Chamomile: Health Benefits & How to Prepare

Chamomile is a medicinal plant commonly used in herbal preparations to treat anxiety, insomnia, indigestion, and menstrual cramps. It can also be used to help promote wound healing due to its healing properties. The flowers of the chamomile plant consist of white petals surrounding a yellow center.

The scientific name for chamomile is Matricaria recutita. The most commonly used part of the chamomile plant is the flower, which can be used in the preparation of infusions, herbal steams, sitz baths, compresses, and ointments. Chamomile can also be used to season savory foods like pasta and chicken, or to add a pleasant aroma to sweets like chocolate truffles and cakes.

Chamomile can be found in herb stores, health food stores, compounding pharmacies, supermarkets, and farmers' markets in the form of dried flowers or teabags.

This content is solely for informative purposes and should not replace a medical consultation. Do not interrupt your current treatment without seeking medical guidance.
chamomile flowers floating in tea

Health benefits

Chamomile has a variety of health benefits, and may indicated for the management of:

  • Anxiety, nerves, or stress;
  • Insomnia or difficulty sleeping;
  • Indigestion;
  • Gastritis or gastric ulcers;
  • Diarrhea;
  • Excess gas;
  • Gastrointestinal and menstrual cramps;
  • Rheumatic pain;
  • Gout;
  • Headache;
  • Hemorrhoids;
  • Wounds, ulcers, burns, or skin irritation;
  • Colds or sinusitis.

Chamomile can also be used for wound healing and to help relieve gum irritation, due to its anti-inflammatory and healing properties.

The benefits of chamomile come from the phenols it contains, such as the flavonoids apigenin, luteolin, patuletin, and quercetin, as well as its essential oils, including chamazulene and bisabolol.

How to use

Chamomile can be used in a variety of different preparations, including tea, herbal steams, sitz baths, compresses, and ointments made from the dried flowers. 

1. Chamomile tea

Chamomile tea can help with relaxation and is used in the treatment of insomnia, anxiety, and nerves. It can also help relieve gastrointestinal issues like indigestion, cramps, diarrhea, gastritis, and ulcers. 

Ingredients:

  • 0.5 to 4 g dried chamomile flowers;
  • 1 cup (240 mL) boiling water.

Instructions:

Place the dried chamomile flowers in a mug and add boiling water. Cover and let steep for 5 to 10 minutes. Strain before drinking. 

This tea can be consumed 3 times per day and may be sweetened with a teaspoon of honey if desired.

Chamomile tea can also be prepared with other dried ingredients like anise, peppermint, or catnip to increase its calming and antispasmodic effects.

Also recommended: 9 Health Benefits of Chamomile Tea & How to Make It tuasaude.com/en/chamomile-tea

2. Chamomile herbal steam

Making an herbal steam is an excellent home remedy for the treatment of colds and sinusitis due to its calming properties. Inhaling the chamomile vapor helps to warm and moisten the upper respiratory passages, relieving symptoms like nasal congestion and runny nose.

This method is safe for use in both adults and children, however children should always be supervised by an adult due to the risk for burns.

Ingredients:

  • 6 tsp dried chamomile flowers;
  • 1.5 to 2 L of water .

Instructions:

Boil the water and add the dried chamomile flowers. Wait 5 to 10 minutes then place your face over the bowl and cover your head with a towel, inhaling the steam. It is important to breathe as deeply as possibly for up to 10 minutes. Repeat 2 to 3 times a day.

3. Chamomile sitz bath

Chamomile contains substances like flavonoids and bisabolol that possess antibacterial properties. It can be added to sitz baths for the treatment of candidiasis (yeast infections), helping to eliminate Candida albicans and relieve symptoms like itching, swelling, irritation, pain, and discomfort.

Sitz baths with chamomile can also be used as a complementary therapy for the treatment of hemorrhoids, due to the anti-inflammatory properties of chamomile. 

Ingredients:

  • 3 Tbsp dried chamomile flowers;
  • 1 L of water.

Instructions:

Boil the water with the chamomile flowers. Strain the infusion, let cool, and soak in the mixture (using a basin or the bathtub) for 5 minutes at least once a day.

Also recommended: Sitz Baths: What It's Used For, How to Prepare & Types tuasaude.com/en/sitz-baths

4. Chamomile compresses

Chamomile can also be used in the form of a compress applied to the skin for the treatment of wounds, ulcers, burns, or irritiation, due to its anti-inflammatory and calming properties. 

Ingredients:

  • 20 to 30 g fresh or dried chamomile flowers;
  • 500 mL boiling water.

Instructions:

Add the fresh or dried chamomile flowers to the boiling water and let steep for 15 minutes. Strain, moisten a clean cloth or piece of gauze, and apply to the affected area at least twice a day.

5. Chamomile ointment

Chamomile ointment has anti-inflammatory and calming properties that can help relieve skin irritation and itching and help treat rashes, chafing, and sunburn.

Ingredients:

  • 5 g beeswax;
  • 45 mL olive oil, coconut oil, or sweet almond oil;
  • 4 tsp dried chamomile flowers.

Instructions:

Place the beeswax and oil in a double boiler and heat until the mixture becomes a liquid. Remove from the heat and add the dried chamomile flowers. Let the mixture sit for about 2 hours to release the active ingredients of the chamomile. Strain the liquid into a clean, dry glass container with a lid. Let cool. Store in a dry, dark, well-ventilated area. This ointment is good for 1 year and can be applied to the skin 2 to 3 times per day.

Side effects

Side effects from chamomile include nausea and skin irritation, which occur more commonly when chamomile is ingested in larger quantities than recommended.

While rare, chamomile can also cause serious allergic reactions requiring immediate medical attention. Stop taking chamomile and seek emergency medical attention any symptoms of an allergic reaction such as difficulty breathing, cold sweats, severe dizziness, intense itching, a feeling like your throat is closing, or any swelling of the mouth, tongue, or face.

Contraindications

Chamomile should not be used by people with an allergy to chamomile or other plants in the same family, such as chrysanthemums, daisies, or ambrosia.

Chamomile should be avoided in people with blood clotting issues and those taking anticoagulants like warfarin or heparin, as this can increase the risk for bleeding, including hemorrhage. Chamomile should be stopped at least 2 weeks prior to a planned surgery.

Chamomile should not be given to children under 6 months of age. Treatment with a chamomile herbal steam is only indicated for children older than 6 years, while the use of topical chamomile should be reserved for children over 12 years of age. 

German chamomile (Matricaria recutita) can be used during pregnancy and lactation if approved by a doctor or midwife. Roman chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile) should be avoided, however, due to a lack of studies supporting the safety of this type of chamomile during pregnancy and lactation