A tea that can help eliminate anxiety

Liz Moody is the Senior Food Editor at mindbodygreen.com and has struggled with anxiety for most of her adult life. ‘For the most part, I try to avoid medication (every person is individual, and I find it’s not right for me), rather relying on meditation, yoga, social time, and a huge stash of calming teas. Whether you have anxiety regularly or you’re just dealing with the stress of everyday life, the simple action of sipping a warm cup of tea can be oh so comforting—and if that tea has additional herbs and ingredients meant to calm you, all the better.’

‘The Pukka Relax tea is my favourite flavour, with a strong fennel note that soothes my stomach. Personally, I find the gut-brain connection all too real—when I get an upset stomach, I inevitably feel pangs of anxiety, and when those waves of anxiety come, I inevitably feel that churning in my stomach. The fennel really soothed that—in fact, this tea, as a whole, was super soothing. It didn’t feel therapeutic but was a nice moment of ah, a spot of zen in a hectic day. The ingredients are pretty wow-worthy too: chamomile, liquorice, sweet fennel seed, bitter fennel seed, oat flowering tops, cardamom pod, ginger root, and marshmallow root.’

Tip: To get the most benefits out of this tea (or any herbal tea that you’re drinking for therapeutic purposes), cover your mug while it steeps (a saucer, plate or bowl placed gently on top). This prevents the volatile organic oils that give herbs their potency from evaporating in the steam, ensuring the resulting tea is maximally effective.