Drinking osmanthus tea is a wonderfully delicious way to increase your antioxidant protection with a unique exotic beverage.
What is Osmanthus Tea?
Osmanthus tea is an herbal tea brewed with the dried flowers of the Osmanthus fragrans plant, which is native to China and has been used to prepare this sweet tea for thousands of years. While some people choose to prepare this tea in combination with green or black tea, it is also a delightfully floral drink all on its own. The yellow flowers are evidence of the high melanin content these flowers contain, in addition to a number of other antioxidants. If you brew this tea in conjunction with black or green tea, it will contain caffeine, but the flowers themselves are not caffeinated. [1]
Osmanthus Tea Benefits
There are a number of osmanthus tea benefits that include the following:
- Prevent severe allergic reactions
- Detoxify the body
- Skin care
- Prevent macular degeneration
- Weight management
- Anticancer potential [2]
All of these benefits are due to the presence of antioxidants in this tea, which can seek out and neutralize free radicals, thus preventing chronic inflammation and oxidative stress-related disorders. [3]
Enjoy a fragrant cup of osmanthus tea. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Beyond the antioxidant benefits, this tea is also known to counter the effects of allergens and optimize the function of your immune system, which can further detoxify the body. Finally, the aroma of this tea is often praised for its ability to suppress the appetite, by suppressing certain brain chemicals that stimulate hunger. This can help to prevent overeating. [4]
How to Make Osmanthus Tea?
If you want to make your own osmanthus tea at home, you can readily access these flowers from many tea shops and import stores, as this is a globally popular herbal tea. Anyway, let us take a look at the detailed recipe given below for now.
Osmanthus Tea Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp of dried osmanthus flowers
- 2 cups of water
- 1 tsp of honey (optional)
Instructions
- To make osmanthus tea, lay approximately 2 tablespoons of dried osmanthus flowers in a tea infuser
- Bring 2 cups of water to a boil and then pour over the flowers
- Allow the mixture to steep for 3-4 minutes.
- Strain the flowers and serve the tea hot. Add honey to taste, if desired.
Osmanthus Tea Side Effects
There can be allergic reactions to this tea, primarily gastrointestinal in nature, but this is rare. The tea is recommended for pregnancy in traditional Chinese medicine, but due to the lack of thorough research, pregnant and breastfeeding women are not advised to consume this tea. [5]
