Terrific Teas

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Now’s the time to curl up on the couch with a steaming cup of your favorite herbal tea — or at least to fill your to-go mug with the brew as you dash off to work. Need a little inspiration? Here are the teas our favorite contributors (and staff!) like best, with our good wishes for a healthy, happy holiday season.

Amy Mayfield, whose favorite teas are spearmint and peppermint, is the editor of Herbs for Health.

Lemon Lovers

My all-time favorite tea herb is lemon verbena (Aloysia citriodora). Mainly, but not exclusively, for the taste, which is lemony but not sour. It’s the most heavenly lemon scent in nature, with no harsh overtones. It blends well with a wide variety of herbs to enhance the flavor of even foul-tasting medicinal blends. The herb helps reduce stomach irritation (gastritis), aids digestion, reduces allergies from pollen and dust, relieves coughs and mucus, supports liver health and, when sipped regularly, reduces cavities.
—Christopher Hobbs, herbalist and acupuncturist, Davis, California

I can often find some lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) near the ground, on the south side of the barn, even at Christmas in a mild winter. Fresh, it’s one of my favorites. But it loses its aroma quicker than most of the other mints in my garden. Hence, the same lemon balm is about my least favorite as a dried herb. For that reason, I frequently tincture the lemon balm — I think it’s a good sedative nightcap beverage for those long winter nights — and add a shot of tincture to a glass of lemonade (which contains some sedative compounds as well). Besides, like the prescription drug Tacrine, it may slow the ravages of senile dementia.
—James Duke, Ph.D., herbal medicine expert, Fulton, Maryland

My favorite tea herb is lemon verbena because, even when dried, it holds its fabulous lemon flavor — just perfect for brightening up those cold winter days.
—Kris Wetherbee, herb enthusiast and freelance writer. Oakland, Oregon

My favorite tea herb is lemon balm. It has a light, lemony flavor that mixes well with other teas. Lemon balm helps me relax, improves my mood and helps when I’m feeling stressed. This is very important since stress can be at the root of many diseases.
—Cindy Jones, Ph.D., Sagescript Institute, Lakewood, Colorado

Lemon verbena, because it has such a lovely aroma and an earthy, refreshing, just-the-right-amount-of-lemony flavor.
—Sara Katz, co-owner of Herb Pharm, Williams, Oregon

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