Some prisons in England are using herbal teas to help prisoners relax and get a good night’s sleep. In some prisons, they are almost completely replacing sedatives.

Herbal teas (infusions really — true teas are made only from the Camellia sinensis plant) are widely used in Europe for their medicinal purposes — they are more thoroughly studied there, making their use more precise and less “quacky” than in the U.S, so it’s really not surprising that they would be used in prisons.

And, in case you were wondering, my two favorite herbal teas are:

1. Chamillo Blend from Upton Tea Imports. I don’t generally like chamomile teas. I think they taste like grass. But this beautiful blend is no ordinary chamomile — it has a lot of minty, citrus-like flavor. Just opening the tin is soothing — the blend is gorgeous and smells delightful. I don’t know if it helps me sleep, but it sure is good.

2. Orange Ginger Mint tea from Republic of Tea. I generally stay away from Republic of Tea products because their packaging irritates me — it’s way too cutesy, and is too obviously attempting to sell me a lifestyle. And I haven’t really liked the few black RoTs I’ve tried — they are too heavily flavored. However, I tried the Orange Ginger Mint at a coffee shop and really love it. It’s spicy and sweet without being cloying, and the aroma alone is enough to warm me on a cold evening. I would particularly recommend this to chai-lovers. RoT markets this as an “after meal” tea and says it is soothing to the digestive system — I find that when my tummy is a bit off, this tea does make me feel better.

I don’t drink a lot of herbal tea. I don’t, as a rule, like it. What the two teas above share are strong, assertive flavors and heavenly aromas.

UPDATE: I was just reminded by L that when I make the Orange Ginger Mint tea referenced above, I always use two teabags per mug (10-12 ounces) — otherwise, the tea is very bland. Some teas you can skimp and use one teabag per mug, but not this one.