What Is Chamomile Used for? Potential Benefits, Side Effects, Types, and More

Few rituals are as calming as settling in for the evening with a cup of fragrant chamomile tea. But how much do you really know about the herb steeping in your teapot? This guide will tell you all about chamomile, its potential health benefits, and ways to use it.

What Is Chamomile Exactly, and Where Does It Come From?

Two different, related plants that bear the name of chamomile are used for medicinal tea purposes: Matricaria recutita, also known as German chamomile; and Chamaemelum nobile, also known as Roman chamomile, according to National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH). Both belong to the Asteraceae family of flowering plants that include daisies and sunflowers, but the most common variety is German chamomile, which is native to Europe and western Asia, but now grows across the globe, research has found.

Given the sun-like appearance of chamomile blossoms, which are typically yellow in the middle with ray-like white blossoms radiating outward, it should come as no surprise that the ancient Egyptians used it in offerings to the sun god Ra and burned it as incense, according to Chamomile: Medicinal, Biochemical, and Agricultural Aspects. During the Middle Ages, Europeans used it as an air freshener and a cure-all for health ailments, reports research from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) Heritage Garden. Chamomile’s restorative reputation persists to this day.

According to data from an analysis by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), chamomile has zero calories. It is not a significant source of any nutrients, but is listed as a healthy beverage option to incorporate in your meal plans, according to the USDA’s MyPlate guidelines.

As mentioned, German chamomile and Roman chamomile are different species of flowering Asteraceae plants, though they have similar reputations for medicinal powers. “German chamomile is said to have a more sweet, straw-like taste and Roman, more light fresh apple type fragrance,” explains Melissa Salazar, International Tea Master Association (ITMA)–certified tea master.

German chamomile, which is the more widely used of the two, is an annual herb also known as Hungarian chamomile, per UIC’s Heritage Garden. Also the taller type of chamomile, the German variety reaches up to 3 feet tall and grows in a bush-like shrub. It has sparse, fernlike green leaves and silver-white petals blooming from a hollow receptacle. Its essential oil is dark blue, according to Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects, and it’s thought to have anti-inflammatory, anti-spasmodic, and anti-microbial properties, in part due to the chemical compounds bisabolol and azulene.

Roman chamomile, also known as English chamomile, is a perennial that grows to be about 1 foot tall, according to UIC’s Heritage Garden. Its gray-green leaves are thicker than those of its German cousin, and its white petals emanate from a solid receptacle. It contains both angelic and tiglic acids, which are responsible for its sedative properties and warm, spicy odor, respectively. Its tea is traditionally used to help reduce inflammation and soothe gastrointestinal problems. Chamomile users prize the herb variety for its possible medicinal qualities, scent, and taste. The essential oil ranges in color from pale yellow to green to a brilliant blue, according to a paper published in Molecular Medicine Reports.

Chamomile is renowned for its diverse health benefits — Salazar says it’s used as a digestive aid, sleep aid, and an anti-inflammatory, to name a few. Here are some of the potential health benefits of chamomile that are supported by research:

• It helps you relax. Anecdotally, a cup of chamomile tea is well known for its soothing properties, and there may be something to those tales. One systematic review and meta-analysis published in Phytotherapy Research in 2019 found chamomile to effectively improve sleep quality and generalized anxiety disorders in humans.
• It can soothe gastrointestinal discomfort. Some animal studies have shown that chamomile has antidiarrheal effects. A similar effect was observed in humans: when the flower’s extract was combined with myrrh and coffee charcoal, it was found to effectively diminish irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms in humans, according to past research in BMJ Open Gastroenterology.
• It's a good adjunct therapy for the common cold. While evidence is limited, some past research indicates that a cup or two of chamomile tea is a safe and potentially beneficial as supportive therapy for the common cold.
• It may help regulate blood sugar. A study published in 2018 in Nature found its active polyphenols to be promising agents for regulating carbohydrate digestion and sugar absorption at the site of the gastrointestinal tract. A past small study found it to benefit glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes.
• It can help fight gingivitis. Research found that chamomile’s antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, combined with pomegranate, rivaled an antibacterial mouth rinse in effectiveness.

Additionally, there is some preliminary evidence that chamomile may have benefits for skin infections and wound healing when used topically, but most of the research has only been done in animals, so further study in humans is needed.

While all of these findings are promising, especially for those who prefer natural remedies, more research is warranted to prove chamomile’s efficacy in treating such a wide variety of conditions.

If you want to lose weight, you’re better off burning more calories than you take in instead of turning to chamomile for a quick fix. That’s because research on this benefit of the herb is extremely limited. Nevertheless, chamomile’s calming effects could potentially aid in weight loss or maintenance, considering research has shown a link between getting a good night’s sleep and staying slim. A past review published in the journal Obesity found that adults ages 18 to 49 who slept longer had a lower body mass index (BMI) than those who slept less. The worst that could happen is that a nightly cup of chamomile could make dieting less stressful for you — plus, it’s virtually calorie-free when unsweetened and may help you sleep more soundly. And who doesn’t want that?

“People sensitive to ragweed and chrysanthemums or other members of the Compositae family are more prone to develop contact allergies to chamomile,” says Caroline West Passerrello, RDN, LDN, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Rarely, people have had a severe enough allergic reaction to go into anaphylaxis, a potentially life-threatening condition that can involve shock, hives, trouble breathing, vomiting, and unconsciousness. Anaphylaxis requires immediate medical attention and possible administration of emergency allergy medicine, according to MedlinePlus.

Chamomile can also trigger allergic contact dermatitis (a type of eczema) in some people, which can cause skin redness, itching, and swelling, InformedHealth.org reports.

Also, adverse interactions between chamomile and cyclosporine (Restasis), a medication used to prevent organ transplant rejection, and the blood thinner warfarin (Coumaden, Jantoven) have been reported, according to the NCCIH. If you take either of these drugs, speak with your doctor before adding chamomile to your routine, especially in supplement form.

MedlinePlus deems Roman chamomile as “likely unsafe” to ingest in “medicinal amounts during pregnancy” because of the long-standing belief that it can induce preterm birth, shorter newborns, or low birth weight, per a review published in Obstetrics & Gynecology in 2019. In general there’s a lack of information about its safety for pregnant women. If you're pregnant, be sure to speak with your doctor before adding any herbs to your diet.

If you decide to grow your own chamomile, follow these steps, outlined by Salazar and the University of Wisconsin’s Horticulture Department:

• Grow the plant in full sunlight. Pick the flowers when they’re near full bloom, or when they’re “full and lay flat around the center of the flower,” says Salazar.
• Pop the flower head off with your fingers, and leave behind any stems.
• Spread the flowers out on a surface in a warm and well-ventilated place away from sunlight to dry out completely (or put them in a food dehydrator on the lowest heat setting for 12 to 24 hours).

Store them in a sealed, airtight container away from sunlight, at room temperature for up to a year.

To prepare chamomile tea, Salazar recommends infusing 1 teaspoon of chamomile in 8 ounces of water, boiled or heated slightly under a boil at 200 degrees F. Steep for two to five minutes, “depending on how intense of flavor and strength you want,” she adds, and enjoy.

Although chamomile is most commonly used in tea form, there are supplements, too, the majority of which are marketed as sleep aids. It’s important to remember that supplements in general are not regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), so if you’re interested in trying one, look for labels that reference third party testing and clinical studies. Bonus if they have a USP-verified seal of approval.

In addition to supplements, chamomile essential oils are used in aromatherapy (via inhaled steam or vapor) to improve mood and relieve stress, per the National Cancer Institute. Research has found that chamomile can relax spasming muscles, possibly because of the herb’s abundance of anti-inflammatory flavonoids.

Salazar adds that chamomile is becoming increasingly common in cosmetics and skincare products as a soothing agent, especially in sunburn relief sprays and acne scar treatments. As long as you aren’t allergic to chamomile and aren't taking other medication, you should be safe to indulge with your doctor’s okay.