The Truth About Mugwort Tea Benefits & Side Effects

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 scientifically as "Artemisia vulgaris," is a herb native to Eurasia and Northern Africa. It has been used in Asia since ancient times to treat various health problems ranging 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're having trouble sleeping at night, eating when you're not hungry, or feeling depressed, mugwort can help you to a healthier and happier life.

In the old days, Artemisia vulgaris was known 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. Mugwort pollen leaves are rich in vitamin C and other essential vitamins that repel colds and the flu.

Additionally, this tea variety has been known to help relieve menstrual cramps and is a uterine stimulant. Also, this traditional Chinese medicine is a good source of iron and calcium, which can help strengthen the bones, boost energy, improve blood flow, and be a powerful aphrodisiac. Tea drinkers will become a fan for life once they've tried mugwort tea.

Can you drink mugwort tea daily?

Mugwort tea leaves are abundant in essential oils composed of (Santalol) (40-75%), which makes up roughly half of the essential oil in mugwort, and contains active components with anti-bacterial properties. 

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. Thus, drink a maximum of three cups per day.

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 simultaneously but drink slowly to reduce its potential side effects.

What does mugwort tea do?

Drinking mugwort tea can help to relieve pain in the legs and neck, anxiety and nausea, depression, inflammation, fever, and cold symptoms. 

Moreover, it has the following positive effects on health:

It may have diuretic properties

The diuretic effects of mugwort tea imply its ability to promote urination which is the most effective method for eliminating toxins.

Mugwort tea may help cleanse the bowel and bladder, reducing infections and improving function in some people. It may also stimulate drenching, which helps remove excess waste from our bodies and skin through sweating.

It may relieve menstrual pain

A significant use for mugwort tea may be to treat dysmenorrhea, commonly called menstrual cramps. Alternatively, 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.

Immune function

This tea may offer an ideal option to improve your immunity and boost your health. As one of mugwort tea constituents, Vitamin C is an anti-inflammatory, neutralizing free radicals and inflammatory substances that can affect the immune system.

Vivid dreams

The tea of Artemisia vulgaris is widely known for its calming properties. You can use it to stimulate vivid dreams. It aims to help in relieving dreams and experiencing rare lucid dreams.

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.

It might improve vision health

Vitamin A is commonly found in mugwort tea and coffee and is a powerful antioxidant for vision. The beta carotene vitamin could likely reduce cataract formation and macular degeneration.

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 effectively treat these conditions when taken over a long period.

Effect on digestive system

Mugwort root is an energizer that treats stomach and intestinal symptoms like indigestion and slow digestion. Mugwort also stimulates saliva and bile production.

Healing properties of mugwort

Mugwort is known to have healing properties because it has been in herbal medicine for centuries. The herb acts as an abortifacient, which can induce menstruation or abortion.

Similarly, it can reduce inflammation, reducing pain and swell around joints. Mugwort can also act as an expectorant which means it helps clear out mucus from the respiratory system by increasing the production of sputum from the lungs and throat.

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 traditionally 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. You can learn the recipes for Kus-a-mochi cookies in "Authentic Kusa mochi recipe" by Taste Atlas.

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. The mild springy odor of mugwort is an alternative way to experience aromatherapy in Japanese hot springs (onsen), and the experience relieves stress in your body.

For moxibustion needs (traditional chinese medicine)

In conventional Chinese medicine, mugwort is also commonly 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 been proven to reduce the incidence of cesareans.

What are the side effects of drinking mugwort tea?

Mugwort is a herb that is most commonly 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 potentially harmful to people who take high doses. People with food allergies like apples, peaches, or celery are likely allergic. This allergy is called the "birch mugwort celery syndrome" or the celery carrot mugwort spice syndrome. 

Apart from drinking the tea, the mugwort pollen can worsen health conditions for pollen allergic patients who come in physical contact with the herb. The allergic reactions caused by the mugwort pollen are similar to those of ragweed. Such allergies can cause the following symptoms:

• 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. Usually, nightmares are associated with a particular type of dream known as REM sleep behavior disorder. This disorder can cause a person to act out their fantasies.

In some Asian countries, Artemisia vulgaris (mugwort) is commonly known to induce sleep and cause nightmares. Therefore, one should take this herb with extreme caution.

Like alcohol, mugwort can trigger another type of dream that doesn't occur during REM sleep. This dream is known as a "hypnagogic hallucination," It can cause a person to be afraid of falling asleep or even cause them to wake up in a state of panic.

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 take mugwort tea, you may experience such effects because mugwort affects the neurotransmitters in your brain and has psychoactive properties.

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.

Gastrointestinal disturbance

Some people will suffer gastrointestinal irritation when their skin gets in contact (dermal absorption) with the active chemicals in mugwort.

Mugwort can cause digestive problems and diarrhea.

Can mugwort make you infertile?

Some people believe that mugwort can make you infertile by stirring up your endocrine system and disrupting the production of hormones. But what does science say?

Mugwort may cause miscarriage by inducing abnormal contractions in the expectant woman's uterus.

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 multiple types of pollen, while others might not be allergic to any. Meanwhile, some people might only react when they get too close to the plant, while others may have anaphylactic reactions, which could lead to death if not treated quickly enough.

Bottom line

The early Chinese and Egyptian civilizations used mugwort tea in their medicines and incense. Mugwort tea is still widely used as a natural treatment for various health problems, such as insomnia, anxiety, and pain.

This wonder tea is easy to make and probably much healthier than many other things you consume daily. So, why wait? 

Endeavor to apply caution as you brew yourself a relaxing steaming cup of mugwort tea today.

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