Stiff and aching joints are an issue most of us encounter as we get older. But drinking anti-inflammatory herbal teas may help. Here’s our pick of the best herbal teas to drink for joint health.
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As we get older, stiff and aching joints become a part of daily life for many of us. Sometimes, that pain is caused by conditions like gout or arthritis, other times it is a sign of the usual wear and tear and loss of flexibility that come with age.
Often, an underlying factor in joint pain is inflammation, which can leave our joints feeling swollen, stiff, and achy. Fortunately, many herbal teas contain plants that have anti-inflammatory properties, helping to ease discomfort and keep our joints healthy.
We’ve compiled a list of the 9 best herbal teas for joint health.
1. Devil’s Claw
A powerful anti-inflammatory, devil’s claw tea has been used for centuries to treat joint and back pain, including osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
As well as helping to combat inflammation in our joints, devil’s claw contains a compound called harpagoside. This is a natural painkiller, so it can help to ease joint aches and pains too.
2. Turmeric
Turmeric has become a popular herbal remedy for arthritis sufferers and exercise enthusiasts alike. Its main active compound, curcumin, is a potent antioxidant and gives turmeric its anti-inflammatory properties.
There’s evidence to suggest that turmeric helps to ease stiffness and pain in the joints, including in people with rheumatoid arthritis.
3. Green Tea
Green tea comes from the same plant as black, white, and oolong tea. However, the way it is processed means that this form of tea has especially high levels of catechins – powerful antioxidants that help to protect our cells against damage from free radicals.
All those catechins make green tea a great choice to support our joint health. It helps to reduce inflammation and ease the symptoms of joint conditions like rheumatoid arthritis.
4. Ginger
Warming ginger is another great tea to ease aches and pains and support your joint health. A natural painkiller, ginger is useful for treating all sorts of types of pain, including joint and muscle pain.
Depending on how it is made, ginger tea also contains either gingerols or shogaols. These bioactive compounds have anti-inflammatory properties, helping to reduce swelling and pain in the joints.
5. Rose Hip
Often used in skincare because of its ability to calm redness and irritation, rose hip also shows potential for supporting joint health and reducing the symptoms of arthritis.
The fruit of the dog rose (Rosa canina), rose hips are rich in antioxidants, including vitamin C, giving them anti-inflammatory properties. They also contain galactolipids, which help to protect our cartilage and ease the symptoms of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
6. Willow Bark
Willow bark tea is famous for containing salicin, which was the original source of aspirin. As a natural painkiller, willow bark has traditionally been used to treat everything from headaches to menstrual pains. It is also effective in easing the joint pain associated with osteoarthritis.
Like the other herbs on our list, willow bark can also help to reduce inflammation, ease stiffness, and help to keep our joints healthy.
7. Nettle
Nettle tea is a popular herbal remedy that is used to treat many conditions, including joint and muscle pain. It contains several compounds that help to fight inflammation, ease pain, and protect against oxidative stress.
Often used as a general tonic for our health, nettle tea is also high in nutrients, including magnesium, calcium, and potassium. As a result, it is a great tea to choose to support your joint health, even if you aren’t currently experiencing issues.
8. NutraJoint
At NutraTea, we like to combine different herbs to create herbal tea blends that are specifically designed to support different areas of your health. When it comes to healthy joints, our go-to blend is NutraJoint, which contains both curcumin (from turmeric) and green tea.
Curcumin is more easily absorbed into the body when it is combined with piperine from black pepper, which is also an anti-inflammatory in its own right. You’ll find both in NutraJoint.
9. NutraBone
While our NutraJoint blend is focused on joint health and flexibility, NutraBone is aimed at supporting bone health, including joint mobility.
This blend contains many anti-inflammatory herbs, including green tea, ginger, turmeric, nettle, devil’s claw, willow’s bark, and rose hip.
