10 Best Teas for Menopause Relief: Hot Flashes and More

What if a good cup of tea can make everything better? Herbal teas are a popular choice for their calming and health-promoting qualities and are easy to prepare. Here, we’ll discuss the 10 best herbal teas that can help relieve your menopausal symptoms.

1. Black Cohosh Tea

Black cohosh (Actaea racemosa) is a flowering plant native to North America. Currently, this herb is widely popular as a dietary supplement to manage menopause symptoms.

Benefits

• Black cohosh is an effective and safe treatment option for relieving vasomotor symptoms of menopause, which include hot flashes and night sweats.
• A 2018 study conducted on 80 postmenopausal women who received black cohosh for 8 weeks showed a significant reduction in hot flashes.

How to Use

The roots and rhizomes of black cohosh are used in herbal preparations. How do you prepare its tea? Brew black cohosh root in hot water for about 10 to 15 minutes. Drinking 1 to 2 cups of this herbal tea every day can relieve menopausal symptoms.

Caution

Be watchful when combining black cohosh with oestrogen pills. It should not be used by those with liver issues or if you’re pregnant. Talk to your doctor to know whether it is safe for you.

2. Red Clover Tea

Red clover (Trifolium pratense) is an herbaceous flowering plant that is widely used in traditional medicine to treat various conditions. 

Benefits

• Red clover contains isoflavones, a type of phytoestrogen or natural compounds that have a similar chemical structure to and mimic oestrogen in your body. This replaces the low oestrogen levels in menopausal women and supports hormonal balance.
• A study showed that the extract of red clover isoflavones (Promensil) at a dose of 80 mg/day for three months reduced the frequency of hot flashes.

How to Use 

The red flowers are dried and used for therapeutic purposes. Steep dried red clover flowers in a glass of boiling water for 10 to 15 minutes. Sipping this herbal tea throughout the day can help manage your menopausal symptoms.

Additional Benefits 

• A 2015 study concluded that daily consumption of red clover extract over a 12-week period was found to have a beneficial effect on bone health in menopausal women. 
• Red clover can significantly reduce total cholesterol, triglycerides and low-density lipoproteins in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women, which may improve heart health.

3. Peppermint Tea

Peppermint is a widely cultivated plant that is indigenous to Europe and the Middle East. Both peppermint leaves and essential oils are used for medicinal purposes.

Benefits

• Peppermint ((Mentha piperita) contains menthol, which is known for its cooling effects and may help reduce the frequency and intensity of hot flashes. 
• Peppermint essential oil acts as a relaxant, which may play a role in improving sleep quality in menopausal women.
• Peppermint juice also reduces bad cholesterol and increases good cholesterol, which may reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases in postmenopausal women.

How to Use

Brew fresh or dried peppermint leaves in boiling water for 5 to 7 minutes. Sipping this refreshing tea can cool your body and keep you refreshed.

Caution

Though it is generally safe for use, peppermint tea may worsen conditions like heartburn and GERD.

4. Chamomile Tea

Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) has been used therapeutically for years to calm the mind and relieve anxiety.

Benefits

• Chamomile contains an active ingredient, apigenin, which is found to relieve anxiety and improve mood and sleep quality.
• A 2015 study showed that chamomile reduced the levels of total cholesterol, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in people with diabetes. This may improve heart health and reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases postmenopause.

How to Use

The flower heads are the main part of chamomile used for medicinal purposes. Prepare the herbal tea by steeping dried chamomile flowers in hot water for 5 to 10 minutes. Drinking a glass of this tea before going to bed can help calm you down and improve sleep.

Additional Benefits

• Chamomile is rich in antioxidants and may be beneficial in treating digestion-related issues like diarrhoea and gastric ulcers.
• It also soothes and relieves inflammation.

5. Ginger Tea

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) has been used for thousands of years as a food and herbal remedy. Native to Asia, ginger has a spicy and earthy flavour.

Benefits

• Ginger has powerful anti-inflammatory properties – it contains the compounds gingerol and shogaol, which inhibit the production of inflammatory markers in your body.
• Ginger also has antioxidant and antiulcer effects, which may help alleviate digestive discomfort, bloating, nausea, and vomiting often experienced by women during menopause.

How to Use

Peel and slice the ginger rhizome into thin pieces. Steep the pieces in boiling water for about 10 minutes. You may add a teaspoon of honey or freshly squeezed lemon for taste.

Additional Benefits

• Ginger has potent growth-inhibitory and cell death-inducing activity, which may be beneficial in fighting certain types of cancers.
• A study showed that ginger, being rich in antioxidants, may also reduce the effects of ageing and degenerative diseases. 

6. Liquorice Root Tea

The root of liquorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra), a flowering plant native to West Asia, North Africa and Southern Europe, has been used widely in herbal and traditional systems of medicine.

Benefits

• Research findings have shown that liquorice root is effective in reducing the frequency and severity of hot flashes.
• Liquorice root contains natural oestrogenic compounds, such as liquiritigenin, which may reduce menopausal symptoms like hot flashes and mood swings.

How to Use

Steep the liquorice root in a glass of hot water for about 15 minutes. Limit liquorice root tea to just a cup per day, as too much can lead to undesirable side effects like high blood pressure.

Caution

Avoid using liquorice root tea in large quantities or for long periods of time. People with high blood pressure, low potassium levels, and heart and kidney diseases should consult a doctor to know if liquorice is safe for use.

7. Sage Tea

Sage (Salvia officinalis) is an aromatic, woody, perennial shrub native to the northern Mediterranean. Sage leaves are used to prepare aromatic teas, which have a somewhat minty flavour to them.

Benefits

• A study conducted on 71 patients by administering a tablet of fresh sage leaves daily for 8 weeks was found to be effective in reducing the severity and frequency of hot flashes by a surprising 64%.
• Another study suggested that sage has oestrogenic properties, making it suitable for use as a hormonal replacement for women during menopause.

How to Use

Steep fresh or dried sage leaves in hot water for 5 to 10 minutes. Drinking one or two cups of sage tea per day may improve menopausal symptoms.

Caution

Consumption of sage should be avoided in individuals with seizures, vertigo, diabetes, liver or kidney-related issues and pregnant or breastfeeding women.

8. Lemon Balm Tea

Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) is a herbaceous perennial plant native to south-central Europe. This plant, a member of the mint family, has a mild lemon aroma and is used as a medicine as well as flavouring for food.

Benefits

• According to a 2024 review, lemon balm holds promise as a calming agent exhibiting both anxiolytic and antidepressant properties and can elicit cognitive and sleep-quality enhancement.
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• Another study conducted on 100 women aged 50-60 years who complained of sleep disorders concluded that lemon balm is effective in reducing symptoms of sleep disorders during menopause.

How to Use

Lemon balm tea is made of dried lemon balm leaves. Steep the leaves in hot water for 5 to 10 minutes. You may drink up to 2 cups of this tea per day. Avoid lemon balm tea if you’re on medication for anxiety, insomnia or thyroid disorders, as it may interact with them.

Additional Benefits

• Due to its anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic properties, sage may improve digestive health and treat gut-related issues.

9. Green Tea

Green tea is a type of tea made from the leaves and buds of Camellia sinensis. Green tea is a world-popular health beverage for its amazing benefits.

Benefits

• Green tea is rich in plant-based antioxidants called catechins, which have anti-cancer, anti-microbial and anti-ageing properties, which may improve your overall health and well-being during menopause.
• A 2017 study presented evidence that green tea reduces anxiety, improves memory and attention, and enhances brain function.

How to Use

Brew green tea leaves in hot water for 2 to 3 minutes. Avoid consuming green tea towards the end of the day as it contains caffeine, which may lead to sleep disturbances.

Caution

• Green tea contains small amounts of caffeine (3%). Consuming excessive quantities of green tea (more than 8 cups per day) may result in headaches, sleep disturbances, worsening hot flashes, anxiety and irritability. 

10. Dong Quai Tea

Dong quai (Angelica sinensis) is a Chinese root herb prescribed by traditional practitioners for treating women’s reproductive problems. This herb is also known as the “female ginseng”. 

Benefits

• More research needs to be carried out to prove the efficacy of dong quai in treating menopausal symptoms.

How to Use

Cut the dong quai root into thin slices. Steep these slices in hot water for 10 to 15 minutes. Drink 1 to 2 cups of this tea per day.

Caution

Avoid taking dong quai if you’re on blood-thinning medications, as it may raise the risk of bleeding. It should also be avoided by women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Conclusion

Herbal teas are not just soothing and refreshing; they are packed with wonderful health benefits that give you relief from many menopausal symptoms, from hot flashes to stress and anxiety.

Looking for natural ways to manage your menopausal symptoms? Herbal teas are a great choice! Choose the right tea depending on your needs and preferences while keeping in mind any underlying health issues or medications you’re on. 

Need help navigating menopause? Get in touch with our team of expert Ayurvedic doctors and Yoga practitioners at Nirva for professional and personalised care.