If you’re going to use chamomile essential oil, remember that it’s meant to use topically on the skin, but not to ingest. Do a patch test first on a small part of your skin to make sure you don’t have any negative reactions to the plant’s oils before using in other applications. Chamomile essential oil can also be bought in health food stores and online. It’s an excellent remedy for solving skin issues and reducing pain, plus you can burn chamomile as an aromatherapy treatment to ease tension, relax and fall asleep easily. Once boiled, place the chamomile flowers in a glass/teapot and cover them with the water. Allow it to steep for 4-5 minutes. Then strain the tea from the pot, sweeten (I make honey chamomile tea), and enjoy. Apple juice: Replace some water with apple juice (to taste) for a delicious, refreshing warm, or iced version. It will naturally sweeten it, too. Gobbetti M., Cagno R. D., De Angelis M. (2010). Functional microorganisms for functional food quality. Crit. Rev. Food Sci. Nutr. 50, 716–727. 10.1080/10408398.2010.499770

Hajizadeh-Sharafabad, F, et al. (2020). Chamomile ( Matricaria recutita L.) and diabetes mellitus, current knowledge and the way forward: A systematic review. Skin lightening: Blemishes and redness can be lightened by chamomile which is sometimes referred to as ‘natural skin bleach’. This is because chamomile acts as a vasodilator, improving blood flow and helping the skin to appear brighter and more refreshed. So you can enjoy a healthy glow rather than a blotchy indication that your skin is under stress. How to get the benefits of chamomile in your skincare regime Aside from drinking chamomile tea, here some simple ways to use chamomile essential oil around your home: Srivastava J. K., Shankar E., Gupta S. (2010). Chamomile: A herbal medicine of the past with bright future. Mol. Med. Rep. 3 ( 6), 895–901. 10.3892/mmr.2010.377 The main antioxidant components extracted from chamomile flowers are the terpenoid group of antioxidants, including chamazulene and acetylene derivatives. Because these delicate compounds are unstable, they’re thought to be best preserved in an alcoholic tincture or “essential oil” form. Other major constituents of the flowers include several phenolic compounds, primarily the flavonoids, including apigenin, quercetin, patuletin as well as various glucosides.Berries: Add some muddled or whole berries to an iced chamomile tea for more flavor and texture. Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, etc., will work. Dried chamomile can be added to a bath to create a soothing, calming experience. Chamomile has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, which can help reduce skin irritation and redness. It also contains compounds that have been known to reduce stress and anxiety, making it the perfect addition to a relaxing bath.

Phing P. L., Abdullah A., Sin C. L., Foong S. C. Y. (2022). The effect of drying methods on the physicochemical and antioxidant properties of Bintangor orange (Citrus nobilis) powders. Acta Sci. Pol. Technol. Aliment. 21 ( 1), 111–122. 10.17306/J.AFS.0901 Caparino O. A., Tang J., Nindo C. I., Sablani S. S., Powers J. R., Fellman J. K. (2012). Effect of drying methods on the physical properties and microstructures of mango (Philippine ‘Carabao’ var.) powder. J. Food Eng. 111 ( 1), 135–148. 10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2012.01.010 Due to the high initial moisture content of fresh chamomile flowers (83.34 ± 0.7) %, they are considered highly perishable ( Rahimi et al., 2014). To increase the shelf life, the fresh chamomile flowers are subjected to drying post-harvest. Dried chamomile flowers are usually sold in whole flowers or ground into tea bags, either in pure or blended with other herbs. Besides that, the chamomile preparations are also marketed in form of infusions, decoctions as well as powder resulting from the drying of the extract. The dried extract in form of powder offers much flexibility for new therapeutic formulations as it could be used as a replacement for liquid extract and serve as a shelf-stable ingredient in new applications. The dried extract also shows greater benefits over its liquid counterpart as it has a higher concentration of bioactive compound and higher storage stability with reduced storage cost required ( Goula et al., 2004). Dried extract also allows standardization and quality control of herbal preparation to be done much easier. Iced chamomile latte: Make a double-strength brew, allow it to chill, then top it up with milk and ice. This tastes lovely with vanilla too. Atar Y., Karaketir S., Aydogdu I., Sari H., Bircan H. S., Uyar Y., et al. (2022). Comparison of isotonic seawater nasal spray containing chamomile liquid extract and other isotonic seawater nasal washing solutions for allergic rhinitis. Ann. Otol. Rhinol. Laryngol. 131 ( 4), 427–434. 10.1177/00034894211025411One study published in The Lancet assessed the flavonoid intake of 805 men aged 65–84 years and found that higher flavonoid intake from foods and herbs was significantly inversely associated with mortality from coronary heart disease. To keep the teapot hot: Pour some hot water into it, swirl it around, then discard. Then add the brewed tea. Eubank PLC, Abreu LG, Violante IP, Volpato LER. Medicinal plants used for the treatment of mucositis induced by oncotherapy: a systematic review. Support Care Cancer. 2021;29(11):6981-6993. doi:10.1007/s00520-021-06247-0 Catani M. V., Rinaldi F., Tullio V., Gasperi V., Savini I. (2021). Comparative analysis of phenolic composition of six commercially available chamomile (matricaria chamomilla L.) extracts: Potential biological implications. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 22 ( 19), E788. 10.3390/ijms21030788 Chamomile, whether in tea, tincture or essential oil form, is one the best medicinal herbs for fighting stress and promoting relaxation, according to research from Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine and Pharmacognosy Review. Inhaling chamomile vapors using chamomile oil is often recommended as a natural remedy for depression and general anxiety, which is one reason why chamomile oil is a popular ingredient in many candles, aromatherapy products and bath-soaking treatments.