The Best Houseplants for Health

People have used plants as a source of medicine for thousands of years. The best houseplants for health include chamomile, thyme, holy basil, feverfew, peppermint, English lavender, calendula, and others.

Houseplants can add beauty to any indoor environment — but it’s even better when they also have health benefits. 

People have used plants as a source of medicine for thousands of years. Today, there are many scientific studies that are trying to figure out how plants, especially the ones that we see and use in our everyday lives, could benefit our health. Learn more about houseplants, health, and you. 

There are actually a lot of health benefits to having a plant in your home or office — regardless of species. In fact, NASA recommends that you keep at least one houseplant for every 100 square feet of indoor space. 

The health benefits of keeping houseplants include: 

• Better air quality. All plants consume carbon dioxide, which you exhale when you breathe. Then, the plants exhale oxygen — which you need to survive. 
• Increased humidity. Plants release around 97% of their water into the air. 
• An accelerated healing process. A study done at Kansas State showed that patients with plants in their recovery room needed less medicine, had lower blood pressure, and were released sooner than patients who didn’t have plants. 
• Increased happiness. Having plants around can help lower your anxiety and stress levels. 

Herbs can be grown indoors fairly easily — as long as they can get enough sunlight on your windowsill. Keep in mind that some herbs have many different varieties, so you’ll want to find the one that grows best in your area. 

Herbs can be brewed in hot water to make teas, purchased as essential oils, mixed into creams to create salves, or dried and used in satchels. How you prepare your plant depends on how you want to use it and what symptoms you’re trying to treat.  

Herbs that are great for your health include: 

• Chamomile. This herb is considered safe by the FDA. You can use the flower in teas or compresses to help with inflammation and swelling. It also helps to relax you and soothe anxiety. There are ongoing studies that indicate that it may help ease symptoms from chemotherapy — including skin irritation and vomiting.
• Thyme. This herb acts as an antimicrobial and antiseptic against many kinds of bacteria and viruses. It also has strong anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that can help with brain, kidney, and heart health.
• Holy Basil. This herb has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. It can help with diabetes and intestinal problems. Be sure to consistently harvest the flowers when they grow, or the plant will stop making new leaves.
• Feverfew. This herb is good for people who have frequent migraines because it may help prevent them. It may also help treat arthritis symptoms. But it can create mouth ulcers and digestive problems if you eat the leaves. It shouldn’t be used with all medicines — so you should talk to your doctor before starting frequent use.
• Peppermint. This herb is an anti-microbial that can also help soothe your throat when you drink it in tea. It’s best if you harvest the leaves just before or during flowering.
• English Lavender. This herb has a large number of healing properties — many of which still need to be studied. Some of these include pain-relieving, antidepressant, and antifungal properties. You can use it in a tea with chamomile.
• Calendula. Use the flower of this herb to help with stomach and digestive problems. It can work as a tea, oil, or in salves.

Other types of houseplants can have health benefits too. NASA studied a number of houseplants for their ability to cleanse the air of chemical pollutants. Some of the best houseplants that they identified are: 

• Florist’s chrysanthemum. This plant was able to cleanse the air of all of the chemicals that they tried — including benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, xylene, and ammonia. 
• Variegated snake plant and English ivy. Both of these plants were able to remove benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, and xylene from the air. 
• Dracaena. NASA tested two different kinds of dracaena, red-edged and cornstalk. Both of these were able to cleanse the air of benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, and xylene. 

Houseplants that have health benefits other than air purification include: 

• Hyssop. It’s easy to grow this plant indoors when it’s young, but you might want to swap it into your garden if it gets too big. It’s a muscle relaxer that can help soothe sore throats and coughs and help with digestive issues. It’s typically taken as an essential oil but has also been linked to epileptic seizures. Use it with caution. 
• Aloe vera. This plant has anti-inflammatory properties and the gel that is found inside of the leaves is a highly effective treatment for sunburns. It also moisturizes your skin and can have anti-acne effects in some people.