“Herbal tea” is a catch-all phrase applied to products that are steeped in a manner similar to tea, but are not from the Camellia sinensis plant. This can include any number of plants such as chamomile, peppermint, rooibos, lavender, hibiscus, ginger, etc. – some of which are enjoyed by themselves or blended together with other products.

Since these products are not related to the tea plant, the vast majority of them are caffeine free (yerba mate and guayusa are exceptions and both contain caffeine).

Herbal teas also do not share the same elaborate processing techniques that give tea its unique transformation and are often referred to as “tisanes”, which is a French word meaning “beverage made from herbal infusion.”