Chamomile
Article by Stefan Burns - Updated April 2022. Join the Wild Free Organic email newsletter!
Chamomile Quick Fact Sheet
| Name: | Chamomile, Roman Chamomile, Linnaean - Chamaemelum nobile |
| Color: | Yellow-white flowers |
| Constituents: | Sesquiterpenes, flavonoids, coumarins, and polyacetylenes |
| Effect: | Relaxant, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, improves digestion, stimulates appetite, promotes 8-12 Hz alpha brainwaves, relieves painful menstration |
| Preparation: | Dried flower heads can be brewed as a tea, essential oil can be used for aromatherapy, can be crushed into a poultice |
| Dosing: | 0-5 grams for tea, 0-10 drops for aromatherapy |
| General Notes: | Chamomile influences the autonomic nervous system to promote parasympathetic (rest and digest) activity. Used in aromatherapy or ingested chamomile promotes endogenous 8-12 Hz brainwaves, which can be mildly stimulating or calming depending on current state of physiological arousal. Alpha brainwaves are calming in general. Overall a mild sedative with anti-inflammatory and pain-reducing effects. |
What is Chamomile Flower?
Chamomile is one of the most ancient and well-known medicinal herbs known to mankind. The two most common varieties of chamomile are Chamomilla recutita (German Camomile, Hungarian Chamomile) and Chamaemelum nobile (Roman Chamomile), with a third lesser-used variety of chamomile being Cladanthus mixtus (Moroccan Chamomile). Chamomile is identified by its small white flower petals that surround its yellow center, and it’s the chamomile flower that’s used in herbal practices. Chamomile flowers contain a wide range of biologically active chemicals such as terpenes and flavonoids that have been shown to be health promotive.
Chamomile has many health uses, and the three main ways chamomile is prepared for medicinal use is it is steeped into a tea, its essential oils are extracted, or it is powdered and mixed into a poultice. Infusions and essential oils from fresh or dried flower heads have aromatic, flavoring, and coloring properties, and not all uses of chamomile are purely health-based. Chamomile tea is a natural hair lightening agent that also has the added benefit of moisturizing the scalp.
Chamomile Flower Benefits
While some herbs contain specific compounds that have very precise health effects, other herbs like chamomile, green tea, and dandelion have strong health benefits because they are packed with a variety of health-promoting phytochemicals like terpenes and flavonoids. As such chamomile has been shown to have a wide-range of health benefits which overlap, for example healing digestive issues may resolve ongoing skin inflammation. The following is a short list of chamomile’s many benefits which will then be elaborated on in greater detail in the Chamomile Health Benefits section of this article:
Chamomile is a herb with strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties. These qualities are partly responsible for chamomile’s anti-cancer effects and its ability to induce apoptosis (cell death) in tumor cells while not affecting healthy cells. These antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial effects of chamomile also act beneficially on the blood by normalizing platelet clumping, lowering cholesterol (a consequence of lower circulatory system inflammation), promoting the growth of new blood vessels, and normalizing blood sugar levels. These effects make chamomile a very useful herb for people who have cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes which are leading causes of death worldwide.
Chamomile is also effective at reducing muscle spasms, calming anxieties, and reducing depression. Chamomile is a wonderful digestive aid, possessing antidiarrheal abilities by helping to normalize digestive motility while also helping regenerate gastrointestinal mucous linings which aids in nutrient absorption and reduces the ability for pathogenic organisms to enter into the bloodstream. Chamomile has also been shown to be liver protective and reduce the inflammation caused from alcohol consumption.
Chemical Constituents of Chamomile
Like most herbs, the deeper scientist’s delve into the chemistry of a common plant like chamomile the more unique compounds they find. In addition to the normal fatty acids, proteins, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals that chamomile contains, approximately 120 secondary metabolites have been identified which include about 30 different terpenes and 35+ flavonoids. Among the flavonoids, apigenin and quercetin come in the greatest concentrations, and apigenin and quercetin are also the compounds with the most promising heath benefits. Flavonoids and phenolics are soluble in hot water and frequent consumption of chamomile tea effectively results in biologically relevant supplementation of these compounds.
In addition to its flavonoids chamomile is well known for its volatile oils, with steam distillation of chamomile flowers resulting in a 0.5-2% essential oil yield which is a combination of a variety of separate oils. The main constituents of chamomile essential oil include the terpenoids α-bisabolol and its oxides (≤78%), and the dark blue azulenes like chamazulene (1–15%). Chamomile oils range in color from a deep vibrant blue to dark green which after some time can turn into a dark yellow. It’s really quite spectacular seeing the blue color of chamomile essential oil.
Teas brewed from chamomile will extract about 10–15% of the essential oil available in the flower. Oil content of chamomile hasn’t been shown to differ greatly depending on how it’s grown (cultivated or wild), but wild growing chamomile has a wider variety of mineral elements while cultivated types have higher ratios of K/Na and Ca/Mg. Brewing chamomile tea will extract about 10-30% of the minerals present, with potassium, calcium, and magnesium being extracted the most.
Types of Chamomile Flower
Chamomile is not a single species of herb but instead the term given to a collection of very similar herbs that most notably include Roman Chamomile, German Chamomile, and Moroccan Chamomile. The applications of these different types of chamomile doesn’t differ much, but their historical uses differ because of how the different cultures that harvested them used them.
Chamaemelum nobile Uses (Roman Chamomile)
Roman chamomile is found widely throughout Europe as well as in North and South America. Some herbalist consider Roman chamomile to be the most effective type of chamomile, hence sometimes its higher price markup, but since the chemical constituents of the many chamomiles are different, it’s more likely that Roman chamomile isn’t necessarily better just more well known in how it can be used in herbal practices.
Roman chamomile has been used for thousands of years as a digestive aid, painkiller, and as a light sedative. Now Roman chamomile is a popular ingredient in skin and cosmetics products alongside its traditional herbal uses.
Matricaria recutita Benefits (German Chamomile)
German chamomile is as its name suggest found in throughout Germany as well as most of Europe. German chamomile contains more of the azulenes than Roman chamomile, and that’s why Matricaria recutita essential oil has a deep shade of blue. German chamomile is the most used type of chamomile now due to its widespread cultivation and lower cost.
German chamomile when used medicinally is most often brewed into a tea which can be used to treat gastrointestinal problems, reduce cramps from the menstrual cycle, reduce pain and inflammation, and in general calm down the nervous system.
Cladanthus mixtus Benefits (Moroccan Chamomile)
Moroccan chamomile is mostly found in the North African counties of Morocco, Algeria, Libya and Tunisia, growing only sparingly in parts of the Mediterranean. Moroccan chamomile is a distinctly different type of chamomile, some herbalists consider it to be a false chamomile (though its flowers are remarkably the same as the other chamomiles), and state that it should not be used as a substitute for Roman or German chamomile because its chemical composition is different.
That said like the other chamomiles Moroccan chamomile is used for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial effects, as a digestive aid, for its ability to calm and soothe the central nervous system, and to help with skin issues.
Chamomile Health Benefits
Chamomile has a wide variety of health benefits, a common attribute of herbs that have been used extensively & safely for thousands of years. Through it’s calming effects, chamomile increases parasympathetic (rest and digest) nervous system activity, which helps with nervous system issues such as anxiety and insomnia while also helping soothe digestive processes. The natural anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial powers of chamomile further help to ensure good digestion, and with good digestion comes a lessening of systemic inflammation of the body, thereby reducing skin issues as well as cardiovascular and cancer health concerns. The actions of chamomile in one way highlight the interconnectedness of the body and how one system out-of-balance like the nervous system places stress on other bodily systems (digestion, circulatory, etc). Below are the specific health benefits of chamomile:
Chamomile Improves Digestion
Chamomile increases parasympathetic activity which normalizes the flow of digestion (motility)
Chamomile increases gastrointestinal mucous production which improves the digestion of food while also reducing pathogenic attack vectors
Chamomile reduces gas, bloating, flatulence, diarrhea, and constipation through its improvements to gut motility
Chamomile can be used to treat motion sickness, nausea, and vomiting
As an anti-inflammatory chamomile can be used to help heal the epithelial tight junctions of the gut (increased mucous production helps with this too)
Chamomile for Treatment of Skin Conditions
As an strong anti-inflammatory chamomile can be applied directly as a poultice to inflammation-based skin issues such as rashes, acne, chicken pox, psoriasis, and eczema
Chamomile tea can be used to sooth and moisturize dried skin anywhere on the body as well as a flakey scalp
Chamomile essential oil is a useful spot treatment for conditions such as acne because of its anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties.
Chamomile Calms the Nervous System
Chamomile tea is calming and helps shift the autonomic nervous system from sympathetic (fight or flight) to parasympathetic nervous system activity (rest and digest)
Chamomile reduces depression, anxiety, hysteria, and insomnia
Chamomile tea improves sleep quality and can reduce instances of nightmares
Chamomile reduces muscles spasms
Chamomile Fights Cancer
Chamomile inhibits the growth of many different cancer tumors while not affecting the growth of healthy cells
Similarly chamomile increases apoptosis (programmed cell death) for cancer cells while not affecting healthy cells
As a general anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial chamomile can help restore to balance the normal functions of the body, which makes cancer less likely to occur in the first place.
Chamomile for Cardiovascular Health
Chamomile reduces undesirable platelet clumping in a manner similar to grounding, which improves blood flow and oxygen transport.
Chamomile lowers LDL cholesterol because it reduces overall inflammation throughout the body
Chamomile improves blood glucose levels, especially for diabetics
Chamomile can spur the creation of new blood vessels
Chamomile Healing Properties
For an acute digestive or skin flare-up chamomile can be used right away to help with the problem. For chronic digestive and/or skin issues chamomile should be used consistently for best effect. Chamomile is a general health booster and good to use/have every now and then for preventative health reasons. For sleep, depression, and anxiety issues chamomile should be used daily, as it should also be used if part of a cancer-fighting effort.
Chamomile Homeopathy
Homeopathy is an alternative medical practice that operates off two main principles: that health problems are best treated with herbs/drugs that also trigger the same dysfunctional pathways highlighted by the problem (like cures like), and that medicines are most effective when used at a “minimum effective dose”
Herbs are a popular component of homeopathic care because they tend to work slowly and with minimal side effects. For homeopathy chamomile is extracted and then diluted to a very low concentration. The enduring popularity of homeopathy for hundreds of years gives us a clue that something about it works, but the exact reasons why haven’t been conclusively identified.
One theory is that herbs which undergo extraction produce nanometer structures which remain intake even after high dilution, and these nanostructures interact with electromagnetic fields like the Schumann resonances to influence beneficial changes at the DNA and cellular level, causing positive health effects. This is by no means conclusively proven but I mention it here as a launching point for further research for the curious (see reference 5).
Chamomile Extract
This extract is made in small batches from fresh organic German chamomile flowers. The extract has a mild flavor and a floral, fruity taste. It can be taken directly or added to any drink.
Having a chamomile extract is an easy way to enjoy the full-body benefits of chamomile while on the go without the added steps required of brewing tea.
Chamomile Essential Oil
Chamomile essential oil is a very useful way to keep chamomile on hand and ready at a moments notice. Chamomile essential oil is wonderful when used for aromatherapy, either to help calm down and relax, or with a diffuser just because it smells nice. Chamomile essential oil can also be applied directly to parts of the body to lessen inflammation, as an antimicrobial, or for localized calming and pain reducing effects.
My personal favorite way of using chamomile essential oil is to apply it to my forehead, temples, and to the back of my neck before I go to sleep. By doing this I get the aroma-therapeutic effect of chamomile but also it directly targets parts of the brain (frontal lobe, hippocampus, cerebellum) that are partly responsible for thinking and autonomic nervous system activity, helping me to calm down and fall asleep nearly instantly.
I also use chamomile essential oil to moisture the ends of my hair when things get a bit dried out. Unlike other essential oils which I feel are too greasy, chamomile essential oil is quite “soft” and absorbs nicely into the hair. More on how chamomile can used for hair later.
Chamomile Lotion
Many commercial lotions now contain a small amount of chamomile, but some with many undesirable compounds. For best effect chamomile lotion can be made at home by mixing chamomile essential oil with a carrier oil, butter, or lotion. As part of a lotion, chamomile will amplify the moisturizing properties by reducing any inflammation that may be present, soothing the skin in the process.
The chamomile lotion I’ve made is very simple, I mix a few drops of chamomile essential oil with a tsp of chia seed oil and apply where needed. Chia seed oil is highly nourishing and has a lot of omega-3 fatty acids which are useful for the skin. You can also add other essential oils such as lavender to a carrier oil alongside chamomile essential oil to create a moisturizing, relaxing, pain-soothing blend.
Mountain Rose Herbs Chamomile Essential Oils
Mountain Rose Herbs is my go-to supplier of essential oils, and they carry all three types of chamomile essential oil (Roman, German, Moroccan). Try all three to discover their subtle differences, or choose which one resonates with you the most.
Blue Chamomile Essential Oil
This organic blue chamomile essential oil is steam distilled from Matricaria recutita flowers. It has a deep blue hue from the high concentrations of azulene released during distillation.
This is my personal go-to chamomile essential oil because of it’s high quality, fair price point, and high concentrations of azulene.
Roman Chamomile Essential Oil
This organic Roman chamomile essential oil is steam distilled from the flowers of Anthemis nobilis. It has a light, bright scent with notes of honey and apple.
With less color it is better used in perfumes than the blue chamomile essential oil.
Moroccan Chamomile Essential Oil
This organic Moroccan chamomile essential oil is steam distilled from the flowers of Omenis mixta.
Moroccan chamomile is considered by some not to be a “true” chamomile, but it hails from the same family and even though its chemical composition is notably different it has very similar health effects as both Roman and German chamomile.
What is Chamomile Tea Good For?
The most popular way to use chamomile is to brew it into a tea, and chamomile tea has a wide variety of uses. Chamomile tea is the best way to utilize chamomile for improving digestion, and chamomile tea has a more full-body effect in calming the nervous system down than chamomile essential oil does (unless applied very liberally).
I drink chamomile tea often as an all-in-one health solution, and often as part of a tea blend. A cup or two of chamomile tea after dinner will improve the digestion of the meal, get the body and mind into a more relaxed state, and with regular consumption will help with any ongoing skin issues like acne that may be present. Chamomile tea is also nice in the morning, though I prefer green tea then, and mixing green tea and chamomile is interesting because it really puts you into a flow state because the combination will strongly activate 8-12 Hz alpha brainwaves.
Brewing chamomile tea is easy, simply steep chamomile flowers with 70-100 C water for 5-15 minutes. Chamomile is a very sweet herb and doesn’t easily steep bitter, so I recommend steeping it for longer and with a higher temperature water in order to extract more of the beneficial active constituents present. If it does taste slightly bitter afterwards simply add some honey. If you want to stop some of the extracted essential oils from vaporizing away during the steeping process then cover the container with a lid.
Chamomile Hair Lightening
Chamomile tea also makes for a nice natural hair lightener. Bring a large container of water to a boil and add a lot of chamomile flowers or chamomile tea bags and let steep for 30-60 minutes. Remove the flowers or tea bags and once the water is cool either rinse your hair with the strong chamomile tea or better yet let your hair soak in the container for 30-60 minutes. Adding some honey to the tea enhances the lightening and moisturizing process.
You can rinse your hair afterwards with water or simply let your hair air dry which allows the active constituents of the chamomile to further nourish your hair and scalp.
Mountain Rose Herbs Chamomile Flowers
Grown in Croatia these organic Matricaria recutita flowers are harvested at the peak of freshness. Steeping chamomile flowers into tea is very simple, it just requires a tea infuser or a tea spoon.
Brewing whole organic chamomile flowers like these is much more cost-effective than buying chamomile tea-bags at the store, the flowers will be much less oxidized because they won’t have been chopped up, and therefore more of the beneficial active ingredients will be extracted out.
Chamomile Tea Side Effects
Chamomile tea has a long history of safe usage and is extremely safe. One thing to be aware of with chamomile is that it may trigger an allergic reaction for an existing ragweed allergy
Additionally since chamomile does reduce platelet clumping, care should be taken with chamomile if already using a blood thinner.
References:
Malcom Stuart, et al. The Encyclopedia of Herbs and Herbalism. Crescent Books, New York.
McKay DL, Blumberg JB. A Review of the bioactivity and potential health benefits of chamomile tea (Matricaria recutita L.). Phytother Res. 2006;20(7):519-530.
Miraj S, Alesaeidi S. A systematic review study of therapeutic effects of Matricaria recuitta chamomile (Chamomile). Electron physician. 2016;8(9):3024-3031.
Gupta. Chamomile: A herbal medicine of the past with a bright future (Review). Mol Med Rep. 2010;3(6).
Montagnier L, Aissa J, Giudice ED, Lavallee C, Tedeschi A, Vitiello G. DNA waves and water. J Phys: Conf Ser. 2011;306:012007.
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