The flower of Autumn: Chrysanthemum. For centuries, people in Asia have enjoyed drinking chrysanthemum tea. Mum flower teas are gaining momentum for their health benefits and may be worth trying if you love dandelion or any other type of herbal tea.
The flower of Autumn
Mums are frequently associated with Autumn, but did you know the chrysanthemum plant is a source of many health benefits? This aromatic tea made from flowers and has been used in traditional Chinese medicine to alleviate a range of illnesses.
What is it:
Chrysanthemum tea is a drink that has been developed from the chrysanthemum plant flower.
Served hot or cold, mum flower tea is used today to fight inflammation and promote relaxation. It has a sweet floral taste that's similar in flavor profile as chamomile teas but with more complexity from the varying varieties of flowers used for making it.
Yellow chrysanthemums are most popular amongst consumers, who enjoy its light aroma while others prefer purples and reds (which produce stronger scents), purples/whites depending on what preference you have at hand! Regardless which variety your preferred type may be though they all share one commonality: Each offers their own unique medicinal properties thanks specifically to these colorful petals' ability. This study proves it!
Health benefits
It has reported health benefits as chrysanthemum flowers possess anti-inflammatory, anti-pyretic, sedative, anti-arthritic, and anti-hypertensive effects [1].
Chrysanthemum flowers have also been demonstrated to produce various types of flavonoids [2,3,4,5], phenolic acids [2,6,7,8], and lignans [9], which have exhibited diverse biological activities such as antioxidant [3,6], anti-inflammatory [4], antitumor [5], neuroprotective [7,9], and anti-allergic activities [10]. The properties and concentrations of such constituents are responsible for the functional characteristics of chrysanthemum and are important from a commercial point of view.
Chrysanthemums may also:
- improve respiratory conditions
- reduce fever
- support vision and eye health
- help boost energy
How to Make it
You can make your own organic chrysanthemum tea with flowers you’ve grown yourself or blooms you’ve purchased. If you’re using flowers grown at home, make sure they haven’t been sprayed with pesticides or any other chemicals.
First, they need to be cleaned thoroughly and dried for several days. Then follow these steps to make mum flower tea:
- Boil water and let it sit for one minute or until it’s about 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
- For every 8 ounces of water, add 3–6 whole mum flowers.
- Let the flowers steep for about five minutes (until water becomes golden yellow).
- Strain flowers.
- Add sweetener of choice
Cold brew chrysanthemum tea is also delicious and just as beneficial. Simply pour your brewed tea into a pitcher and store it in the refrigerator.
Risks and Side Effects
It is possible to have a chrysanthemum allergy, which may cause skin reactions like redness, swelling and itching. If you experience any of these chrysanthemum tea side effects, stop consuming the beverage.
Final Thoughts
- Chrysanthemum tea is made from the mum plant and has been consumed for centuries for its health-promoting properties.
- Although research on this plant is pretty limited, animal and lab studies show that it’s rich in powerful antioxidant and may be able to boost bone and heart health. It also has relaxing, sedative properties and works to reduce cellular oxidation.
- You can easily make your own tea by steeping mum flowers in below boiling water for about 5 minutes.