Does lettuce tea help you sleep a lot? TikTok trend says it cures insomnia (it's true)

“Lettuce water or tea” trend

When using the TikTok app, you may come across a mysterious trend, teaching an unusual trick to get a lot of sleep: drinking lettuce water. Can it really end insomnia?

Apparently, users report that it does, even though they don't really believe it at first. But after consuming it, they confirm that they felt very drowsy, with a deep sleep.

What does science say about lettuce tea? (benefits)

This trend is being shared by several TikTok users, and it is very likely that you have never heard of it before. Generating a lot of suspicion about this method. 

To clarify this doubt, we found an article¹ in the magazine Current Signal Transduction Therapy, which explains that yes, it can have sleep-inducing effects.

This happens because of the lactucarium. This substance has sedative properties that will make you sleepy. 

THE lactucarium It can be found at the base of certain types of lettuce, being a milky substance. If you put several leaves and boil it, this substance will potentiate in the water. 

A recent 2022 review³ on Rev Bras Gynecol Obstet, reported a discovery that the seed also helps improve sleep quality

Furthermore, lettuce tea is great for the immune system, as it contains vitamins A, C, E, K, zinc, manganese, potassium and is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. It increases immunity, preventing flu, colds and allergies. It also helps to reduce cholesterol and regulate blood pressure, having a diuretic effect.

What is the best type of lettuce to make tea with?

A study² in Food Science and Biotechnology, indicated that the compound lactucin is found in higher concentrations in green romaine lettuce compared to other types.

How to make lettuce tea:

As much as lettuce has lactucarium, which is the substance responsible for inducing sleep, needs to be infused in large quantities in boiling water to reap the benefits.

Ingredients:

• About 3 to 5 lettuce leaves.
• 350ml of water.

Preparation:

In a pan, place the chopped leaves and add water. Turn the heat to medium and wait for it to boil. When bubbles appear in the water, wait for 2 minutes and then turn off the heat. Now cover the pan and wait for another 10 minutes. Now, just strain and drink the tea while it is still warm. Use as little sweeteners and sugar as possible.

You can take it about an hour before bed, so that your body enters the drowsy state.

(optional) Some people report mixing it with another tea that induces sleep, such as chamomile. In addition to enhancing the effect, it can improve the taste. However, it is worth noting that it is not recommended to add teas that contain caffeine or other substances that prevent sleep, such as green tea. 

Conclusion:

Natural, cheap and you can have it in your home now, an ingredient that has a natural calming effect.

This could be another option for tea that induces sleep, just like chamomile and valerian. If you found this TikTok trend interesting and want to try it out, that’s fine, as there’s nothing harmful about drinking “lettuce tea.” But of course, don’t overdo it. 

In addition to the lactucarium present in lettuce, there are other factors that can help with the results, for example, drinking warm water makes the body more relaxed, and the placebo effect can also enhance the results.  

Precaution: Because it induces sleep, it is not recommended to take it before driving, working or any other task that requires your full attention. It should not be ingested in large quantities at once, as excess can cause adverse effects.

If you make this tea, don't forget to come back here and comment on your experience! We at I am healthy and our audience will be happy to know your results.

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