Chamomile’s apple-y aromatics first gave the herb its common name, derived from the original Greek chamaimēlon, or “earth-apple.” Ancient cultures were the first to sing the herb’s praises. The ancient Greek physician Dioscorides and naturalist Pliny the Elder prescribed it, Egyptian women mixed it with crushed rose petals to apply to their skin, and before modern preservation techniques were available, cooks soaked rancid meat in chamomile to mask unpleasant odors. In the Middle Ages, when hygiene was particularly difficult, people scattered chamomile on floors to help repel vermin and pests and to serve as a natural deodorizer. For hundreds of years, farmers have planted chamomile as a cover crop to attract beneficial insects and repel the pesky ones. 

Throughout history, herbalists and physicians used chamomile for a variety of reasons. The ancient Greeks used it to support women’s health, the Egyptians used it to mummify bodies, and the Anglo-Saxons considered it one of their nine sacred herbs. By the Middle Ages, monks narrowed in on chamomile’s ability to soothe digestion and calm the nerves, and herbalists recommend it for those same reasons today.*