Chamomile flower extracts, broken flowers and whole flowers can be used for many purposes. Common uses of chamomile include:
- Ingestion as an "herbal tea" (a tisane) or tincture
- Topical application as a lotion or oil
- Inclusion as an ingredient in soaps, shampoos, etc.
Chamomile Benefits
Although chamomile is a flavorful and aromatic herb, it is often sought out specifically for its health benefits. It has longstanding medicinal and spiritual uses, and is considered to be a Pagan magical herb, and thought to treat imbalances associated with the solar plexus chakra. Common health uses of chamomile include:
- Chamomile for colic (Learn more about treatments for colic.)
- Chamomile as alternative medicine
- Chamomile for social anxiety disorder
- Chamomile for Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Chamomile as a bedtime bath treatment
- Chamomile for canker sores
Chamomile Precautions
Despite its many health benefits, chamomile isn't for everyone. It is not recommended for women who are breastfeeding or pregnant, and it can cause allergic reactions in people with hay fever and some types of flower allergies. There are also chamomile drug interactions to consider, as chamomile can interact with Warafin and some other drugs.
Growing & Harvesting Chamomile
There are many herbs for herbal teas / tisanes you can grow at home. Get the basincs on growing chamomile and learn how to grown and harvest German chamomile.
If you enjoy gardening, you might also be glad to know that you can prevent seedlings from damping off with chamomile.
Chamomile Recipes
Chamomile can be used to make a range of foods and drinks. Here's a collection of chamomile food and drink recipes, including chamomile "tea," iced chamomile infusions, chamomile-glazed pie and chamomile-poached scallops. You also can use chamomile to make chamomile shampoo, relaxing essential oil blends and homemade soaps.
