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A Nutritional Psychiatrist Says These Are The Best Teas To Sip On For Anxiety
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One of my resolutions this year is to drink more tea. Why? Well, I could certainly stand to hydrate more during the day, but mainly because tea is inherently soothing. Seriously, name something more calming than a chamomile at bedtime. I'm waiting!
Our podcast episode with Uma Naidoo, M.D., launched at the perfect time, as the Harvard-trained nutritional psychiatrist, nutritional biologist, and professional chef shares her favorite soothing teas to quell anxiety (and surprisingly, chamomile doesn't make the list). Below, find her go-to brews.
The best teas for anxiety
Allow me to caveat by saying that any tea, generally, is great for mood support. Liquids (think teas, broths, and plain ol' water) are an important category in Naidoo's anti-anxiety grocery list, so any kind of fluid (assuming they aren't laden with sugar and artificial flavors) earns an A+ in her book.
You see, the link between brain health and hydration1 is well documented. "People who are not drinking enough water also appear more anxious," says Naidoo. "I've even seen a panic be precipitated by being severely dehydrated."
The National Academy of Medicine recommends nine cups of water daily for women (even more for pregnant and breastfeeding women) and 12.5 cups for men, but as always, listen to what your own body needs. As a general rule, "Just make sure that you're sipping water throughout the day," Naidoo suggests.
And for those who need extra help meeting their water quota, teas can help you cross the finish line. "Expand your repertoire of teas," Naidoo advises, emphasizing green and passion flower teas for their soothing benefits. Let's dive into the benefits of both, shall we?
Green tea
- Green tea is rich in polyphenols2, a class of phytochemicals with strong antioxidant benefits. These, combined with caffeine, can influence psychopathological symptoms and help reduce anxiety, improve alertness, and support brain function3 in healthy adults.
- Drinking green tea may help reduce adrenal hormone levels4 associated with stress.
- Green tea is also high in L-theanine, which has anti-stress properties5.
- A review that included 8 studies found that frequent green tea consumption was associated with 34% reduced risk of depressive symptoms6.
Passion flower tea
- In a study7 of participants scheduled for surgery, those who consumed passion flower reported less anxiety than those who received a placebo.
- Passion flower has also been shown to elicit GABA8, the neurotransmitter that helps to keep feelings of stress in check, in the brain.
- Another study9 on passion flower extract found it to be just as effective as the drug oxazepam (commonly used to relieve symptoms of anxiety) for people with general anxiety disorder.
Naidoo suggests making these teas part of your daily hydration regimen, and they can even be helpful for in-the-moment bouts of anxiety.
"Sometimes when people feel anxious, they can't eat, but I often try to encourage them to drink something," she notes. "Drinking a green tea [or] a calming passion flower tea can be very helpful for a little bit of a reset in the body and mind."
The takeaway
There you have it: a nutritional psychiatrist's favorite drinks to prevent (and soothe) anxiety. Green and passion flower teas happen to be her preferred brews, but feel free to choose any other calming tea to sip on—remember, the extra hydration will benefit your brain.
9 Sources
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6147771/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7830344/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28899506
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8889529/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31758301/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35768246/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18499602/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2941540/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11679026/
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