Is German chamomile different from Roman chamomile?

They are different plants with a similar traditional use. German chamomile is the one used in Gut Ease.

Will chamomile tea help me sleep?

Some people find a warm cup part of a calming evening routine. The evidence that chamomile itself changes sleep is limited, so I would regard it as one part of a routine and not as a fix.

Is chamomile safe if I have hay fever?

People with allergies to ragweed and other daisy-family plants can react to chamomile. If you have a known daisy-family allergy, I would avoid it unless a practitioner advises otherwise.

Can I give chamomile tea to a baby?

I would speak to a health visitor or GP first. I have not reviewed the guidance on infants in enough detail to advise.

Is chamomile safe in pregnancy?

The monograph indicates that safety is established for the tea only. The EarthWise safety guidance advises against Gut Ease in pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Chamomile: What It Is, How It Works, and When to Use It

Sarah Burt

Oct 14

6 min read

Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) is a small, daisy-like flower that most people first meet in a teabag. It is traditionally used to support digestion and a sense of calm, and it has one of the longest records of everyday use of any herb in Europe. The evidence for its more ambitious uses, such as anxiety and sleep, is limited, and the evidence for its gentle digestive use is mostly traditional. It is one of the four herbs in the EarthWise Gut Ease tonic.

Chamomile in a clear vase, softly lit against a bright blurred background, creating a airy mood

What it is

Chamomile belongs to the daisy family (Asteraceae) and grows as a low, feathery annual with white petals around a raised yellow centre. It is native to Europe and western Asia and grows freely on British field margins and waste ground. The flower heads are picked when they are fully open and dried for tea or extracts.

Two plants share the common name. German chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) is an annual and the species usually used in herbal medicine in the UK. Roman chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile) is a low perennial, often grown as a lawn, and has a similar traditional use. When I write chamomile in this guide I mean the German species, which is the one in Gut Ease.

A buyer's note worth reading. Check that the label names the flower and gives the Latin name. Many teabags contain a lot of stalk and fine dust, which carries little of the volatile oil that gives chamomile its aroma. Whole flower heads in a sealed container smell noticeably stronger. As a rough guide, a tea that smells of almost nothing probably has very little in it.

The active compounds

Chamomile flowers contain a volatile oil, flavonoids and other plant compounds.

The volatile oil. It contains bisabolol and its oxides and chamazulene, the blue compound that forms from a precursor called matricin when the flowers are steam-distilled. Bisabolol and chamazulene are studied for their anti-inflammatory activity in laboratory settings.

Flavonoids. Apigenin is the one most often discussed. In laboratory studies it binds to receptors in the brain that are also targeted by some sedative medicines, which is the usual explanation offered for chamomile's calming reputation. That finding comes from cell and animal work, and whether a cup of tea delivers enough apigenin to matter in a person is not established.

Coumarins and mucilage. These contribute to the soothing quality of a warm infusion and are part of the traditional logic for its use on irritated tissue.

How it is traditionally used

The EU herbal committee (HMPC) adopted a monograph on chamomile flower in 2015. It recognises chamomile as a traditional herbal medicine for the relief of minor digestive complaints, such as bloating and wind, and for minor spasms of the gut. It also covers use as a mouth rinse or gargle for minor inflammation in the mouth and throat, and topical use on minor skin and mucosal irritation. As a traditional-use monograph, it rests on long-standing use and not on clinical trials.

For adults, the monograph gives a herbal tea made from 1.5 to 4 g of chamomile flower in 150 ml of boiling water, taken three to four times a day between meals. It lists a sensitivity to chamomile or other daisy-family plants as a contraindication. Its guidance on pregnancy and breastfeeding is that safety is established for the tea only.

In Western herbal practice chamomile is a classic digestive and nervine herb, and herbalists often combine it with bitters, which is how it appears in Gut Ease alongside Globe Artichoke, Calendula and Centaury.

What the research shows

Here is how the evidence reads, in plain terms.

Traditional evidence: digestion, mouth and throat, skin. This is the foundation of the EU monograph. It is a legitimate basis for a gentle herb with a long record, and it is a weaker basis than a controlled trial.

Evidence: anxiety and sleep. Chamomile has been studied for both, and a general medical reference such as the Merck Manual describes the evidence as limited, with a possible benefit for anxiety and sleep. I have not reviewed the individual trials in enough detail for this guide, so I make no claims about how large the effects are or how strong the trials are.

Safety evidence. Chamomile is widely used and generally well tolerated. The main risk is allergy, particularly in people sensitive to daisy-family plants such as ragweed and chrysanthemum. The Merck Manual notes that chamomile may interact with anticoagulants, sedatives, tamoxifen, HRT, oral contraceptives and the transplant medicine cyclosporine. The EU monograph also mentions reports of interactions with drug-metabolising enzymes at high doses in transplant patients. For most people on none of these, an occasional cup of tea is unlikely to raise any concern.

Sarah's clinical perspective

I use chamomile in Gut Ease as a tincture at a 1:4 ratio in 45% ethanol, alongside Globe Artichoke, Calendula and Centaury. Its job in the formula is the soothing, settling side of the picture, with the bitters doing the stimulating work.

I am careful with anyone allergic to daisy-family plants, because Calendula and Chamomile both belong to that family. I also ask anyone on blood-thinning medication to speak to their GP or practitioner first, because chamomile may have a mild effect on clotting.

Practical guidance

Dose. There is no trial-tested tincture dose. The EU monograph gives a traditional adult amount of 1.5 to 4 g of flower as a tea, three to four times a day between meals. This is a traditional amount, and it is not a dosing instruction for any particular product.

Format. A tea is the traditional form. Covering the cup while it steeps for ten minutes or so keeps the volatile oil from escaping with the steam. A tincture is a practical alternative and is easier to take consistently.

Time to effect. There is no clinical timeline. For anything persistent I would give it a couple of weeks and then review with a practitioner.

Timing. Between meals for digestive use, as in the monograph. In the evening if you are using it as part of a wind-down routine.

What it does not replace. Chamomile does not replace medical investigation of ongoing digestive symptoms, and it does not replace a proper approach to sleep. Blood in the stool, unexplained weight loss, difficulty swallowing or pain that wakes you at night need a GP.

For how to take the EarthWise tonic specifically, the dose and full safety information are on the product page.

Common questions

Is German chamomile different from Roman chamomile? They are different plants with a similar traditional use. German chamomile is the one used in Gut Ease.
Will chamomile tea help me sleep? Some people find a warm cup part of a calming evening routine. The evidence that chamomile itself changes sleep is limited, so I would regard it as one part of a routine and not as a fix.
Is chamomile safe if I have hay fever? People with allergies to ragweed and other daisy-family plants can react to chamomile. If you have a known daisy-family allergy, I would avoid it unless a practitioner advises otherwise.
Can I give chamomile tea to a baby? I would speak to a health visitor or GP first. I have not reviewed the guidance on infants in enough detail to advise.
Is chamomile safe in pregnancy? The monograph indicates that safety is established for the tea only. The EarthWise safety guidance advises against Gut Ease in pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Where chamomile appears in the EarthWise range

Chamomile is one of the four herbs in Gut Ease, Sarah's formula for digestive support, where it sits with Globe Artichoke, Calendula and Centaury.

If you are not sure which formula fits, the EarthWise health quiz is the best place to start. Full safety information is on each product page.

When to seek professional support

Chamomile is generally well tolerated, with allergy the main concern. Check with a practitioner first in these situations:

Allergy to daisy-family plants. The EU monograph lists sensitivity to chamomile or other daisy-family plants (ragweed, marigold, chrysanthemum) as a contraindication.
Blood-thinning medication. Chamomile may have a mild effect on clotting.
Sedatives, tamoxifen, HRT, oral contraceptives or cyclosporine. Check with your GP or pharmacist first.
Medication for acid reflux, bile problems or liver conditions. The EarthWise Gut Ease guidance asks for advice first.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding. Gut Ease is not recommended. The monograph describes safety as established for the tea only.
Persistent or worsening digestive symptoms. Blood in the stool, unexplained weight loss or difficulty swallowing need a GP.
Children. Speak to a GP or health visitor before giving chamomile to a child.

Sarah Burt is a registered naturopath, medical herbalist and iridologist with 25+ years of clinical experience. All EarthWise tonics are formulated by Sarah based on her clinical protocols.

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This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any health condition. Always consult a qualified health practitioner before making changes to your health regimen.