Hormone balancing, PCOS friendly herbal teas
Herbal teas have many health benefits but if you have PCOS, there are a few specific herbal teas that can help to improve insulin resistance, reduce testosterone levels and balance hormones naturally.
In this article I’ve listed 10 of the best herbal teas for PCOS.
This post about herbal teas for PCOS contains affiliate links. Please read the disclosure for more info.
Drinking herbal tea is an easy to way to help with getting your PCOS symptoms under control.
1. Spearmint Tea
Spearmint tea
is one of
the most popular herbal teas for PCOS.
It helps to reduce excess testosterone in the body, which is one of the main causes of acne, hirsutism (excess hair on the body and face) and thinning hair on the scalp.
A 2010 study showed that spearmint tea has testosterone lowering properties in females with hirsutism.
The participants in the study drank spearmint tea twice daily for 30 days, while other participants consumed a placebo herbal tea.
After 30 days the women who drank the spearmint tea had a significant reduction in free and total testosterone levels. [1]
2. Licorice Root Tea
Licorice root
is another popular herbal tea
for supporting the adrenal glands and removing excess androgens (male hormones)
from the body.
Studies have found that Licorice root inhibits the symptoms of PCOS by regulating imbalanced hormone levels and irregular ovarian follicles. [2]
Licorice root
also has anti-inflammatory and immune boosting
properties. If you don’t like the taste of licorice tea you can also try licorice capsules
.
3. Holy Basil (Tulsi)
Holy Basil tea
, also known as Tulsi, helps to
balance blood sugar levels and lower cortisol levels.
Cortisol is a stress hormone that is elevated during periods of prolonged stress, which can lead to higher insulin levels.
By keeping insulin levels balanced, Holy Basil can help to lower the production of excess testosterone, which reduces acne breakouts and eases PCOS symptoms.
4. Green Tea
Green tea
is
best known for its high levels of antioxidants but it also helps to reduce
insulin resistance and testosterone levels in women with PCOS.
Studies have found that drinking green tea regularly significantly reduces fasting glucose and hemoglobin A1c levels. (Hemoglobin A1c is a test that measures your average blood sugar level over the past 2 to 3 months). [3]
Lower blood sugar and insulin levels means there is less testosterone produced by the body, which helps to reduce PCOS symptoms.
Green tea is also helpful for weight loss. Studies have shown that it helps to boost the metabolism and increase fat burning. [4]
5. Cinnamon Tea
Cinnamon tea
helps to reduce blood glucose levels and improve insulin resistance. [5]
Keeping insulin levels under control is one the key ways to reduce PCOS symptoms.
Cinnamon can also help to promote a regular menstrual cycle and helps to increase pregnancy rates in women with PCOS.
6. Raspberry Leaf Tea
Raspberry leaf
is a popular herbal tea that helps to reduce stagnation and congestion in
the ovaries and uterus.
Raspberry leaf is a great tea to try if you have PCOS and you’re trying to conceive.
7. Nettle Leaf Tea
Nettle leaf tea
is helpful for
reducing free testosterone levels in the body.
It also has the ability to balance testosterone and estrogen levels, while also improving liver detoxification.
8. White Peony Tea
White Peony
is another
herbal tea that is helpful for reducing testosterone levels.
It can also stimulate ovulation and help women with PCOS to conceive.
9. Marjoram Tea
Marjoram tea
is
well known for its ability to regulate the menstrual cycle and balance
hormones.
It also helps to improve insulin sensitivity and reduce excess androgens. [6]
10. Dandelion Root Tea
Dandelion root tea
is
helpful for supporting the liver to clear out excess hormones.
Many hormonal problems are exacerbated by a build-up of hormones within the liver.
Dandelion root helps the liver to work more efficiently and eliminate toxins from the body.
Traditional Medicinals Healthy Cycle Tea
is an herbal tea blend that helps to regulate the
menstrual cycle.
It contains organic herbs including raspberry leaf, licorice root, stinging nettle leaf, dandelion leaf and root, along with a blend of spearmint leaf, rose hip, lemon verbena leaf, Indian lemongrass leaf, ginger and chamomile flower.
So there’s my list of the best herbal teas for PCOS.
Have you tried any PCOS herbal teas? Let me know in the comments below.
Also, come and say hi over on Facebook for more PCOS health tips.
Nicole
4 Nov 2019Wow! I had no idea that all these teas had so many health benefits for PCOS!
Emily
4 Nov 2019Licorice is my favourite herbal tea. I find it really cooling and smooth to drink.
Kelly Martin
5 Nov 2019That’s good Emily, I like licorice tea as well. It’s one of the nicest herbal teas I think and great for women with PCOS.
Stacie
4 Nov 2019I’m a big fan of using the power of nature whenever possible to help with the symptoms of illness or chronic conditions. I think this is a wonderful post that is going to help a lot of women who read it.
Audrey
5 Nov 2019Teas are excellent for their health benefits. I have never tried licorice tea, and now I want to try it!
Ntensibe Edgar Michael
5 Nov 2019Yeah….I have tried some of them….like green tea. I am yet to try Spearmint tea though. It’s my first time hearing of it.
Desiree
5 Nov 2019PCOS is still so new to so many of us. It’s good to know that there are resources as simple as teas that can help. Thanks for the information!
Ruth I
5 Nov 2019I never heard about some of these herbal teas. But what I know is that herbal tea is good and really powerful. I am considering consistently adding these to my diet.
Carrie | Clean Eating Kitchen
5 Nov 2019Some great teas here, I often have green tea but will try out some of the others. Thanks for sharing
Heather
5 Nov 2019I didn’t know that there are herbal teas that help with PCOS. I’m definitely going to try these.
Sara | mshealthesteem.com
6 Nov 2019Tea can be so helpful for so many things! Thanks a ton for sharing these awesome benefits 🙂
littlemisadvencha
6 Nov 2019This is a great list especially to those who are suffering discomfort from PCOS. Promoting traditional medicine should really become louder because it provides a holistic way of healing. 🙂
Surekha-dreamingloud.com
6 Nov 2019Wow, great list, I will definitely share this, it’s a great help for people who have pcos.
Subhashish Roy
6 Nov 2019I would love to make Holy Basil (Tulsi) tea a regular feature, now that I know it can help me to regulate my blood sugar levels. I do have tulsi leaves once in a while.
Emman Damian
6 Nov 2019Holy Basil (Tulsi) and Green Tea are both interesting. I hope I can try the other kinds of tea. PCOS is really an emerging disease in my country.
Melanie williams
6 Nov 2019It is surprising how many benefits you can get from drinking a cup of tea. Such a useful post xx
Sarah M
6 Nov 2019Hey Kelly! I am bookmarking your website. There are loads of useful posts here. I had never thought that herbal tea could help people with PCOS. I’d like to share it with others.
Kelly Martin
6 Nov 2019Thanks so much Sarah! I really appreciate that.
Lyanna Soria
6 Nov 2019I didn’t know those kinds of teas would be good for PCOS but it’s good to know. I haven’t tried some of those but will try to find and taste them someday.
Annemarie LeBlanc
7 Nov 2019I have to find that Holy Basil tea. I don’t have PCOS but I do have diabetes and anything that would help me keep my blood glucose level in check is a must buy for me. I am also sharing this post with my friend whose daughter has PCOS.