Herbal teas are getting more and more popular among the health community, and for good reason! Various herbs have medicinal properties that can help naturally ease symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and other disorders. One of the best ways to receive the benefits from medicinal herbs is through tea!
You can find a full list of the best herbs for PCOS here, but which ones work well for teas? Today, I’m sharing a round-up of herbal teas that are great for hormones and reducing the effects of PCOS. Here are my top 6 teas to fight PCOS symptoms:
6 Teas For PCOS
Spearmint Tea
Spearmint tea is one of those PCOS healing tools I can’t live without! In fact, spearmint tea has been shown to have anti-androgen effects. This means it helps reduce testosterone and restores overall hormone balance. Women with PCOS who struggle with elevated testosterone levels experience acne, excess hair growth, mood swings, irregular menstrual cycles, and infertility. Consider drinking 3 cups of spearmint tea per day to lower your levels of free testosterone.
Decaf Green Tea
Green tea also has a number of health benefits for women with PCOS. It is naturally caffeinated, though, and caffeine isn’t ideal for most women with PCOS because of how it can elevate our cortisol/stress hormones. So, if you decide to drink green tea, opt for decaffeinated versions.
According to research, green tea can help with bettering sleep, reducing stress and anxiety, relieving fatigue, and clearing acne. A lot of these positive effects come from green tea’s ability to potentially reduce insulin levels. Green tea has even been shown to help with weight loss in some cases. This long list of benefits makes green tea one of the best teas you could add to your diet if you have PCOS!
If you’re not a tea drinker, a good substitute for a cup of green tea is a green tea extract supplement! Just ensure the green tea extract you purchase is decaffeinated like this one from Pure Encapsulations.
Chamomile Tea
You probably know chamomile tea to be beneficial for sleep. That’s true! However, chamomile is also potentially beneficial for reducing insulin levels, lowering insulin resistance, alleviating stress, and improving gut health. Like green tea, you can drink it or take the extract as a supplement. You can even eat it in a salad – we grow chamomile in our garden and make it a part of our regular diet.
Ginger Tea
Ginger tea is naturally anti-inflammatory and it is also known to help with several menstrual struggles. You may find relief from bloating, cramping, and headaches after drinking ginger tea, studies find. Ginger tea is one of my favorite herbal teas for PCOS symptoms like menstrual pain and discomfort, and is also available in supplement form.
Dandelion Root Tea
Our livers are an important part of our body’s ability to regulate hormones. Dandelion root tea helps your liver better detoxify your body, which can help with fertility and hormonal acne. Because it’s a natural diuretic, dandelion root tea has also been shown to assist with bloating and other digestive troubles.
Though it’s great for PCOS, I don’t recommend drinking dandelion root tea every day. Simply do a 3-10 day detox when you experience a flare up in symptoms. Still, I recommend consulting your doctor before beginning your detox.
Lemon Balm Tea
Lemon Balm Tea is another great herbal tea for women with PCOS. It can help relieve anxiety, insomnia, menstrual cramps, and heavy bleeding. If you struggle with PCOS related sleep problems, anxiety, or menstrual issues, lemon balm tea in your daily routine may be beneficial!
6 Ways To Make Tea
If you want the herbal benefits of tea, but you’re still getting used to the taste, try dressing it up. There are a number of ways to make tea more of a treat, but still keep it healthy! Soon enough, you’ll acquire the taste of tea and can enjoy it in any way:
Traditional Hot Tea
Traditional hot tea makes you feel warm and cozy—it’s like an act of self-care! Just make sure you pay attention to brewing/steeping instructions on the bag or box for the best flavor. You also don’t want to drop a tea bag in and forget it, your tea will get too strong or even turn bitter. For best flavor, also consider getting a temperature controlled electric kettle for optimal brewing of each type of tea.
Iced Tea
If you don’t love hot tea, make it iced! First brew your tea hot for a little longer than instructed to make the tea stronger. Then, pour the hot tea into a tall pitcher of ice (that’s why you need the extra strength, because you’ll be adding extra water as it melts.) Then, drink your iced tea!
Tip: You could add a little honey, lemon, or even some chopped fruit to make it more flavorful.
Tea Lattes
If you’re a coffee drinker, tea lattes might be the gateway beverage you need to transition 100% to tea! It’s definitely stronger than drinking iced or traditional tea, but many like the flavor. First, brew your tea, then heat oat milk in a saucepan to 150 ℉, and then use a whisk or hand frother to foam the oat milk. Finally, pour the oat milk over the tea and enjoy!
Popsicles
How about a tea popsicle? Simply fill a popsicle mold with cooled tea and add a few fruit slices to the liquid. Freeze overnight and you have a delicious and beneficial summery snack. Depending on the type of tea, you could even share them with your friends or family.
Experiment with Strength
Some people like strong coffee and some like weak coffee. The same goes for tea. If you don’t like the tea when you brew it as instructed, try experimenting with different strengths. Brew it for less time for a weaker taste, or leave it in a bit longer for a stronger flavor. Find what’s right for you.
Add Ovasitol!
If you’re selecting tea to help support your hormones, why not throw in some Ovasitol in there while we’re at it? Ovasitol helps improve insulin sensitivity, egg quality and ovulation. It doesn’t have any flavor, so it won’t change the taste of your tea, but it certainly will give it a boost and curb your cravings too! Check out the Ovasitol Mocktail recipes we recently added in The Cysterhood App for more fun ways to drink tea & Ovasitol.
Herbal teas may provide a natural way to relieve some PCOS symptoms.
Your diet and lifestyle has a powerful effect on your body. You can reverse your polycystic ovarian syndrome naturally by making the right food, exercise, and self-care choices. Try replacing your sugary drinks and caffeine-rich coffee with one of these herbal teas. For more recipes with tea, check out our “Ovasitol Mocktail” recipes you can find in our App, The Cysterhood! Let’s do this healing journey together!
