marmelos|Bael fruit]] tea
* [[Bee balm]]
* [[Boldo]], used in South America
* [[Burdock]]; the seeds, leaves, and roots have been used
* [[Butterfly pea flower tea]] (from ''[[Clitoria ternatea]]''), also called "Blue tea" since it produces a blue infusion
* [[Caraway]], tea made from the seeds
* [[Nepeta|Catnip]], tea used as a relaxant, [[sedative]], and to calm
* [[Chamomile]]
* Che dang, bitter tea made from ''Ilex {{not a typo|causue}}'' leaves
* [[Chinese knotweed]] tea
* [[Chrysanthemum tea]], made from dried flowers
* [[Cinnamon]] tea
* [[Clover]] tea, made from the blossoms
* [[Cerasse]], bitter [[Jamaica]]n herb
* [[Citrus]] peel, including [[bergamot orange|bergamot]], [[lemon]] and [[Orange (fruit)|orange]] peel
* [[Dandelion coffee]], which does not contain caffeine despite the name
* [[Dill]] tea
* [[Dried lime tea]], made from [[dried lime]]s common in [[western Asia]]
* [[Echinacea]] tea
* [[Elderberry]]
* [[European mistletoe]] (''Viscum album''), (steep in cold water for 2–6 hours)
* [[Essiac|Essiac tea]], blended herbal tea
* [[Fennel]]
* [[Gentian]]
* [[Ginger root]] can be made into herbal tea, known in the [[Philippines]] as ''[[salabat]]''
* [[Ginkgo biloba]]
* [[Ginseng]], a common tea in China and Korea, commonly used as a stimulant and as a caffeine substitute
* [[Goji]] berry tea
* [[Crataegus|Hawthorn]]
* [[Hibiscus]] (often blended with [[rose hip]]), a common tea in the Middle East or Asia
* [[Honeybush]], similar to [[rooibos]] and grows in a nearby area of [[South Africa]], but tastes slightly sweeter. Has a low tannin content, no caffeine.
* [[Marrubium vulgare|Horehound]]
* [[Houttuynia]]
* [[Hydrangea]] tea, dried leaves of hydrangeas; considerable care must be taken because most species contain a toxin.  The "safe" hydrangeas belong to the ''[[Hydrangea serrata]]'' Amacha ("sweet tea") cultivar group.<ref>C.J. van Gelderen; D.M. van Gelderen. 2004. Encyclopedia of Hydrangeas. Timber Press. 280 p.</ref>
* [[Jasmine|Jasmine flower]] tea, though it is commonly blended with tea leaves, jasmine flowers are also sometimes infused on their own
* [[Jiaogulan]] (also known as ''xiancao'' or "poor man's ginseng")
* [[Kapor tea]], dried leaves of [[Epilobium angustifolium|fireweed]]
* [[Kelp tea]], East Asian tea made from kelp, known as ''konbu-cha'' in Japan
* [[Kuzuyu]], a thick white Japanese tea made by adding [[kudzu]] flour to hot water
* [[Labrador tea]], made from the shrub by the same name, found in the northern part of North America
* [[Lavandula|Lavender]] tea <ref name="haze">{{cite web |title=Cooking with Lavender – Purple Haze Lavender (Sequim, WA) |url=http://www.purplehazelavender.com/cooking.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100417125855/http://www.purplehazelavender.com/cooking.html |archive-date=17 April 2010 |access-date=25 August 2008 |work=Purple Haze Lavender}}</ref>
* [[Lemon balm]]
* Lemon and ginger tea
* [[Cymbopogon|Lemongrass]] tea
* [[Luo han guo]]
* [[Licorice]] root
* [[Lime Blossom|Lime blossom]], dried flowers of the [[Tilia|lime tree]] (''tilia'' in [[Latin]]).
* [[Filipendula ulmaria|Meadowsweet]] herb
* [[Mentha|Mint]] (mint tea), made from various mints, especially [[peppermint]] and [[spearmint]]. It is also commonly mixed with [[green tea]], as in [[Maghrebi mint tea]]. [[Korean mint tea]] is one popular pure mint herbal tea.
* Mound of termites tea in [[Merauke]]
* [[Moringa oleifera|Moringa]]
* [[Sideritis syriaca|Mountain tea]], common in the Balkans and other areas of the Mediterranean region. Made from a variety of the ''[[Sideritis syriaca]]'' plant which grows in warm climates above 3,000 feet. Records of its use date back 2,000 years.
* [[Neem]] leaf
* [[Urtica|Nettle]] leaf
* New Jersey tea (''[[Ceanothus americanus]]''), which has a mild blood pressure lowering effect.<ref name="The Alkaloids">J.E. Saxton ed.  [https://books.google.com/books?id=R8BlpSvvSfwC&dq=Ceanothus+americanus+alkaloid&pg=PA444 "The Alkaloids". A special report. Vol I] The Chemical Society Burlington House, London (1971) [[:simple:International Standard Book Number|SBN 85186 257 8]]</ref>
* [[Noni]] tea
* [[Oksusu cha]], traditional roasted [[maize|corn]] tea found in Korea
* [[Olive leaf]] tea
* [[Oregano]] tea
* [[Osmanthus fragrans|Osmanthus]] tea, dried flowers of the sweet olive tree, are used alone or blended with tea leaves in China.
* [[Pandanus amaryllifolius|Pandan]] tea
* [[Patchouli]] tea
* [[Mentha pulegium|Pennyroyal]] leaf, an [[abortifacient]]
* [[Pine#Food|Pine]] tea, or ''tallstrunt'', made from needles of pine trees
* [[Qishr]], Yemeni drink with coffee husks and ginger
* [[Red clover]] tea
* Red [[raspberry]] leaf
* [[Barley tea]], East Asian drink with roasted [[barley]]
* [[Rosa × damascena]] tea, in the Middle East.
* Roasted [[wheat]], used in [[Postum]], a coffee substitute
* [[Rooibos]] (red bush), a reddish plant used to make an infusion and grown in [[South Africa]]. In the US it is sometimes called red tea. It has many of the [[antioxidant]] characteristics of [[green tea]], but because it does not come from tea leaves, it has no [[caffeine]].
* [[Rose hip]] (often blended with [[hibiscus]])
* [[Roselle (plant)|Roselle]] petals (species of hibiscus; known by other names including ''bissau'' and ''dah''), consumed in the [[Sahel]] and elsewhere
* [[Rosemary]]
* [[Sagebrush]], [[California sagebrush]]
* [[Common sage|Sage]]
* [[Sakurayu]], Japanese herbal tea made with pickled [[cherry blossom]] petals
* [[Sassafras]] roots were steeped to make tea, a practice which was common among Native Americans. They were also used in the flavoring of [[root beer]] until being banned by the [[U.S. Food and Drug Administration|FDA]].
* Scorched [[rice]], known as ''[[hyeonmi cha]]'' in Korea
* [[Scutellaria barbata|Skullcap]]
* [[Shallot]] peel tea from [[Kalimantan]]
* Serendib (tea), tea from [[Sri Lanka]]
* [[Soba#Other uses of the word soba|Sobacha]]
* [[Lindera benzoin|Spicebush]] (''Lindera benzoin'') leaves used to make a tea by some native peoples of eastern North America
* [[Spruce#Uses|Spruce]] tea, made from needles of spruce trees
* [[Staghorn sumac]], fruit can be made into a lemonade
* [[Stevia]], can be used to make herbal tea, or as a sweetener in other beverages
* [[Sweet potato]] leaf tea, a common herbal tea in Chinese medicine
* [[Thyme]], contains [[thymol]]
* [[Tulsi]], or [[holy basil]]
* [[Turmeric]] tea
* ''[[Uncaria tomentosa]]'', commonly known as cat's claw
* [[Valerian (plant)|Valerian]] is used as a sedative, but clinical evidence for its psychoactive properties are inconclusive.<ref name="medscape">{{cite journal |vauthors=Boullata JI, Nace AM |title=Safety issues with herbal medicine |journal=Pharmacotherapy |volume=20 |issue=3 |pages=257–69 |year=2000 |pmid=10730682 |doi=10.1592/phco.20.4.257.34886 |s2cid=36757144 }}</ref><ref name="drugs">{{cite web |date=9 June 2022 |title=Valerian |url=https://www.drugs.com/npp/valerian.html |access-date=22 July 2022 |publisher=Drugs.com}}</ref><ref name="ods">{{cite web |date=15 March 2013 |title=Valerian |url=https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Valerian-HealthProfessional/ |access-date=2 April 2018 |publisher=Office of Dietary Supplements, US National Institutes of Health}}</ref>
* [[Verbena|Verbena (vervain)]]
* [[Wax gourd]] in East Asia and Southeast Asia.
* [[Wong Lo Kat]], a recipe for herbal tea from Guangdong, China since the Qing Dynasty
* [[Galium odoratum|Woodruff]]
* [[Yarrow]]

== Health risks ==
{{See also|List of herbs with known adverse effects|Tea bag#Plastics}}

While most herbal teas are safe for regular consumption, some herbs have [[toxin|toxic]] or [[allergy|allergenic]] effects. Among the greatest causes of concern are:
* [[Comfrey]], which contains [[alkaloid]]s which may be harmful to the [[liver]] from chronic use, and particularly is not recommended during pregnancy or when [[prescription drug]]s are used; comfrey is not recommended for oral use.<ref>{{cite web|title=Comfrey|url=https://www.drugs.com/mtm/comfrey.html|publisher=Drugs.com|access-date=5 January 2018|date=3 January 2018}}</ref>
* [[Lobelia]], which contains alkaloids and has [[traditional medicine]] uses for smoking cessation, may cause nausea, vomiting, or dizziness at high doses.<ref>{{cite web|title=Lobelia|url=https://www.drugs.com/npp/lobelia.html|publisher=Drugs.com|access-date=5 January 2018|date=3 January 2018}}</ref>

Herbal teas can also have different effects from person to person, and this is further compounded by the problem of potential misidentification. The deadly [[foxglove]], for example, can be mistaken for the much more benign (but still relatively toxic to the liver) comfrey. Care must be taken not to use any [[poisonous plants]].

The US does not require herbal teas to have any evidence concerning their efficacy, but does treat them technically as food products and require that they be safe for consumption.

Fruit or fruit-flavored tea is usually acidic and thus may contribute to erosion of [[tooth enamel]].<ref name="O'Toole2018">{{cite journal |last1= O'Toole|first1= S.|last2= Mullan|first2= F.|title= The role of the diet in tooth wear|journal= British Dental Journal|volume= 224|issue= 5|pages= 379–383|year= 2018|doi= 10.1038/sj.bdj.2018.127|pmid= 29471309|s2cid= 3797429|url= https://kclpure.kcl.ac.uk/portal/en/publications/the-role-of-the-diet-in-tooth-wear(7a470d3f-b003-4383-831e-24f14fcdd600).html}}</ref>

=== Adverse herb–drug interactions ===
{{See also|Grapefruit–drug interactions|Cytochrome P450|label 2=Cytochrome P450 (CYP)}}
Some phytochemicals found in herbs and fruits can adversely interact with others and over the counter or prescription medications, among other ways by affecting their metabolism by the body. Herbs and fruits that inhibit or induce the body's Cytochrome P450 enzyme complex function can either cause the drug to be dangerously ineffective, or increase its effective absorbed dose to potentially toxic levels, respectively. Best known examples of adverse herb‑drug interactions are [[grapefruit]] or [[Hypericum perforatum|St John's wort]], contraindicated for several medications including [[Paxlovid]] and [[oral contraceptives]], but other herbs also affect the CYP enzyme family, showing herb‑drug interactions.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Zuo |first1=Hua-Li |last2=Huang |first2=Hsi-Yuan |last3=Lin |first3=Yang-Chi-Dung |last4=Cai |first4=Xiao-Xuan |last5=Kong |first5=Xiang-Jun |last6=Luo |first6=Dai-Lin |last7=Zhou |first7=Yu-Heng |last8=Huang |first8=Hsien-Da |date=2022-01-14 |title=Enzyme Activity of Natural Products on Cytochrome P450 |journal=Molecules |language=en |volume=27 |issue=2 |pages=515 |doi=10.3390/molecules27020515 |issn=1420-3049 |pmc=8779343 |pmid=35056827 |doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Cho |first1=Hyun-Jong |last2=Yoon |first2=In-Soo |date=2015 |title=Pharmacokinetic Interactions of Herbs with Cytochrome P450 and P-Glycoprotein |journal=Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine |language=en |volume=2015 |pages=1–10 |doi=10.1155/2015/736431 |issn=1741-427X |pmc=4302358 |pmid=25632290 |doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Smith |first1=Dallas J. |last2=Bi |first2=Huichang |last3=Hamman |first3=Josias |last4=Ma |first4=Xiaochao |last5=Mitchell |first5=Constance |last6=Nyirenda |first6=Kumbukani |last7=Monera-Penduka |first7=Tsitsi |last8=Oketch-Rabah |first8=Hellen |last9=Paine |first9=Mary F. |last10=Pettit |first10=Syril |last11=Pheiffer |first11=Wihan |last12=Van Breemen |first12=Richard B. |last13=Embry |first13=Michelle |date=2023-07-12 |title=Potential pharmacokinetic interactions with concurrent use of herbal medicines and a ritonavir-boosted COVID-19 protease inhibitor in low and middle-income countries |journal=Frontiers in Pharmacology |volume=14 |doi=10.3389/fphar.2023.1210579 |issn=1663-9812 |pmc=10368978 |pmid=37502215 |doi-access=free }}</ref>

=== Contamination ===
{{See also|Health effects of pesticides}}
Depending on the source of the herbal ingredients, herbal teas, like any crop, may be contaminated with [[pesticide]]s or [[heavy metals]].<ref name=NaithaniKakkar2004 /><ref>{{cite journal | pmid = 16228893 | year = 2005 | last1 = Naithani | first1 = V | last2 = Kakkar | first2 = P | title = Evaluation of heavy metals in Indian herbal teas | volume = 75 | issue = 1 | pages = 197–203 | doi = 10.1007/s00128-005-0738-4 | journal = Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology| bibcode = 2005BuECT..75..197N | s2cid = 41011619 }}</ref>
According to Naithani & Kakkar (2004), "all herbal preparations should be checked for toxic chemical residues to allay consumer fears of exposure to known neuro-toxicant pesticides and to aid in promoting global acceptance of these products".<ref name=NaithaniKakkar2004>{{cite journal | pmid = 16268119 | year = 2004 | last1 = Naithani | first1 = V | last2 = Kakkar | first2 = P | title = An evaluation of residual organochlorine pesticides in popular Indian herbal teas | volume = 59 | issue = 8 | pages = 426–30 | doi = 10.3200/AEOH.59.8.426-430 | journal = Archives of Environmental Health | s2cid = 31026817 }}</ref>

== See also ==
{{Portal|Drink}}
* [[List of hot beverages]]
* [[Tea culture]]
* [[Health effects of tea]]
* [[Tincture]], the often more concentrated plant extracts made in pure grain alcohol, glycerin, or vinegar
* [[Yerba mate]]
* [[Hot chocolate]]
* [[Coffee substitute]]
* [[Tea in France]]
*[[Chinese sweet tea]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
*{{commons category-inline|Tisanes|lcfirst=yes}}
*{{wikiversity-inline|infusion maker}}

{{Herbal teas}}
{{Teas}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Herbal teas| ]]