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Our verdict
Ahmad Tea Camomile & Lemongrass (76/100, about ₱13.45 per bag) is our top pick: it is sold by the importer that holds its FDA registration. Sanlo Salabat (73) is the local ginger choice, and Twinings Pure Camomile (70) is the one with no health claims at all.
We only rank teas registered as food. Herbal medicines (such as lagundi or sambong products registered as drugs) are outside this guide, and we skipped teas that promise to cure gout, “detox”, slim you down or boost performance. This is general information, not medical advice.
We searched the Shopee affiliate offer list and Shopee search for herbal tea, chamomile, peppermint, lemongrass and salabat on October 17, 2026, and looked each brand up in the FDA Philippines food registry. We kept teas with a current food registration that are sold by the brand, its registered importer, a Mall retailer or a long-standing shop.
4 of 5
Ranked tea listings that make health claims, from “soothing” to cancer and diabetes. All five teas are registered as food, not medicine.
Best choice Ahmad Camomile & Lemongrass |  Sanlo Salabat | Twinings Pure Camomile |  Gold Leaf Chamomile | Best value Steuarts Camomile | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Score | 76/100 | 73/100 | 70/100 | 67/100 | 65/100 |
| Our rating | |||||
| Best for | Most buyers; clearest supply chain | Ginger tea, local brand | Plain chamomile, no claims | Knowing exactly what is in the bag | Lowest price per bag |
| Herb | Camomile + lemongrass | Ginger + sugar | Camomile | Chamomile | Camomile |
| Price | ₱269 / 20 bags | ₱125 / 75 g | ₱369 / 25 bags | ₱264 / 20 bags | ₱238 / 25 bags |
| Per bag (per g) | ₱13.45 (₱8.97) | ₱1.67 per g | ₱14.76 | ₱13.20 (₱11.00) | ₱9.52 |
| Weight stated | 30 g | 75 g | No | 24 g | No |
| Health claims | Soothing; “sleep tea” label | Cough, colds, nausea | None | Cancer, diabetes, heart disease | Insomnia, sores, rashes, cramps |
| FDA record | FR-4000015405764, to Dec 2028 | FR-4000015105417 (close match), to Aug 2030 | FR-4000013954844, to Feb 2030 | FR-4000012475061, to Mar 2029 | FR-4000015323796, to Nov 2030 |
| Listing problem | Expiry 2023 vs 2028 | Calls turmeric “native ginger” | Broken attributes; odd expiry | Disease claims | Two-sentence listing |
| Shop | Importer (CSF Enterprise) | Watsons (Mall) | twiningsph (since 2020) | Gold Leaf (brand) | Steuarts (brand) |
| Ratings on listing | 2,108 | 240 | 19,879 | 16,932 | 1,032 |
| Buy | ShopeeLazada | Shopee | ShopeeLazada | ShopeeLazada | ShopeeLazada |
Chamomile and ginger: what the evidence says
These points come from the US National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) pages on chamomile and ginger. They are general information, not medical advice.
- Sleep: NCCIH says there is very little information on chamomile for insomnia, and the one study it describes from a 2019 review found no benefit.
- Digestion: chamomile is promoted for indigestion, but NCCIH reports no evidence supporting that use on its own.
- Allergy: chamomile can cause allergic reactions, including severe ones, and people allergic to ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds or daisies are more likely to react.
- Medicines: interactions have been reported between chamomile and some drugs, including the blood thinner warfarin. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you take any medicine.
- Ginger and nausea: research suggests ginger may help nausea and vomiting in pregnancy, but most studies tested supplements, not drinks. It is uncertain for chemotherapy or after surgery, and most studies found it did not help motion sickness.
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding: NCCIH says little is known about chamomile in pregnancy or breastfeeding, and advises asking a health care provider before taking ginger supplements in pregnancy.
None of this supports the cancer, diabetes or blood-pressure claims we found on one listing. A cup of herbal tea is a caffeine-free drink; it is not a treatment.
What the claims on these listings actually mean
| Claim | What it covers | Key exclusion |
|---|---|---|
| “100% pure camomile” / “100% chamomile flowers” | The bag contains only chamomile | Not a statement about quality or origin |
| “Caffeine-free” | True of chamomile, lemongrass and ginger, which contain no caffeine | Says nothing about added sugar (Sanlo adds refined sugar) |
| “Soothing”, “relax and calm”, “sleep tea” | How the maker wants you to feel | NCCIH finds very little evidence that chamomile helps insomnia |
| “Cough or colds relief”, “relieves nausea” | Traditional uses of salabat | Ginger research is mostly on supplements, and is mixed outside pregnancy nausea |
| “Fights cancer cells”, “for those with diabetes” | A disease claim | These teas are registered as food; no evidence we found supports the claim |
| “Insomnia, sores, rashes, menstrual cramps” | A list of conditions people have used chamomile for | Not evidence that the tea treats any of them |
| “Healthier Choice”, “Halal”, “Keto” | Shopee attributes the seller selected | No certificate named on these listings |
Herbal tea listings we would be careful with
| Product | What we found | Our check |
|---|---|---|
| Ludy’s Instant Salabat Ginger Brew Classic and Ginger Punch with Lemon | FDA Advisory No. 2025-1258 (15 October 2025) and No. 2025-1280 (25 October 2025) warn against these as unregistered food products. (A 2022 advisory, 2021-448-A, lifted an earlier warning on a registered “Instant Ginger Punch Salabat with Lemon”, so check the exact product name.) Ludy’s salabat listings, including Ginger Punch with Lemon and a Classic flavour, are still on Shopee. | Not scored: FDA advisory |
| Lexies Turmeric Ginger Tea Salabat Powder | We found no FDA food record for the Lexies brand. | Not scored: no registration found |
| Teas sold as cures (for example “Pansit-Pansitan Tea: lunas sa rayuma, gout at uric acid”, paragis teas) | Disease claims on teas from regular shops. A product that treats a disease is a medicine, and medicines are outside this guide. | Not scored: disease claims |
| Laxative, “detox” and slimming teas (for example a laxative tea and “Slim Plus” herbal tea) | Sold for bowel movement or weight loss rather than as a drink. See our slimming coffee guide for how we treat weight-loss claims. | Not scored: outside scope |
| Men’s “performance” herbal teas | Sexual-performance claims on herbal teas, including from an official shop. | Not scored: health claims |
| “8-in-1”, “eight treasure”, “kidney tea” and loose flower teas from cross-border shops | Mostly unbranded mixes shipped from abroad or unknown shops, with no registration we could match. | Not scored: unverified sellers |
| Herbal medicines registered as drugs (for example lagundi or sambong products) | These are registered as medicines, not food. | Not covered: drugs and medicines are on hold |
Our picks
76/100
Camomile + lemongrass
Foil-wrapped bags
FDA-registered
About ₱13.45 per bag
| FDA status | Registered: “FRUIT & HERB INFUSION CAMOMILE & LEMONGRASS”, brand Ahmad Tea London, CSF Enterprise, FR-4000015405764, valid to 13 December 2028 (an older record runs to December 2027). No advisory found. |
| Specifications stated | Ingredients (camomile, lemongrass); 20 individually foil-wrapped bags, 30 g; made in England; imported and distributed by CSF Enterprise |
| Claims | “famed for its soothing properties”; attributes “Relax & Calm Tea, Sleep Tea” |
| Inconsistencies | Expiry is 13 September 2023 in the attributes but “FEB 12 2028” in the description. It also calls the herb “chamomile leaf”; chamomile tea is made from the flowers. |
| Seller | CSF Enterprise / Ahmad Tea PH, the importer named on the FDA record (on Shopee since May 2020, 10.1K followers, 4.96 shop rating, 52% response). Listing 4.95 from 2,108 ratings; search shows 6K+ sold. |
| Price | ₱269 for 20 bags, about ₱13.45 per bag or ₱8.97 per g (17 October 2026) |
Ahmad ranks first because the shop is the importer that holds the FDA registration, so the chain from the record to the box you receive is short. The listing names both ingredients, the weight, the bag count and the country of origin, and its claims stay at “soothing” rather than treating anything.
The expiry dates contradict each other: an attribute says 2023, the description says 2028. Ask the shop or check the box on arrival. “Sleep Tea” in the attributes is a label, not evidence; see what the research says about chamomile and sleep below.
Why it scored well
- Shop is the registered importer
- Ingredients, weight and origin stated
- Modest claims
Watch-outs
- Two different expiry dates
- “Sleep tea” label is not evidence
- Shop answers about half of chats
73/100
Best local ginger tea (salabat)
2. Sanlo Salabat Ginger Brew Original, 75 g (Watsons Official Store)
ShopeeInstant ginger + sugar
Made in the Philippines
FDA-registered brand
About ₱1.67 per g
| FDA status | Sanlo Nature’s Brew (Prominex Ventures Inc.) holds several salabat records; the closest is “PREMIUM INSTANT SALABAT POWDER”, FR-4000015105417, valid to 21 August 2030. The listing name (“Ginger Brew Original”) is not the registered name, so this is a close rather than exact match. No advisory found naming Sanlo. |
| Specifications stated | Ingredients: ginger, refined sugar; 75 g; shelf life 730 days; made in the Philippines; mix one sachet with 150 ml hot water |
| Claims | “widely popular as cough or colds relief”, “helps in relieving nausea”, “relax and relieve stress” |
| Inconsistencies | Says it is brewed from “luyang dilaw (native ginger)”, but luyang dilaw is turmeric, not ginger. The sugar amount and the number of sachets are not stated. |
| Seller | Watsons Official Store, Shopee Mall (on Shopee since September 2018, 7.18M followers, 4.90 shop rating, 100% response). Listing 4.83 from 240 ratings; search shows 1K+ sold. |
| Price | ₱125 for 75 g, about ₱1.67 per g (17 October 2026) |
Salabat is the herbal drink most Filipino households already know, and Sanlo is a registered local brand sold through Watsons’ Mall store. Its ingredient list is short and honest: ginger and refined sugar. It is the cheapest way in this guide to a cup of herbal drink.
It is a sweetened instant drink, not a plain tea, and the listing does not say how much sugar is in a sachet. The “luyang dilaw” line is simply wrong (that is turmeric). The cough, colds and nausea lines describe traditional use; the research on ginger and nausea is mostly about supplements, not drinks (see below).
Why it scored well
- Short ingredient list
- Local brand, Mall retailer
- Lowest cost per cup
Watch-outs
- Contains added sugar; amount not stated
- Confuses ginger with turmeric
- Sachet count not stated
70/100
100% camomile
25 bags
FDA-registered
About ₱14.76 per bag
| FDA status | Registered: “TWININGS OF LONDON – PURE CAMOMILE INFUSION TEA”, McKenzie Distribution Co., Inc., FR-4000013954844, valid to 25 February 2030. No advisory found. |
| Specifications stated | “100% pure camomile”, caffeine-free, 25 bags |
| Claims | “relax and enjoy the golden flavour and floral aroma” (no health claim) |
| Inconsistencies | Attributes read “Country of Origin = 0” and “Drink Form = 0”. The “Expiry Date” attribute (25 February 2030) is the same date the FDA registration expires, so it may not be the date on the box. No weight given. |
| Seller | twiningsph (regular shop on Shopee since May 2020, 85.8K followers, 4.91 shop rating, 100% response; it does not say whether it is the brand or a distributor). Listing 4.91 from 19,879 ratings; search shows 60K+ sold. |
| Price | ₱369 for 25 bags, about ₱14.76 per bag (17 October 2026) |
Twinings is the most-rated herbal tea we found from a long-standing shop, and its listing makes no health claim at all: it sells the taste and the fact that it is caffeine-free. We score that restraint above listings that promise to cure things.
The listing is otherwise very thin, with two broken attributes and an expiry date that looks copied from the registration. The shop does not say who it is, so we scored it as a long-standing shop rather than an official store. It is also the most expensive per bag.
Why it scored well
- No health claims
- Exact registration
- Nearly 20,000 ratings
Watch-outs
- Very thin listing; no weight
- Expiry attribute looks wrong
- Shop identity not stated
67/100
100% chamomile flowers
1.2 g per bag
FDA-registered
About ₱13.20 per bag
| FDA status | Registered: “HERBAL INFUSIONS CHAMOMILE TEA”, brand Gold Leaf, Gilamar Enterprises Inc., FR-4000012475061, valid to 19 March 2029. No advisory found. |
| Specifications stated | Ingredients (100% chamomile flowers); 20 x 1.2 g (24 g); serving size; shelf life 24 months; storage and brewing directions |
| Claims | Chamomile antioxidants “fight against cancer cells”; lower thyroid cancer risk; “can lower blood-sugar levels … Highly recommended for those with diabetes”; lowers blood pressure, cholesterol and heart disease risk; protects against diarrhea and stomach ulcers; title “Great for sleep / de-stress / keto / diet” |
| Not stated | Expiry date, country of origin |
| Seller | Gold Leaf Teas official shop (on Shopee since February 2019, 61.8K followers, 4.93 shop rating, 52% response). Listing 4.90 from 16,932 ratings; search shows 50K+ sold. |
| Price | ₱264 for 20 bags, about ₱13.20 per bag or ₱11.00 per g (17 October 2026) |
On facts alone Gold Leaf has the best listing here: the exact ingredient, the weight per bag, the serving size, the shelf life and how to brew it, all from the brand’s own shop with an exact registration. The tea itself is plain chamomile flowers.
Its health section is the problem. It tells readers chamomile fights several cancers and is “highly recommended for those with diabetes”. The US National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health finds no such evidence, and its registration is as a food, not a medicine. Buy it as a tea if you like it; do not drink it in place of treatment.
Why it scored well
- Best ingredient and weight disclosure
- Brand’s own shop
- Exact registration
Watch-outs
- Cancer, diabetes and heart-disease claims
- No expiry date on the listing
- Shop answers about half of chats
65/100
Pure camomile
Individually wrapped
FDA-registered
About ₱9.52 per bag
| FDA status | Registered: “CAMOMILE”, brand Steuarts, George Steuarts (Philippines) Inc., FR-4000015323796, valid to 17 November 2030. No advisory found. |
| Specifications stated | 25 individually wrapped bags of “Pure Camomile” |
| Claims | “often used for stress relief, as well as a number of other conditions, such as insomnia, digestive complaints, sores, rashes and menstrual cramps” |
| Not stated | Weight, expiry, origin |
| Seller | Steuarts Tea Philippines official shop (on Shopee since March 2021, 2,960 followers, 4.96 shop rating, 0% chat response rate). Listing 4.96 from 1,032 ratings; search shows 4K+ sold. |
| Price | ₱238 for 25 bags, about ₱9.52 per bag (17 October 2026) |
Steuarts is the cheapest chamomile per bag in this guide, from the brand’s own Philippine company with a current registration. If you just want a plain chamomile tea for the evening, it is the budget choice.
The listing is two sentences, and one of them lists conditions (insomnia, sores, rashes, menstrual cramps); a food registration is not evidence that the tea treats any of them. There is no weight, no expiry and no origin, and the shop’s chat response rate was 0% on the day we checked.
Why it scored well
- Lowest price per bag
- Brand’s own shop
- Exact registration
Watch-outs
- Lists medical conditions
- No weight or expiry
- Shop does not answer chats
How to choose a herbal tea
- Look up the exact product in the FDA verification portal. A registered tea shows an FR- number with a validity date; Ludy’s shows advisories instead.
- Read the ingredients. Plain herbal teas list one or two herbs; instant salabat lists sugar as well.
- Compare price per bag or per gram. In this guide it ran from about ₱9.52 per bag (Steuarts) to ₱14.76 (Twinings).
- Treat health claims as a warning sign, not a feature. The best-described tea here also made the worst claims.
- Check the expiry on the box when it arrives; two listings gave expiry dates that did not add up.
- If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, allergic to ragweed or daisies, or take blood thinners or other medicines, ask your doctor before drinking chamomile regularly. This is general advice.
How we researched this guide
We searched the Shopee affiliate offer list for herbal tea, chamomile, peppermint, salabat and lemongrass, and by brand (Twinings, Lipton, Pickwick), on October 17, 2026. We then searched Shopee by keyword, read each listing in full, and looked each brand up in the FDA Philippines verification portal, including its advisories. We scored them with our published rubric: provenance and registration (25), disclosure (20), claims (20), consistency (10), seller record (15) and value (10). We did not taste or test any product.
No pick reaches 90: the listings either leave out basic facts or make claims they cannot support, and the one with the best facts made the worst claims. The evidence section is general information, not medical advice. This guide has not yet been reviewed by our health content reviewer, and we have not checked the Shopee affiliate programme’s rules for this category.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best herbal tea in the Philippines?
In our review Ahmad Tea Camomile & Lemongrass scored highest (76/100). It is FDA-registered and sold by its registered importer, and its listing names its ingredients, weight and origin.
Is chamomile tea good for sleep?
NCCIH says there is very little information on chamomile for insomnia, and one study it describes found no benefit. A warm, caffeine-free drink may still be part of a calm evening routine.
Is salabat good for cough or colds?
Salabat is a traditional remedy, but the listings offer no evidence. NCCIH's ginger research is mainly about nausea, and mostly on supplements. See a doctor for a cough that lasts or gets worse.
Is luyang dilaw the same as ginger?
No. Luyang dilaw is turmeric; ginger is luya. One salabat listing mixes them up.
Are herbal teas FDA registered in the Philippines?
Teas sold as food carry an FR- registration number. All five picks have one. Herbal medicines are registered as drugs, which this guide does not cover.
Why is Ludy's salabat not ranked?
FDA Advisories 2025-1258 and 2025-1280 (October 2025) warn against two Ludy's instant salabat products as unregistered.
Can herbal tea lower blood sugar or fight cancer?
We found no evidence for this, and NCCIH does not support it. One listing makes these claims; do not replace any treatment with tea.
Can I drink chamomile while pregnant?
NCCIH says little is known about chamomile in pregnancy or breastfeeding. Ask your doctor.
Who should be careful with chamomile?
People allergic to ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds or daisies, and people taking warfarin or other medicines. Check with your doctor or pharmacist.
Does herbal tea have caffeine?
Chamomile, lemongrass and ginger contain no caffeine. Blends with green or black tea do, so read the ingredients.
Which herbal tea is cheapest?
Per bag, Steuarts Camomile at about ₱9.52 on 17 October 2026. Sanlo salabat costs about ₱1.67 per gram of powder.
Did you taste these teas?
No. We read the listings, checked the shops and the FDA portal, and scored what the sellers put in writing.
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