TEA, HERBAL TEAS AND INFUSIONS: LET’S FIND OUT WHAT THE DIFFERENCES ARE BETWEEN THESE HOT DRINKS

Hot drinks are a healthy and ideal habit both early in the morning and before going to sleep. 

In addition to allowing us to relax while enjoying a good hot cup, these also offer numerous advantages : better digestion, anxiety and stress away, they help you fall asleep, have a lymphatic drainage action, etc.

Among the main ones we certainly find tea, herbal teas and infusions . It is usually thought that these terms indicate the same type of drink, but in reality this is not the case at all, on the contrary there are some differences that it is important to underline. Let’s find out below.

What is tea

When we talk about tea we immediately think of England, a real must in the afternoon for the English tradition. In reality, tea has much more ancient origins, precisely in China, where it is still widely produced.

This drink is obtained exclusively from the Camellia Sinensis and Camellia Assamica plants , and based on the type of harvest and specific processing it is possible to obtain various colors and drinks.

Tea is mainly used in the herbal field to create aromatic drinks rich in nutrients useful for our body. 

Specifically, we find alkaloid molecules, which have an effect similar to that of caffeine, therefore energizing , and tannins and polyphenolic compounds, particular molecules that have astringent but also antiseptic properties, which is why drinking tea is ideal against bacterial infections or as the main drink of a detox diet .

The latter is nothing more than a detox, a type of alternative medicine treatment that aims to rid the body of unspecified “toxins”.

As for the types of tea that can be prepared, the main and most common are:

• green tea , made from non-oxidized tea leaves and with an excellent purifying, lymphatic drainage and antioxidant function;
• black tea , instead made from many oxidized leaves and with a good energizing action, thanks to the caffeine present;
• oolong , a cross between the two previous ones, with a less intense action than caffeine, but with an excellent function for burning fat, therefore ideal to drink even in the afternoon;
• white tea , obtained from the buds of the leaves, therefore less common, but ideal to drink at any time given the total absence of caffeine.

What are herbal teas?

Herbal teas are different from a classic tea. It is necessary to carry out a special preparation in hot water by mixing different herbs together. 

In order to obtain a real herbal tea, in addition to the flavor of the herbs, there must also be an element that brings an effective benefit to the drinker.

It is therefore in all respects a drink with the main purpose of bringing psychophysical benefits to those who drink it. 

Compared to infusions, hot water must not be poured over the ingredients, but boiling water must first be served , then dip the filter with the contents and mix with a teaspoon. 

Some of the most common types of herbal teas are:

• slimming herbal teas, anti-swelling products capable of purifying the body, activating a fat-burning action and draining body fluids more efficiently.
• digestive herbal teas, with the aim of facilitating the digestion of meals and not causing bloating and exhaustion.
• relaxing herbal teas, with the aim of removing as much as possible anxiety, stress and negative thoughts. This is also due to the sedative properties possessed. Passion flower and verbena are both excellent for anxiety and palpitations, but you shouldn’t overdo the quantities.

What are infusions

The infusion consists of a specific preparation which consists in pouring boiling water over the vegetable source chosen according to one’s needs or preferences. 

The latter must obviously be water soluble and can be composed of a herb, a spice or even a mixture of elements. However, we must highlight a fundamental aspect for infusions.

The ingredients must all be from the same plant and include its flowers and leaves. An example is chamomile , rooibos and also Karkadè, famous for its precious antioxidant properties and obtained exclusively from the chopped petals of the beautiful and fragrant red hibiscus flowers. Drinks therefore rich in active ingredients useful for our psychophysical well-being.

The main difference between the three drinks

We have seen in detail what tea, herbal teas and infusions consist of, their beneficial properties and the various types that we can easily prepare. 

Both have in common the infusion and the rest for a few minutes in boiling water, before being filtered and sipped. 

However, there is a substantial difference that differentiates each one from the others.

Tea derives exclusively from two types of plants, as already mentioned, namely Camelia Sinensis and Assemica .

The herbal tea , on the other hand, can be made by mixing various different components together, provided that they have a beneficial effect on the body.

Finally, infusions are made up of flowers, fruits and leaves of a single plant and for this reason they differ from herbal teas, while it is instead possible to make an infusion starting from tea.