Tea, Please! How to Pick, Purchase, and Brew a Quality Cup of Herbal Tea
Herbal teas have been brewed for thousands of years as part of a healthy life style, as well as, to prevent and treat various conditions and states of disease. There are so many tea bag brands and grocery store options to choose from, but how long can plant dust offer medicinal benefits? And where do these plants come from? What part of the plant are they selling us?
The best option for brewing herbal teas is, of course, to nurture and grow our own tea garden, pick plant material when its time, and cultivate relationship with our medicine. A tea garden can be something as simple as starting with one herb on the window seal, maybe chamomile, calendula, sage, rosemary or lemon balm.. to name a few. Make or purchase a drying rack (paper bags work) for plant material after harvesting, then transfer when dried to a glass jar, and keep in cool dark place. Pick a herb that feels like an ally for you, or one commonly used in your family ancestry.
What about wild herbs growing in the yard? You may already have a wild tea garden around you. Dandelion, mustard greens, chickweed, pineapple weed (wild chamomile), nettles, and many more common medicinals are usually growing naturally all around us. Plus, when we grow and forage our own herbs for tea, we get the option of brewing fresh harvested plant material without having to dry.
Herbals teas are the cheapest and most effective way to benefit from a full spectrum of phytonutrients, vitamins, minerals, and various herbal constituents that support our body systems in a gentle way.
I like to describe high quality herbal teas as fresh, vibrant, fragrant, whole, local, sustainable, and flavorful. Keeping the integrity of the tea leaves, flowers, seeds, roots, and stems until the tea is ready to brew ensures the medicinal benefits are viable.
Sometimes its hard to grow our own herbals year around, so getting to know your local herbalist is a great way to have access to local organic high-quality teas. Check out your local apothecary or health food store, and ask where their herbs come from. How long have they been sitting on the shelf?
Dandelion flowers
How to Brew a Cup of Tea
Take desired amount of tea (1-2 tablespoons) per cup, and gently break up plant material to awaken and expose fresh plant cells (where the active medicine is) before infusion. Place tea in a clean tea bag or reusable infuser of your choice.
Use hot water, but water should not be boiling. Let’s try not to kill all the antioxidants and vitamins.
Cover tea bag completely with water, and then cover tea cup with lid. A mason jar with lid works great. This ensures that the healing steam aka volatile oils do not escape the cup, and they drip back down into the water for us to drink. Volatile oils have many health benefits.
Let sit for 15-30 minutes. Enjoy herbal teas throughout the day. Most are not caffeinated, and can be brewed as singles (one plant brew) or in combination with other plants that all support each other. There are so many combinations of tea to be made.
All Day or Overnight Tea Infusion
Overnight tea infusions generally use larger quantities of plants and water. I like to use a 64 oz jar, and infuse with warm or room temperature water before sun brewing all day or leaving on the counter or in the refrigerator all night.
Try 1/2 cup to 1 cup of herbs per 64 oz, depending on desired strength. Drink alone or mix with honey.
Reuse plant material too! High quality teas can be brewed up to 3 times.
Plants support us. Enjoy!
LEMON BALM TEA
Used to help treat stress, tension, anxiety and depression
Helpful for emotional symptoms and calming the nervous system
Supports memory and mental clarity
BAY LEAF TEA
Good for digestive health
Heart healthy
Helps reduce anxiety and stress
Anti inflammatory
Helps manage diabetes
Improves sleep
ROSEMARY TEA
Helps with mental focus, alertness, and memory concentration
Great herb for circulation
Helps relieve colds/flu symptoms, headaches, and congestion
Used to help treat anxiety and depression
Really good digestive herb (healthy gut = happy mind)
