涼茶是一種在廣東省、香港及澳門地區、越南、日本等地區的一類具有藥用價值的傳統草本茶。
涼茶不是真正的茶(綠茶、紅茶等),主要由乾果、鮮花、香料或草藥製成。
除了美味之外,一些涼茶還具有促進健康的特性。
事實上,數百年來,涼茶一直被用作治療各種疾病的自然療法。
如果你想嘗試,這10種健康涼茶清單送給你。
1.西番蓮茶Passionflower Tea
西番蓮茶由西番蓮植物的葉、莖和花製作而成。
西番蓮茶傳統上用於緩解焦慮和改善睡眠品質[1]。
也有研究發現,西番蓮有助於緩解阿片類藥物(具有鎮痛和鎮靜作用)戒斷的精神症狀,如焦慮、易怒和激動[2]。
想要對抗焦慮和獲得平靜狀態,西番蓮茶是一個不錯的選擇。
2.洋甘菊茶Chamomile Tea
洋甘菊茶以其鎮靜作用而聞名,經常用作助眠劑。
兩項針對存在睡眠問題的患者研究發現,洋甘菊茶可以改善睡眠品質,包括幫助更快入睡、減少起夜,並減少抑鬱症狀[3,4]。
洋甘菊不僅僅有益於睡眠,同時還具有抗菌、抗炎和保肝作用[5]。
也有研究發現,洋甘菊茶可能有助於對抗腹瀉和胃潰瘍[6]。
研究還發現,洋甘菊茶可減輕經前期綜合征的症狀,並可改善高血脂、高血糖和高胰島素水準[7,8]。
3.紫錐花茶Echinacea Tea
紫錐花茶是一種非常受歡迎的草本植物。
研究表明,紫錐花可能有助於增強免疫系統,從而説明身體抵抗病毒或感染[9]。
紫錐花還可以縮短普通感冒的持續時間,減輕其症狀的嚴重程度,甚至可以預防感冒[9]。
日常飲用紫錐花茶可以提升抵抗力。感冒時,溫暖的紫錐花茶還可能有助於緩解感冒帶來的喉嚨痛或鼻塞。
4.薄荷茶Peppermint Tea
薄荷茶是世界上最常用的涼茶之一。通常用於支持消化道健康,同時還具有抗氧化、抗癌、抗菌和抗病毒特性[10]。
多項研究表明,薄荷油製劑有助於緩解消化不良、噁心和胃痛,以及有效緩解腸道、食道和結腸的痙攣[11-18]。
因此,當你感到胃腸不適時,無論是痙攣、噁心還是消化不良,薄荷茶是一種很好的自然療法。
5.薑茶Ginger Tea
薑茶是一種辛辣可口的飲品。
姜茶富含抗氧化劑,有助於對抗炎症並刺激免疫系統[19]。
薑茶更多是用於治療噁心,包括懷孕早期、因癌症治療、暈車等狀況下出現的噁心[20-21]。
此外,經研究表明,生薑可能有助於預防胃潰瘍和緩解消化不良或便秘,以及幫助緩解經期不適,特別是痛經[22-23]。
6.芙蓉花茶Hibiscus Tea
芙蓉花茶是由芙蓉植物的五顏六色的花朵製成的。
深紅色花萼製成的洛神花茶最常見,具有酸果的風味。
除了其大膽的顏色和獨特的風味外,芙蓉花茶還具有一些健康的特性。
研究表明芙蓉花提取物對禽流感病毒株非常有效,具有抗病毒特性[24]。
同時,芙蓉花茶可以調節血脂,對高血壓也有積極作用[25-26]。
此外,芙蓉花茶可能會縮短阿司匹林的作用,因此最好間隔3-4小時服用[27]。
7.檸檬香脂茶Lemon Balm Tea
檸檬香脂茶具有淡淡的檸檬味,重要的是,它還能促進健康。
研究發現,檸檬香脂可以改善高血脂水準[28]。
檸檬香脂茶可以增加身體的天然抗氧化酶,並有助於保護身體免受細胞和DNA的氧化損傷[29]。
此外,多項研究表明,檸檬香脂可以改善情緒和精神表現,包括記憶力改善、壓力減輕、焦慮、心悸得到緩解等[30-32]。
8.玫瑰果茶Rose Hip Tea
玫瑰果茶是由玫瑰植物的果實製成的。
玫瑰果富含維生素C和有益的植物化合物,具有抗炎和抗氧化作用[33],有助於對抗皮膚老化[34]。
玫瑰果提取物可幫助減輕體重和減少腹部脂肪[35]。
想要變美的你,千萬不要錯過玫瑰果茶。
9.鼠尾草茶Sage Tea
鼠尾草茶屬於薄荷科,與薄荷有相似的清香。其以其藥用特性而聞名,尤其是對大腦的健康益處。
研究表明,鼠尾草有益於認知功能,並可能有效對抗阿爾茨海默病相關斑塊的影響[36]。
鼠尾草還能幫助改善情緒、注意力和記憶力等[37]。
另有研究發現鼠尾草茶可改善血脂水準,並防止結腸癌發展的作用[38,39]。
10.路易波士茶Rooibos Tea
路易波士茶是一種來自南非的涼茶,也叫“博士茶”,由路易波士或紅灌木植物的葉子製成。
路易波士茶可能會刺激骨骼生長,可能有益於骨骼健康[40]。
路易波士茶可抑制了一種導致血管收縮的酶,可能有助於預防心臟病[41]。
涼茶的歷史有幾個世紀之久,許多涼茶具有促進健康的作用,而這些傳統作用也不斷得到現代科學的驗證。
無論你是茶愛好者,還是從未充嘗試過又對這些作用充滿好奇的新手,完全可以放心嘗試這10種茶。
參考資料
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