Mugwort is a medicinal herb that has for a very long time throughout human history been used to treat a number of different issues and problems. The plant is native to northern Europe, Asia and some parts of North America.
Often used to flavor beer but also used in order to prevent health issues like anxiety, digestive issues and irregular periods, but a long list of other issues too. The entire plant was used for medicinal purposes, root, stem, leaves and flowers. Extracts and oils are some of the most common products made from it, but making tea from mugwort is also common.
Fun Fact
Mugwort can go by many different names, some of these are:
- Artemisia
- Hierba de San Juan
- Armoise
- Vulgaris herba
- Artemisia vulgaris
- St. John´s herb
- Felon herb
- Chrysanthemum weed
- Herbe Royale
Mugwort Tea, Side Effects And Benefits
Making tea from mugwort has been used for thousands of years for a variety of different health conditions and issues. Used through Europe and Asia it saw constant use. Besides being used for medicinal purposes it was also used instead of hops to brew beer.
Making tea from the mugwort plant will provide you with all the nutritional value in the plant. Making tea from the plant can either be dried or fresh, the difference would be how long you would steep the leaves. Fresh leaves require slightly less time as otherwise you will have a bitter flavor and aroma.
Mugwort tea will provide you with a lot of vitamins, A, K and E to be precise. It’s also pretty rich in potassium, iron and calcium. These are all released when you are making tea from it.
Mugwort tea can help with a variety of different issues:
- Reduces anxiety
- Muscles pain
- Depression
- Relieves headaches and migraines
The benefits are many, but there are side effects too of course. Some people might find it almost addictive to drink this tea. It provides an almost numbing feeling, but for the vast majority of people it’s not something that you will get hooked on.
Let’s highlight some of the more long term benefits that mugwort tea can help with:
Improves Eyesight And Vision Health
Drinking mugwort on the regular can in the long term help with maintaining a better vision health. It will slow down the progress of your vision getting worse. But also seems to prevent there being any issues from the beginning. Things like infections or itches are rarely seen if you drink mugwort tea regularly.
Immune System
As mugwort is very rich in vitamin C and antioxidants, for the long term health of your body it offers great value. The risk for colds, fevers or migraines are reduced and its reported people using the mugwort often experience a healthier everyday life. The vitamin C helps aid the white blood cells who have the responsibility of taking out free radicalz, which causes sickness and headaches.
Might Help With Weight Loss
Since mugwort is also very rich in Vitamin B, it will help boost your metabolism which is a passive fat burning mechanism. In the long term this can help aid weight loss and make it easier to see progress. Your body will feel more energetic and even concentrated.
The Benefits To Mugwort Tea
Mugwort is a very common plant or weed that can cover vast areas in a pretty short time if left unchecked. It manages fine in places where there is a lot of sunlight and the soil is not rich in either water or nutrients.
Nowadays the plant is often ripped out as soon as it’s spotted to not endanger the other plants. But before it was left to grow and harvested eventually when it was ready. Some of the benefits that mugwort tea can help with are as following:
- Boosting energy
- Helping and relieving stress
- Improves blood circulation
- Helps with sleep issues
- Boosts liver health
- Helps relieving headaches
- Gets rid of an itch
- Repels insects
- Normalizes a menstrual cycle
- Relieves muscle aches and pains
What Can It Help With
Mugwort tea can help with a variety of different issues. It should however be mentioned that there is not a lot of research on this topic yet however. Using mugwort either dried or like tea , is still a household remedy, but the plant is starting to see more and more traction and use in the commercial side.
Some of the issues that is believed to be treated or helped with mugwort tea are as the following:
- Anxiety
- Constipation
- Depression
- Diarrhea
- Epilepsy
- Headaches and migraines
- Insomnia
- Nausea and vomiting
These are home remedies though, so there are no reports supporting that mugwort are actually effective against these things.
A fun fact is that smoking mugwort has actually been used in acupuncture. Here the dried leaves of the plant would be rolled together into a joint like a cigarette. This would then be ignited and waved over the body that was meant to be treated. The effectiveness of this however is still disputed, but it was meant to enhance the experience.
Side Effects With Consuming Mugwort Tea
For the vast majority of people consuming mugwort will come without issues and side effects. But if you are pregnant, consuming this plant should be avoided. It’s known to increase the risk of miscarriages. Since there is a lack of research around the topic, giving it to people more easily affected should be avoided, that could be children or elderly.
It’s not very common to be allergic to ragweed, but if you are you should also avoid mugwort as they are in the same family. If you are feeling some types of side effects after drinking mugwort tea, here is a list describing some of these so you can help identify the one you are experiencing:
- Rashes, itches
- Mouth tingeling
- Stomach pain
- Headaches
- Swollen lips
- Nausea or vomiting
These are generally referred to as quite minimal allergic reactions, but you can also experience severe allergic reactions too.
- Wheezing
- Rapid or irregular heartbeats
- Swelling, either on the face, throat or neck
- Caughing
- Faintness or lightheadedness
When you are experiencing some of these sideeffects it is highly recommended to visit a medical professional since it can lead to further issues down the line. As a final warning you should avoid mugwort altogether if you are also prone to allergic reactions from celery, carrot or birch.
Dosage And Preparing The Mugwort Tea
We have mentioned the use of mugwort in beverages like beer already, but the plant was also widely used before to flavor food too. Everything from salads, to fish and meat, the mugwort plant offered a slightly sweet and aromatic touch to the food being prepared.
But we are here to talk about using it for tea. The leaves were often harvested at the end of the summer and then left to dry. The dried leaves are a lot easier to handle and preserve. They also have a higher dosage of the nutrients and would give more of an “effect” or “buzz”.
But the mugwort comes today in a variety of different forms:
- Extracts
- Essential Oils
- Powders
- Tinctures
- Supplements
There is yet to be a recommended amount of mugwort that should be used when taking it. But solely smoking mugwort for example might be too much. Letting the tea sit with the mugwort for too long can also diminish the effect and nutrition in it.
Worth Knowing Beforehand
There isn’t yet to be a lot of research published around the use of mugwort, even though it has been used for so many years in our society. The plant is believed to offer a lot of benefits to the body, but if you are allergic or pregnant then avoiding the plant all together is probably the best option.
If you don’t have any previous medical issues, then you are most likely fine using the mugwort to either smoke or even better, to make tea from. But with all things, it’s a very good idea to consult with a medical professional beforehand to avoid any complications.
Summary And Conclusion
Mugwort tea has for a very long time been used to help treat certain medicinal issues and problems. There is no research on the topic yet, but it’s believed mugwort tea can help with reducing muscle pain and anxiety. Drinking the tea often gives you a relaxing and calming feeling that will carry throughout the day.
It was also often used to help women with their menstrual cycle, as the plant stabilized it and reduced muscle pain too. All in all the mugwort has a long history of being used and even though nothing has been proven yet, a lot of these house remedies carry both benefits and important knowledge with them.
Additional Information
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