Many moons ago I slowly started learning about the healing benefits of botanicals. What goes into our bodies affects our bodies - energy levels, the ability or inability to sleep, weight, organ function, skin and hair health, you name it. I've put together a handful of tea recipes that I have found helpful and wanted to share them with you.
GETTING STARTED
Botanicals: You can purchase dried, loose botanicals from specialty markets (my grocery store sells almost everything I need) or online (Mountain Rose Herbs is a great, reputable source), or you can try growing the botanicals yourself. I grow a number of herbs and flowers that I incorporate into my teas, including chamomile, lavender, calendula, sage, rosemary, thyme, roses, marjoram, oregano and yarrow. But some things, like clove, cardamom and star anise, don't grow in my area, so I have to purchase them. Some botanicals grow wild and can be foraged, like red clover and nettle, but make sure you have permission to forage them, and make extra sure they haven't been sprayed with any chemicals. I only use dried herbs for my teas, primarily for ease of use and storage. If you want to incorporate fresh botanicals, do your research on how to best use them.
Tools: I use an electric kettle to boil water, but you could easily use a pot on a stove. You'll also need a tea strainer. I prefer a "cup" style strainer that sits on top of my mug (with the lower portion sitting within the mug) rather than a ball that is dropped into a mug. This is mainly because the "cup" style strainer is much easier to fill and won't accidentally spill like my ball strainer has a tendency to do. Plus, you can fit larger pieces (and larger amounts) into the cup strainer, so it's much more versatile. Here's an example of a cup style strainer from Mountain Rose Herbs.
Infusing: Pour your tea blend into your strainer and place it in an empty mug. Pour boiling water over it to fill the mug and let sit for about 10 minutes. You can infuse for a shorter or longer period of time, but I have found that 10 minutes is the sweet spot for me. Keep in mind, the longer you infuse, the stronger the flavor and the more robust the healing benefits. However, some botanicals begin to taste bitter if they're infused for too long. Experiment to see what you like best. I always use local, raw honey as a sweetener, and sometimes I top with coconut milk...delicious!
Moderation: As with all things, it's best to use moderation with herbal infusions. While these herbs are safe for use, and you'd likely need to ingest a very significant amount to do any real harm, the ingredients are included because they affect your body. Some herbs, if taken in vast quantities, might cause your stomach to feel off or give you a headache (or perhaps some other uncomfortable sensation). The Asian Ginseng, Red Clover and Willow Bark are the only botanicals included in this post that I would not recommend taking every day. However, our bodies benefit from a variety of foods/herbs, so changing your tea recipe at least every week or so is a good practice. There are so many delicious and beneficial combinations, there is no reason to have the same tea every day! I typically have a maximum of three cups of tea per day, and if I have more than two cups, I make sure my third is a recipe with completely different ingredients.
Additional Resources: There are oodles of books and resources online for information regarding the health benefits and potential concerns for various botanicals. Please take the time to teach yourself about each ingredient to make sure it's safe for you. Although the botanicals I use are considered safe for most people, they might cause problems for women who are pregnant or people who have various allergies or health conditions. This blog post is meant to help get you started with recipes I have tried and like, but it's your responsibility to look out for your own health! Here are some books you might like to check out from your local library or purchase for your home library: Healing Herbal Teas by Sarah Farr, Growing Your Own Tea Garden by Jodi Helmer, The Herb Book by John Lust, Homegrown Tea by Cassie Liversidge, Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner's Guide by Rosemary Gladstar.
RECIPES
Play around with the recipes below to see what you like, and adjust based on the desired flavor and your health needs. You'll notice that I don't list an amount of each ingredient like you see in a typical recipe. In most cases, you'll use the same amount of each ingredient, a ratio of 1:1. If you decide you want to use more of one ingredient, you certainly can. Take notes of what you like and don't like so you can find your favorite recipes! I've listed below anywhere I think it's best to include a larger portion of an ingredient, noted below as 1.5 or 2 parts, compared to 1 part for everything else.
I recommend starting with just one mug to see how you like it. Use one "pinch" of each ingredient and place it in your strainer. If you like the blend and want to make a larger portion of the dried tea blend for future use, consider using a tablespoon or more of each ingredient. Place all the ingredients in a large glass jar and shake. Label your jar and store it in a dark place (in a cabinet or drawer out of sunlight is fine). If I'm not doing the "pinch" technique for a single mug and am pulling from one of my pre-made tea blends, I typically use a heaping tablespoon per 16 ounce mug. Make sure you shake your jar well before each use.
Calming
Chamomile
Lavender
Lemon Balm
Lemon Verbena
Oregano
Red Clover
Rose Petals
Digestion
Lemon Balm
Ginger
Lemongrass
Lemon Verbena
Cardamom
Notes: Delicious with coconut milk. This is probably my favorite tea blend of all time!
Headache Relief
Chamomile
Clove
Ginger
Lavender
Lemon Thyme
Mint
Oregano
Willow Bark
Notes: Those allergic to aspirin should not take Willow Bark.
Anti-Inflammatory
Calendula
Cardamom
Cloves
Cinnamon
Ginger
Orange Peel
Rosemary
Star Anise
Notes: I also use powdered Asian Ginseng a friend gave me. I place it on top of the other ingredients so that the powder doesn't clog the holes in the strainer.
Vitamin C Blend
Calendula
Cardamom
Chamomile
Hibiscus
Lavender
Lemon Peel
Lemongrass
Lemon Thyme
Lemon Verbena
Orange Peel
Raspberry Leaf
Rose Hips
Rose Petals
Warming
Cardamom
Chicory
Cinnamon - 3 parts
Cloves - 2 parts
Ginger - 2 parts
Pink Peppercorn*
Star Anise
Notes: Pink peppercorn is related to cashews and may cause a reaction in people with tree nut allergies. This tea is delicious with coconut milk. I found this recipe at Wicked Spatula and adapted it slightly because I love a strong clove flavor.
Menstrual Cycle Tea
A woman's body is constantly changing if she has started menstruating and hasn't hit menopause yet. We can support our bodies through each step with herbs that provide what we need, when we need it. Check out my blog post on using herbs to help through each phase of the menstrual cycle: Using Botanicals for Balance throughout the Menstrual Cycle.
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