Herbal teas offer numerous health benefits to adults. But, what about children? Can these herbal teas be given to kids? If yes, then what are the benefits and how can they be given? These are some of the doubts that many parents have towards herbal teas when it comes to giving them to their children. We’ve have make a small list of herbal teas that offer health benefits to children and the methods of preparing those teas.

11 Best Tea for Children and there Benefits

Here are some herbs, their health benefits and the method of tea preparation.

Lemon Balm Tea

Lemon Balm which is also known by the name Melissa Officinalis can offer numerous health benefits for your child. These can include protection against viral, fungal and bacterial infections, strengthening of neurological system, is good for relieving pain, helps in reducing gastric problems , can help in liver healing and it reduces sleeplessness.

Read more: Health Benefits of Lemon Balm for Children

There are many ways in which you can prepare lemon balm tea. The popular methods include preparation of infusion and decoction. Infusion is prepared for soft and delicate leaves or flowers. For this you’ll have to bring water to boil and turn off the heat. Now, put the leaves or flowers in the water and close it with lid and let it be there for 15 minutes or more. This method preserves the essential oils in the leaves or flowers. The second preparation, which is decoction preparation is used to bring out the flavors and medicinal oils in the leaves, stem, roots or seeds. In this method, the ingredients which include coarse leaves, stem, roots, seeds, etc are put in water and cooked. This method brings out the essential oils trapped inside those hard surfaces.

Fennel Tea

Fennel is another herb and spice that can be happily given to infants as well as toddlers. Fennel offers several health benefits for infants and children which include remedy against colic, remedy for digestive disorders, it acts as a natural laxative, it can reduce respiratory problems, has anti-microbial properties and it is also a good source of antioxidants.

Read more: Health Benefits of Fennel for Children

Fennel tea can be prepared by taking a teaspoonful of fennel seeds and boiling them in about 200ml of water. Boil it for about 15 – 20 minutes and filter out the fennel seeds and give it to your baby after it cools down. Also, make sure that you boil the water in low heat because, fennel has antioxidants and these can escape either through vaporization or can be broken down in medium and high heat. So, make the tea only in low heat, as it preserves the medicinal properties.

Ginger Tea

Ginger has so many health benefits to offer to your children and it can also be made into a tea that can be given as a remedy for various diseases. Some of the health benefits of ginger include relief from digestive issues, heals gastric ulcers, protects liver, relief from cough and cold, remedy from respiratory diseases like influenza, bronchitis, whooping cough, relief from nausea, motion sickness and seasickness.

Read more: Health Benefits of Ginger for Children

For preparing ginger tea, first you need to take a small piece, the size of a marble of ginger, peel and then mince it thoroughly using a stone grinder at home or with something hard. Then add this minced ginger to a 1 ½ -2 cups of water and boil for 10-15 minutes. After boiling it, add a bit of lime or lemon juice and a tablespoon of honey to the tea to reduce the strong flavor of ginger and serve it. Boil it in low flame to preserve the medicinal quality of ginger.

Cardamom Tea

Cardamom is a condiment, whose seeds and flowers are used as flavoring agents in many dishes and desserts. The seeds have a sweet, pungent and strong aromatic flavor. Cardamom is known to offer various benefits such as remedy for indigestion, relief from stomach ache and flatulence, relief from nausea and it relieves from respiratory and pulmonary diseases and reduces phlegm. It can also reduce coughs as well.

Cardamom tea is generally prepared using its seeds. The seeds are round and black and are present in a bunch in seed pods. When taken out from the pods, the seeds can resemble mustard seeds but are slightly larger. These seeds should be pounded first into a coarse powder for preparing a tea. Take 3-4 seed pods, take out the seeds and pound them in a small stone grinder and let them boil in 2 cups of water for about 10-15 minutes. Drain the seed powder and the tea is ready.

Mullein Tea

Mullein is a herb that offers various benefits such as relief against cough and whooping cough, is used as a remedy for bronchitis, pneumonia, cold, flu, fever and earaches. It is also beneficial in diarrhea, colic, gastrointestinal bleeding, etc.

For preparing mullein tea, take one teaspoon of the herb and boil them thoroughly in 2 cups of water for about10-15 minutes in low heat. After boiling it, strain the leaves and give the tea to your child. Do not add too much mullein leaves to the tea, as it can cause stomach discomfort. Apart from the tea, mullein oil can be used as ear drops for ear infections.

Chamomile Tea

Chamomile is another herb that can offer numerous health benefits. Some of the benefits include relief against stomachache, indigestion, flatulence and gas, colic, nervousness or restlessness, insomnia, colds, cuts and burns and diaper rashes as well.

It is easy to prepare chamomile tea with the flowers. All you need would be 2 teaspoons of chamomile flowers in with 1 cup of water. Boil it for about 15-20 minutes with the lid closed. This tea can be served in ¼ or ½ cup doses.

Read more: Health Benefits of Chamomile Tea for Children

Rooibos Tea

Rooibos tea is very healthy for your child. Starting from helping in digestion to induce proper sleep, rooibos surely will help your child in more than one ways. Rich in vitamin C, this tea fights off the free radicals from your child’s body and helps him/her with a greater immunity. Rooibos tea is also anti-allergic in nature and its anti-inflammatory property will surely help your child to have a healthy life.

If your child is finding it difficult to sleep at night then surely this tea is going to help him/her have a more relaxed time while he/she hits the sack.

Read more: Health Benefits of Rooibos Tea for Children

Red Raspberry Tea

Red raspberry is a very enriching herb. It is rich in nutrients and iron. It boosts the formation of red blood cells in your child’s body and also improves his/her overall health of the heart. Red raspberry will also ensure that the kidney and liver of your child are in a proper shape as far as the functionalities are concerned.

Red raspberry is found in many forms, commercially. However, if you are planning to offer it to your child then it would be wise to purchase the same from some organic source.

Holy Basil Tea

If your child suffers from common flu and cold, more often than not, then this tea will be of much use. Holy basil has the power to clean the entire respiratory tract of your child and cleans any form of phlegm formation inside the tract. Holy basil also improves your child’s overall immunity, thereby making him/her less prone to any sort of common illness.

Also at the same time holy basil improves the overall digestion of your child and for that reason it protects your child from any kind of intestinal disorders and improves the overall bowel movement.

Read more: Health Benefits of Holy Basil for Children

Nettle Herbal Tea

This herbal tea is also known for its vitamin and mineral content. The herb is rich in vitamin C and iron, which are the two most essential elements needed during the development stage of a child. In the growth stage, this tea helps in maintaining the overall hormonal balance of your child.

Moreover this tea will definitely ensure a proper liver function for your little one. It cleanses the system well and makes sure that the blood is purified.

Mint Tea

Though a bit stronger compared to the others in the list, this tea comes with a freshening affect. The refreshing flavour of the tea will help your child to get a change in taste especially when he/she is suffering from some illness.

Added with honey it makes for great sipping. There is no caffeine in this herb. Thus there are no side effects. Also it aids in teeth formation. Mint tea is great for upset stomach. If your child regularly falls prey to stomach illness then providing him/her with a cup of warm mint tea, at least once a week will help by a great deal.

Read more: Health Benefits of Mint for Children

Safety precautions before giving any herbal teas to your child

Before going ahead and preparing these herbal teas, make sure that your child does not have any allergies towards these herbs or spices beforehand. And, if you find any allergic symptoms, immediately seek medical attention and do mention about the herbal tea that has been given. If there is an interaction of some kind, the medical personnel will know exactly what to do. Also, do not give an herb or a spice which is unknown to you or which you’ve never seen or heard. Unknown herbs or spices can be very risky to your child’s health.