Mugwort Tea Benefits
- Soothe the digestive system
- Excellent aid for constipation sufferers
- Rich in vitamin C
- Essential vitamins that repel colds and the flu
- Relieves with menstrual cramps
- Is a uterine stimulant
- Good source of iron and calcium
- Can help strengthen the bones
- Boost energy
- Improve blood flow
- Is a powerful aphrodisiac
Other Ways It Helps:
- It May Have Diuretic Properties
- It May Relieve Menstrual Pain
- Immune Function
- Vivid Dreams
- Possible Weight Loss
- It Might Improve Vision Health
- Effect on Mental Health
- Effect on Digestive System
Side Effects Of Drinking Mugwort Tea
- Allergic Reactions
- Swelling of the mouth And face
- Headaches
- Upper respiratory tract inflammation
- A runny nose
- Irritated eyes
- Sneezing
- Hay fever
- Asthma attacks
- Nightmares
- Hallucination
- Gastrointestinal Disturbance
- Possible Infertility
What Are the Dangers Of Mugwort?
- When taken incorrectly, mugwort spawns allergic reactions:
- Breathing difficulties
- Bronchospasm
- Airway Hypersensitivity
- Asthma attacks
- Seasonal rhinitis
- Conjunctivitis
-Allergic skin reactions [dermatitis and urticaria]
A cup of coffee or tea is an excellent way to begin the day. Mugwort tea is a beverage you can enjoy to relax and unwind at the end of a long day. That's why we'll talk about the Mugwort tea benefits.
Mugwort, known as "Artemisia vulgaris," is a herb native to Eurasia and Northern Africa. People in Asia have used it since ancient times to treat various health problems, from headaches to digestive issues. Today, it remains popular for the same reasons.
Continue reading to learn more about this tea's health benefits and potential side effects.
Summary of the mugwort tea benefits
Mugwort tea is perfect for what ails you. If you struggle to sleep at night, eat when you're not hungry, or feel depressed, mugwort can guide you toward a healthier and happier life.
In the old days, people knew Artemisia vulgaris for its healing powers. When you brew the mugwort plant as tea, it helps to soothe the digestive system and is an excellent aid for constipation sufferers. The mugwort pollen leaves are rich in vitamin C and other essential vitamins that repel colds and the flu.
This type of tea can help with period pains and is good for women's health. Plus, this old Chinese medicine has stuff like iron and calcium that make your bones strong, give you more energy, and help you feel great! Tea drinkers will become a fan for life once they've tried mugwort tea. [1]
Can you drink mugwort tea daily?
Mugwort tea leaves have special oils in them, and a big part of these oils is something called "Santalol." This stuff makes up about half of the oil in the tea and helps fight off germs.
Drinking mugwort tea daily improves skin tone and detoxifies the body. The complementary health practitioner recommends using 1-3 teaspoons of the leaves and adding 1 cup of boiling water. Immerse for 10-15 minutes, then filter. [2]
Furthermore, it's best to drink with an empty stomach at meal time due to its absorbed and practical properties. Do not drink and eat but drink to reduce its potential side effects.
What does mugwort tea do?
Drinking mugwort tea can help with leg and neck pain, feeling worried or sick to your stomach, feeling sad, swelling, fever, and when you have a cold.
Moreover, it has the following positive effects on health:
It may have diuretic properties
Mugwort tea can make you pee more, and this helps get rid of bad stuff from your body. It may also help cleanse the bowel and bladder, reducing infections and improving function in some people.
It can also stimulate drenching, which helps remove excess waste from our bodies and skin through sweating.[3]
It may relieve menstrual pain
A significant use for mugwort tea may be to treat dysmenorrhea, called menstrual cramps. Or, it can regulate the ovaries and help them change during menopause.
Pregnant women should avoid using substances that induce menses because they can harm the baby and cause a miscarriage. [4]
Immune function
This tea may offer an ideal option to improve your immunity and boost your health. Mugwort tea has Vitamin C in it. This vitamin is good because it fights off things that can make you sick and helps reduce swelling in the body. [5]
Vivid dreams
People know the tea of Artemisia vulgaris for its calming properties. You can use it to stimulate vivid dreams. It aims to help in relieving dreams and experiencing rare lucid dreams.[6]
Possible weight loss
Mugwort tea contains B vitamins that can increase metabolism and fat loss. Many people find this helpful function as dietary supplements and could assist with the body's performance.[7]
It might improve vision health
Mugwort tea and coffee contain Vitamin A, which is a powerful antioxidant for vision. The beta-carotene vitamin could likely reduce cataract formation and macular degeneration.[8]
Effect on mental health
Many people use mugwort as an alternative treatment for depression, anxiety, and other mood disorders. Some studies have shown that it can treat these conditions when taken over a long period.[9]
Effect on digestive system
Mugwort root gives you energy and helps with tummy troubles like when your food doesn't settle right or takes too long to digest. Mugwort also stimulates saliva and bile production.[10]
Healing properties of mugwort
People have used it in herbal medicine for centuries because it has healing properties. The herb acts as an abortifacient, which can induce menstruation or abortion. [11]
It can reduce inflammation, reducing pain and swell around joints. It can help clear out the yucky stuff from your lungs and throat, making it easier to breathe and cough it out.
Other uses of mugwort leaves
Mugwort has contributed to health since antiquity. It's possible to prepare the tea using various brewing methods. Yet, there are other ways of enjoying mugwort.
Here are some alternative uses of mugwort:
For preparing japanese snacks and sweets
Due to its vibrant green hues, delicate flavors, and sticky texture, you can use mugwort to make Kus-a-mochi, rice cake, and coffee mugwort. Kus-a-mochi set out in the spring during the Dolls' fests in March.
Mugwort leaves are a crucial component of many Japanese sweets, especially to give these sweets a green color and taste.
For your better relaxation and radiant skin
In Japan, people use mugwort as Bath Tea. Cineole can help relieve stress while preventing infections and bacterial infections from spreading. Mugwort has a light, fresh smell that's used in Japanese hot springs to help people relax and feel less stressed.[12]
For moxibustion needs (traditional chinese medicine)
In conventional Chinese medicine, mugwort is also used as a method to perform chemotherapy. The term "moxibustion" refers to burning a herb over the entire body to provide nutrition and bring warmth or dryness into the body. Using moxibustion with acupuncture has proven to reduce the number of cesareans. [13]
What are the side effects of drinking mugwort tea?
Mugwort is a herb that is most familiar for its medicinal properties, but it also has side effects. Below are some undesirable effects that may result from ingesting or using mugwort:
Allergic reactions
Mugwort contains thujone, which is harmful to people who take high doses. People with food allergies like apples, peaches, or celery are likely allergic. People also call this allergy the "birch mugwort celery syndrome" or the celery carrot mugwort spice syndrome. Besides the tea, touching mugwort pollen can make people who are allergic to pollen feel even worse. [14] The allergic reactions caused by the mugwort pollen are like those of ragweed. Such allergies can cause the following symptoms: [15]
- Swelling of the mouth And face
- Headaches
- Upper respiratory tract inflammation
- A runny nose
- Irritated eyes
- Sneezing
- Hay fever
- Asthma attacks
You need to use artemisia Vulgaris cautiously as this will cause a mild allergic reaction.
Nightmares: can artemisia vulgaris cause nightmares?
A nightmare is a sleep disorder where a person feels anxiety while dreaming. This anxiety becomes so intense that the brain wakes the person to avoid a panic attack. People usually associate nightmares with a specific type of dream called REM sleep behavior disorder. This disorder can cause a person to act out their fantasies.
In some Asian countries, people know Artemisia vulgaris (mugwort) to induce sleep and cause nightmares. Thus, one should take this herb with extreme caution.
Like alcohol, mugwort can trigger another type of dream that doesn't occur during REM sleep. People know this dream as a "hypnagogic hallucination," which can make a person afraid to fall asleep or even wake them up in a panic.[16]
Hallucination
Is mugwort hallucinogenic? Yes, the herb may have hallucinogenic effects on the body.
People who smoke mugwort report feeling relaxed and euphoric. They also say they experience vivid and intense dreams when they sleep after smoking it. When you drink mugwort tea, it can change the way your brain works and make you feel different because it has special ingredients that affect your thoughts and feelings. You can learn more about smoking mugwort in the Ultiblog article "15 Best Safe Smokable Herbs and Blends." In some areas, it thins the blood; in others, it's believed to have hallucinogen effects. [17]
Gastrointestinal disturbance
Some people might get an upset stomach if they touch mugwort because it has strong stuff in it that can get into their skin.
Mugwort can cause digestive problems and diarrhea. [18]
Can mugwort make you infertile?
Some people think that mugwort can make it hard for you to have babies because it messes with the body's system that controls hormones. But what does science say?
Mugwort may cause miscarriage by inducing abnormal contractions in the expectant woman's uterus. [19]
Caution
Mugwort tea drinkers must note these realities:
What are the dangers of mugwort?
When taken incorrectly, mugwort spawns allergic reactions, which result in the following:
- Breathing difficulties
- Bronchospasm
- Airway Hypersensitivity
- Asthma attacks
- Seasonal rhinitis
- Conjunctivitis
- Allergic skin reactions, such as dermatitis and urticaria
Still, In the U.S, mugwort is widely accepted as an alternative to other dietary supplements and homeopathic remedies, safe for the public.
How is pollen cross-reactivity related to mugwort tea?
Pollen cross-reactivity is a term used to describe the reaction of one pollen type with another. Cross-reactivity is a common phenomenon in hay fever sufferers and shows in people allergic to house dust mites.
The most common pollen that causes cross-reactivity is Timothy grass, ragweed, mugwort, and oak tree pollen.
Various types of pollen can elicit allergic reactions. Some people can be allergic to many types of pollen, while others might not be allergic to any. Some people might feel bad only when they're close to the mugwort plant. But others could have a super bad reaction that's dangerous and needs quick treatment.
Bottom line
The early Chinese and Egyptian civilizations used mugwort tea in their medicines and incense. Mugwort tea is still used as a natural treatment for various health problems, such as insomnia, anxiety, and pain.
This wonder tea is easy to make and much healthier than many other things you consume daily. So, why wait?
Try to apply caution as you brew yourself a relaxing steaming cup of mugwort tea today.
FAQ
Is Mugwort Tea Good For Your Hair?
Many people believe mugwort causes hair to grow better and makes it shinier. Make a rubbing oil by crushing a few mugwort leaves and mixing the paste with olive oil. Then, rub this oil into your scalp and leave it overnight. Wash off the following day. Follow these steps twice a week to get the desired result. Also, mugwort can be used as a shampoo to cure hair loss. You can use mugwort on its own or in combination with other ingredients.
Is Mugwort a Drug?
No, not really. Mugwort is a Chinese herb made and used in many parts of Asia for various purposes, including medicine, culinary procedures, and religious ceremonies.
References
- Ann & Eli Apothecary: The Best Herbs to Relieve Menstrual Cramps
- Indigo Herbs: Mugwort Benefits
- NCBI: Phytochemistry and pharmacological activity of the genus artemisia
- NCBI: Antiviral and Immunomodulation Effects of Artemisia
- How To Lucid: All About Mugwort For Lucid Dreaming, The Dream Herb
- NCBI: Anti-Obesity Effects of Artemisia annua Extract in Zucker Fatty Rats
- World Vegetable Center: Mugwort flowers
- NIH: Herbal Medicine for Depression and Anxiety
- NCBI: Significance of Artemisia Vulgaris L. (Common Mugwort)
- NCBI: Therapeutic potential of Artemisia vulgaris
- ScienceDirect: Natural Products Structural Diversity-I Secondary Metabolites
- Cleveland Clinic: Moxibustion: What Is It and Does It Work?
- NCBI: Mugwort Pollen-Related Food Allergy
- Verywell Health: All About Ragweed Allergy
- Mayo Clinic: REM sleep behavior
- Foodly: Is mugwort a hallucinogen?
- ScienceDirect: Mugwort
- Parenting Healthy Babies: 7 Most Know Tea That Lower Fertility in Women
