Herbal teas, technically known asherbal infusions, and less commonly^[2] calledtisanes (UK and US/tɪˈzæn/, US also/tɪˈzɑːn/),^[3] are beverages made from theinfusion ordecoction ofherbs,spices, or otherplant material in hot water. Oftenherb tea, or the plain termtea, is used as a reference to all sorts of herbal teas. Many herbs used in teas/tisanes are also used inherbal medicine and infolk medicine.

These "teas" do not usually contain any truetea (Camellia sinensis), but some herbal blends do contain true tea (e.g., the Indian classicmasala chai). The term "herbal" tea is often used to distinguish these beverages from "true" teas (e.g.,black,green,white,yellow,oolong), which are prepared from the cured leaves of the tea plant,Camellia sinensis. Unlike true teas, most tisanes do not naturally containcaffeine (though tea can bedecaffeinated, i.e., processed to remove caffeine).^[4][5]

A number of plants, however,do contain psychoactive compounds, such as caffeine or anotherstimulant, liketheobromine,cocaine orephedrine. Some have the opposite effect, acting as asedative. Some commoninfusions have specific names such asmate (yerba mate) androoibos (red bush).Hibiscus tea is one type of herbal infusion, but many described as some other plant have hibiscus as the main ingredient, or a major one.^[6]

Some feel^{[clarification needed]} that the termtisane is more correct thanherbal tea or that the latter is even misleading, but most dictionaries record that the wordtea is also used to refer to other plants beside thetea plant and to beverages made from these other plants.^[7][8] In any case, the termherbal tea is very well established and much more common thantisane.^[2]

Furthermore, in theEtymology of tea, the most ancient term for tea was荼 (pronouncedtu) which originally referred to various plants such assow thistle,chicory, orsmartweed, and was later used to exclusively refer toCamellia sinensis (true "tea").^[9][10]

The wordtisane was rare in its modern sense before the 20th century, when it was borrowed in the modern sense from French. This is why some people feel it should be pronounced/tɪˈzɑːn/ as inFrench, but the original English pronunciation/tɪˈzæn/ continues to be more common in US English and especially in UK English.^[3]

The word had already existed in lateMiddle English in the sense of "medicinal drink" and had already been borrowed from French (Old French). The Old French word came from the Latin wordptisana, which came from theAncient Greek wordπτισάνη (ptisánē), which meant "peeled" barley, in other wordspearl barley, and a drink made from this that is similar to modernbarley water.^[11]

Herbal teas can be made with any part of a plant, including fresh or driedflowers,fruit,leaves, stems, seeds orroots. These parts may be steeped fully raw (as picked) or processed in some way (such as drying, roasting, crushing, tearing / cutting, steaming, etc.).

Herbal infusions may be made by pouring hot orboiling water over the plant parts and letting them steep for a period of time. The infusion temperature and time can vary depending on the type of plant part used and their properties. For example, some plant parts are covered in oils which may take some time to separate.Brewing with cold water will take much longer as well, usually several hours.

An herbal tea may be strained or not (as withmate where a special straw called abombilla is used for drinking).

Some herbal teas are blends which include various different herbs or plant parts. Herbal infusions may also be sweetened, spiced, salted, or combined with other additives, like milk or lemon juice.

Some herbal teas are also infused inalcohol, either for medicinal purposes or to make an herballiquor.

Herbal teas are commonly used inHerbal medicine and in traditional medical cultures, like IndianAyurveda andTraditional Chinese medicine. Many ancient and medievalHerbal texts contain evidence for the use of various herb infusions throughout human history. Various herbal teas have been promoted throughout history asfolk remedies for various diseases and in some cultures they retain their status as local folk cures.

Many companies produce herbaltea bags for such infusions or sell bottled herbal teas.

•  
  This retail mixture containsrooibos,coconut,ginger,cinnamon,apple,cardamom,black pepper andalmond.
•  
  Driedelderberries ready to besteeped into tea
•  
  Coffee blossom tea
•  
  Apple,rose hips,orangezest,papaya,peppermint,liquorice root,lemon grass,cinnamon,blackcurrants,rose andmallow blossoms

Herbal teas can be made from any edible plant material, below is a list of common herbal infusions. Some herbal teas are made from plants which containcaffeine, and other herbal infusions may contain otherpsychoactive compounds. However, many other common herbal teas have not been shown psychoactive properties when compared toplacebos, though they may still have some physical effects.

Many herbal teas on the market may also be blends which include various herbs or plant parts. These blends may also include additives, likeflavorings.

• Cacao bean tea, which containstheobromine and a small amount ofcaffeine.
• Coffee-leaf tea,coffee fruit tea, and coffee blossom tea are herbal teas made using the leaves, fruits and flowers of thecoffee plant
• Guayusa tea, made from the caffeinated leaves of theilex guayusaholly, native to theAmazon rainforest
• Mate, a South American caffeinated tea made from the hollyyerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis)
• Yaupon tea, caffeinated leaves of theyaupon holly, native toNorth America
• Tea made fromIlex cassine, which has less caffeine than yaupon, but moretheobromine.

• Cannabis tea, which contains the psychoactiveTHC. It is a common drink in India, where it is known asbhang.
• Coca tea, infusion made fromcoca leaves. Contains trace amounts ofcocaine and similar alkaloids.^[12] In some countries where coca is illegal, products marketed as "coca tea" are supposed to bedecocainized, i.e., the pharmacologically active components have been removed from the leaf using the same chemicals as manufacturing cocaine.
• Kava root tea, common in Pacific island cultures (Polynesia,Melanesia,Micronesia), which hassedative effects andanesthetic effects caused by compounds calledkavalactones.^[13] The traditional form is a water-based suspension of kava roots.
• Kratom tea made from the dried leaves of the kratom tree. It hasopioid-like properties and somestimulant-like effects.^[14][15]
• St. John's wort tea, the plant has been shown to haveantidepressant properties according to a 2017meta-analysis.^[16]
• Ephedra tea, mainly from the plantEphedra sinica.^[17] It contains the stimulantephedrine. It has been used intraditional Chinese medicine, where it is calledmáhuáng, for more than 2,000 years.^[18][19] Ephedra tea was also used byNative Americans andMormons, hence the name "Mormon tea" and "Indian tea".
• Poppy tea, brewed from thepoppy straw orseeds of several species ofpoppy (most commonlyPapaver somniferum). Since it containsopium, it is consumed for itsnarcotic, sedative andanalgesic properties.
• Salvia divinorum ("Sage of the diviners") tea which containssalvinorin A, a compound that induces adissociative state andhallucinations.^[20]
• Dream herb (Calea ternifolia) anoneirogen (dream inducing herb) native to the Americas made into a tea by Mexican peoples.^[21]
• African dream root(Silene undulata) which is an oneirogen used by theXhosa people as asacred plant.^[22][23]
• Ayahuasca, a highly psychoactive andhallucinogenic infusion brewed from theBanisteriopsis caapi vine and the leaves of thePsychotria viridis shrub. It is prepared and drunk by native peoples of theAmazon basin as a healing drug and as a spiritualshamanic brew.
• Tabernanthe iboga, which can be made into an infusion, is traditionally used by the peoples ofCentral Africa and inAfrican traditional medicine as a stimulant (in low doses) or as a powerful ritual hallucinogen (in larger quantities).^[24][25][26]
• Tobacco tea, which containsnicotine and is traditionally used by the indigenous peoples of the Americas as a medicine for various ills (dizziness, headaches), as alaxative, as anemetic and as anexpectorant.^[27]

• Anise tea, made from either the seeds or the leaves
• Asiatic penny-wort leaf, inSouth Asia andSoutheast Asia
• Artichoke tea
• Commiphora gileadensis tea, in the Hijaz region of western Arabia.
• Bael fruit tea
• Bee balm
• Boldo, used in South America
• Burdock; the seeds, leaves, and roots have been used
• Butterfly pea flower tea (fromClitoria ternatea), also called "Blue tea" since it produces a blue infusion
• Caraway, tea made from the seeds
• Catnip, tea used as a relaxant,sedative, and to calm
• Chamomile
• Che dang, bitter tea made fromIlex causue leaves
• Chinese knotweed tea
• Chrysanthemum tea, made from dried flowers
• Cinnamon tea
• Clover tea, made from the blossoms
• Cerasse, bitterJamaican herb
• Citrus peel, includingbergamot,lemon andorange peel
• Dandelion coffee, which does not contain caffeine despite the name
• Dill tea
• Dried lime tea, made fromdried limes common inwestern Asia
• Echinacea tea
• Elderberry
• European mistletoe (Viscum album), (steep in cold water for 2–6 hours)
• Essiac tea, blended herbal tea
• Fennel
• Gentian
• Ginger root can be made into herbal tea, known in thePhilippines assalabat
• Ginkgo biloba
• Ginseng, a common tea in China and Korea, commonly used as a stimulant and as a caffeine substitute
• Goji berry tea
• Hawthorn
• Hibiscus (often blended withrose hip), a common tea in the Middle East or Asia
• Honeybush, similar torooibos and grows in a nearby area ofSouth Africa, but tastes slightly sweeter. Has a low tannin content, no caffeine.
• Horehound
• Houttuynia
• Hydrangea tea, dried leaves of hydrangeas; considerable care must be taken because most species contain a toxin. The "safe" hydrangeas belong to theHydrangea serrata Amacha ("sweet tea") cultivar group.^[28]
• Jasmine flower tea, though it is commonly blended with tea leaves, jasmine flowers are also sometimes infused on their own
• Jiaogulan (also known asxiancao or "poor man's ginseng")
• Kapor tea, dried leaves offireweed
• Kelp tea, East Asian tea made from kelp, known askonbu-cha in Japan
• Kuzuyu, a thick white Japanese tea made by addingkudzu flour to hot water
• Labrador tea, made from the shrub by the same name, found in the northern part of North America
• Lavender tea^[29]
• Lemon balm
• Lemon and ginger tea
• Lemongrass tea
• Luo han guo
• Licorice root
• Lime blossom, dried flowers of thelime tree (tilia inLatin).
• Meadowsweet herb
• Mint (mint tea), made from various mints, especiallypeppermint andspearmint. It is also commonly mixed withgreen tea, as inMaghrebi mint tea.Korean mint tea is one popular pure mint herbal tea.
• Mound of termites tea inMerauke
• Moringa
• Mountain tea, common in the Balkans and other areas of the Mediterranean region. Made from a variety of theSideritis syriaca plant which grows in warm climates above 3,000 feet. Records of its use date back 2,000 years.
• Neem leaf
• Nettle leaf
• New Jersey tea (Ceanothus americanus), which has a mild blood pressure lowering effect.^[30]
• Noni tea
• Oksusu cha, traditional roastedcorn tea found in Korea
• Olive leaf tea
• Oregano tea
• Osmanthus tea, dried flowers of the sweet olive tree, are used alone or blended with tea leaves in China.
• Pandan tea
• Patchouli tea
• Pennyroyal leaf, anabortifacient
• Pine tea, ortallstrunt, made from needles of pine trees
• Qishr, Yemeni drink with coffee husks and ginger
• Red clover tea
• Redraspberry leaf
• Barley tea, East Asian drink with roastedbarley
• Rosa × damascena tea, in the Middle East.
• Roastedwheat, used inPostum, a coffee substitute
• Rooibos (red bush), a reddish plant used to make an infusion and grown inSouth Africa. In the US it is sometimes called red tea. It has many of theantioxidant characteristics ofgreen tea, but because it does not come from tea leaves, it has nocaffeine.
• Rose hip (often blended withhibiscus)
• Roselle petals (species of hibiscus; known by other names includingbissau anddah), consumed in theSahel and elsewhere
• Rosemary
• Sagebrush,California sagebrush
• Sage
• Sakurayu, Japanese herbal tea made with pickledcherry blossom petals
• Sassafras roots were steeped to make tea, a practice which was common among Native Americans. They were also used in the flavoring ofroot beer until being banned by theFDA.
• Scorchedrice, known ashyeonmi cha in Korea
• Skullcap
• Shallot peel tea fromKalimantan
• Serendib (tea), tea fromSri Lanka
• Sobacha
• Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) leaves used to make a tea by some native peoples of eastern North America
• Spruce tea, made from needles of spruce trees
• Staghorn sumac, fruit can be made into a lemonade
• Stevia, can be used to make herbal tea, or as a sweetener in other beverages
• Sweet potato leaf tea, a common herbal tea in Chinese medicine
• Thyme, containsthymol
• Tulsi, orholy basil
• Turmeric tea
• Uncaria tomentosa, commonly known as cat's claw
• Valerian is used as a sedative, but clinical evidence for its psychoactive properties are inconclusive.^[31][32][33]
• Verbena (vervain)
• Wax gourd in East Asia and Southeast Asia.
• Wong Lo Kat, a recipe for herbal tea from Guangdong, China since the Qing Dynasty
• Woodruff
• Yarrow

While most herbal teas are safe for regular consumption, some herbs havetoxic orallergenic effects. Among the greatest causes of concern are:

• Comfrey, which containsalkaloids which may be harmful to theliver from chronic use, and particularly is not recommended during pregnancy or whenprescription drugs are used; comfrey is not recommended for oral use.^[34]
• Lobelia, which contains alkaloids and hastraditional medicine uses for smoking cessation, may cause nausea, vomiting, or dizziness at high doses.^[35]

Herbal teas can also have different effects from person to person, and this is further compounded by the problem of potential misidentification. The deadlyfoxglove, for example, can be mistaken for the much more benign (but still relatively toxic to the liver) comfrey. Care must be taken not to use anypoisonous plants.

The US does not require herbal teas to have any evidence concerning their efficacy, but does treat them technically as food products and require that they be safe for consumption.

Fruit or fruit-flavored tea is usually acidic and thus may contribute to erosion oftooth enamel.^[36]

Some phytochemicals found in herbs and fruits can adversely interact with others and over the counter or prescription medications, among other ways by affecting their metabolism by the body. Herbs and fruits that inhibit or induce the body's Cytochrome P450 enzyme complex function can either cause the drug to be dangerously ineffective, or increase its effective absorbed dose to potentially toxic levels, respectively. Best known examples of adverse herb‑drug interactions aregrapefruit orSt John's wort, contraindicated for several medications includingPaxlovid andoral contraceptives, but other herbs also affect the CYP enzyme family, showing herb‑drug interactions.^[37][38][39]

Depending on the source of the herbal ingredients, herbal teas, like any crop, may be contaminated withpesticides orheavy metals.^[40][41]According to Naithani & Kakkar (2004), "all herbal preparations should be checked for toxic chemical residues to allay consumer fears of exposure to known neuro-toxicant pesticides and to aid in promoting global acceptance of these products".^[40]

• List of hot beverages
• Tea culture
• Health effects of tea
• Tincture, the often more concentrated plant extracts made in pure grain alcohol, glycerin, or vinegar
• Yerba mate
• Hot chocolate
• Coffee substitute
• Tea in France
• Chinese sweet tea

•   Media related totisanes at Wikimedia Commons
•   Learning materials related toinfusion maker at Wikiversity