Herbal teas have provided immediate relief and long-term health benefits for thousands of years for people in every region of the world. To receive the full health-providing goodness from an herbal tea, first, the herbs need to have been grown in rich, clean soil with all the correct conditions. So buy organic whenever possible.
Next, they need to be harvested correctly; the right portion of the plant, the right stage of growth and time of season on a dry day. Then they need to be properly dried and stored. And lastly, they need to be fresh enough to still contain the delicate, aromatic oils that give most plants their potent healing powers.
Next, they need to be harvested correctly; the right portion of the plant, the right stage of growth and time of season on a dry day. Then they need to be properly dried and stored. And lastly, they need to be fresh enough to still contain the delicate, aromatic oils that give most plants their potent healing powers.
This leaves out most of the brands on the store shelves. Too many are simply not up to snuff in the growing, drying and storing process, and some have been on those shelves for far too long to be of any benefit at all.
And then it's up to us to make the medicinal herbal tea correctly so as to keep those healing benefits in the tea. These days in America, however, our obsession with coffee has inadvertently caused us to leave out one of the most important steps to the medicinal herbal tea-making process, leaving our herbal teas simply 'flavor teas', and not providing us most of the herbs' powerful healing and nutritional benefits.
In fact, we might lose as much as 90 or 95% of the healing power of our herbal teas! Whether you're using bulk teas or tea bags, simply follow these instructions, and you'll be set up to experience all the health-providing goodness you'd hoped for from your amazing herbal teas!
To make a medicinal herbal tea (infusion) using leaves, flowers and stems (arial parts):
- Place herbs into a tea pot, Mason jar or coffee mug: (use about 1 teaspoon of DRIED herbs or about 1 Tablespoon of FRESH herbs per cup of water, or to taste).
- Pour boiling water over the herbs.
- COVER IMMEDIATELY!
- Steep for 20 minutes.
- Enjoy!
To make a medicinal tea (decoction) using roots, barks and certain seeds:
- Place herbs in a glass, ceramic or stainless steel pot: (use about 1 teaspoon of DRIED herbs or about 1 Tablespoon of FRESH herbs per cup of water, or to taste).
- Add cold filtered water. Cover with a tight-fitting lid.
- Bring to a slow boil, and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Let cool to desired drinking temperature with the lid intact.
- Enjoy!
Check back soon for more information. I'll be updating this article with more details for green, white and black tea-making, as well as how to choose a good product. And, if you want to see anything added to this, let me know in the comments!
Did you find this article helpful? Would you like more detailed information about anything in particular? Is there anything you'd like to share? Let me know in the comments below.
RSS Feed