Cold Infusion Tea Recipes: The Easiest Way to Add Herbs Into Your Routine
If making herbal tea feels overwhelming or time consuming, cold infusions might completely change the game for you! They are one of my favoriteee ways to gets my clients into drinking tea because it takes literally less than 3 minutes to do. No excuses anymore!
One of the reasons I love cold infusions so much is because they make herbalism feel accessible. There is no complicated process, no pressure to do things perfectly, and it becomes easy to keep supportive herbs consistently in your routine. I also find that many women who do not enjoy hot herbal teas tend to love cold infusions because they feel lighter, fresher, and easier to sip throughout the day.
I provide four cold infusion blends below that combine nourishing herbs for hormone support, nervous system regulation, mineral replenishment, digestion and skin health.
What Is a Cold Infusion?
A cold infusion is an herbal preparation method where the herbs are steeped with room temperature water for an extended period of time. This slower extraction process allows certain plant compounds, minerals, and nutrients to gently infuse into the water. Cold infusions are not ideal for hard roots and barks because those need warm water to extract the plant nutrients. Instead, they are perfect for more mineral-rich, fragrant herbs. Cold infusions are one of the simplest, gentlest, and most nourishing ways to incorporate herbs into your daily routine, especially if you are looking to support hormones, mineral status, energy, stress resilience, and overall wellness in a more sustainable way.
My Favorite Herbs to Use in Cold Infusions (from an Eastern and Western Perspective):
Stinging Nettle Leaf
Enters the Lung, Liver and Kidney Meridians
One of the most nourishing herbs for women’s health. It is rich in minerals including iron, magnesium, calcium, potassium, and trace minerals, making it especially supportive for energy, hydration, stress resilience and overall hormone nourishment. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, it is a blood tonic, relieves dampness in the body, calms the liver and promotes digestion. It is also widely known in herbalism to support proper histamine balance in the body, helping with seasonal allergies and excess histamine. This is my personal favorite way to use nettle! As a previous allergy sufferer, working on my overall histamine levels made me feel soooo much better and now I RARELY experience allergies.
Nettle may support:
Mineral replenishment and hydration
Seasonal Allergies
Adrenal nourishment- fatigue and burnout
Hair growth, nail strength, and skin health
Blood sugar balance
Skin irritation and histamine-related breakouts
Stress resilience and nervous system stress from chronic inflammation
Chamomile
Enters the Lungs, Heart, Stomach, Liver Meridians
Chamomile is calming to Shen (spirit) and supportive for patterns involving Liver Qi stagnation, irritability, tension, and digestive upset. Its gentle cooling and relaxing nature may help settle nervous system excess and support emotional regulation, sleep and relaxation. Because of this, it is especially helpful for stress-related digestive symptoms like bloating, and menstrual discomfort (think PMS!). Because the gut and nervous system are so interconnected, chamomile is considered both a digestive herb and a calming nervine.
Chamomile May Help Support:
Nervous system regulation, like stress and overwhelm
Sleep quality and relaxation
Digestive discomfort and bloating
Stress-related gut symptoms
Menstrual cramping
Skin inflammation
Emotional irritability and tension
Rest-and-digest nervous system activation
Red Raspberry Leaf
Enters the Kidney and Liver Meridians
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, red raspberry leaf is considered an astringing and tonifying herb that supports the uterus, digestion, and overall reproductive vitality. It is often used in patterns involving deficiency, depletion, excessive fluid loss, and weakened pelvic or uterine energy. Because of its toning properties, it is commonly used throughout different phases of a woman’s reproductive years, widely known to be used during pregnancy (always work with a skilled herbalist and practitioner if pregnant before incorporating herbs). Rich in minerals including magnesium, calcium, potassium, and iron, it supports menstrual wellness and the uterus and pelvic tissues. It is commonly incorporated into wellness routines for women experiencing PMS, menstrual discomfort, cycle irregularities, or periods of hormonal depletion. Personally, I use this Red Raspberry Leaf in my menstrual and follicular blends.
Red Raspberry Leaf May Help Support:
Uterine tone and menstrual wellness
PMS and menstrual cramping
Cycle irregularity
Mineral replenishment
Heavy or excessive menstrual bleeding
Pelvic tissue support
Pregnancy and postpartum nourishment
Nervous system depletion from chronic stress
Overall reproductive vitality
Lemon Balm
Enters the Heart and Stomach Meridians
Lemon balm is considered calming, gently uplifting, and regulating for patterns involving Liver Qi stagnation, Shen disturbance, and digestive tension connected to stress or emotional overwhelm. Energetically, it is slightly cooling and aromatic in nature, helping to move stagnant energy while also calming excess heat and tension within the nervous system. Because the Liver system in Traditional Chinese Medicine is closely connected to emotional flow, stress, irritability, and digestion, lemon balm is often supportive for women experiencing mood shifts, tension, bloating, or nervous system dysregulation. Lemon balm is one of my most beloved nervine herbs because it is so tasty and it has an amazing ability to calm the nervous system in a way that is gentle and not sedating.
Lemon Balm May Help Support:
Nervous system regulation and chronic stress
Irritability and mood swings
Stress-related bloating and digestive tension
Sleep quality and relaxation
PMS-related emotional symptoms
Mental fatigue and burnout
Cognitive support and focus
Muscle tension associated with stress
Spearmint
Enters the Liver, Lung and Stomach Meridians
Spearmint is cooling and aromatic. It used to move stagnant Liver Qi (do you notice a pattern with the liver yet and it’s importance?) It is widely known to support women with PCOS (PMOS), helping with acne, inflammation, irritability, headaches, hirsutism, scalp hair thinning, irregular cycles, overheating and inflamed skin. While not a standalone treatment for PCOS/PMOS, it can be super supportive and effective. Research shows that it influences androgen activity in the body, supporting healthy testosterone levels. Spearmint is considered a mild nervine, so it is supports the nervous system and hormone cycle connection.
Spearmint May Help Support:
Stress-related cortisol patterns and nervous system tension
Emotional irritability often associated with hormonal shifts
Hormonal acne and excess oil production
Androgen-related symptoms (including PCOS/PMOS related patterns)
Elevated free testosterone
Menstrual cycle irregularity
Inflammatory skin conditions linked to hormones
Metabolic and blood sugar balance support
Head tension and stress-related discomfort
Marshmallow
Enters the Lung, Stomach, Bladder and Large Intestine Meridians
Marshmallow root is deeply moistening and yin-nourishing. It is often used in patterns involving dryness, irritation, deficiency, and inflammation, especially when the mucosal tissues (lungs, digestive tract, urinary tract) feel dry, inflamed, or depleted. Energetically, marshmallow root is cooling and moistening in nature. It is traditionally used to soothe dryness and support the smooth flow of fluids throughout the body because it is a demulcent herb and has high mucilage content. When infused in water, it creates a slippery, gel-like consistency that coats and soothes irritated mucous membranes throughout the body. That is why it is best to do cold infusions with marshmallow.
Marshmallow May Help Support:
Gut lining integrity and digestive soothing
Acid reflux and stomach irritation
Dry throat, cough, or respiratory irritation
Hydration and tissue moisture balance
Urinary tract discomfort
Constipation related to dryness or lack of mucosal lubrication
Skin conditions linked to gut inflammation or dryness
Bloating or discomfort linked to gut sensitivity
RECIPES FOR COLD INFUSIONS:
FOR NERVOUS SYSTEM SUPPORT:
3 TEASPOONS OF NETTLE LEAF
3 TEASPOONS OF CHAMOMILE FLOWERS
2 TEASPOONS OF LEMON BALM
4 CUPS OF FILTERED WATER
FOR MINERAL SUPPORT:
5 TEASPOONS OF NETTLE LEAF
3 TEASPOONS OF RED RASPBERRY LEAF
4 CUPS OF FILTERED WATER
FOR HORMONE SUPPORT:
3 TEASPOONS SPEARMINT
3 TEASPOONS OF LEMON BALM
2 TEASPOONS RED RASPBERRY LEAF
4 CUPS OF FILTERED WATER
FOR GUT SUPPORT:
3 TEASPOONS MARSHMALLOW
3 TEASPOONS OF CHAMOMILE
2 TEASPOONS OF NETTLE
4 CUPS OF FILTERED WATER
DIRECTIONS:
PLACE HERBS INTO A LARGE GLASS JAR
FILL THE JAR WITH 3-4 CUPS OF FILTERED WATER
COVER AND ALLOW HERBS TO INFUSE FOR 8-10 HOURS
STRAIN HERBS AND STORE TEA IN THE FRIDGE
DRINK WITHIN 48 HOURS FOR FRESHNESS
TIPS:
I personally love making this tea in the morning and placing the closed jar outside for a “sun tea” ritual
Easiest way is to make it before bed and leaving it on the counter overnight
Batch a large jar of the blend so all you have to do is add the mixed herbs into the jar
You can play around with the herbs you use. Just add about 8 teaspoons per 4 cups of water that you will infuse. Play around with it using the herbs that you have and make a blend using 2-3 herbs.
NOTE:
Where you source your herbs is super important. Try to get loose leaf herbs, not herbs that come in tea bags. This prevents unnecessary plastic getting into your tea. My favorite source is Mountain Rose Herbs.
Do you struggle with cyclical chaos, like PMS, irregular periods, anxiety, and other hormonal symptoms?
Your symptoms are not random, and you do not have to just “push through” them every month. If you are ready to better understand your hormones and feel more supported throughout your cycle, I invite you to book an information call to learn more about working together.
Let’s Connect!
