by Anonymouse

Created on: January 09, 2009   Last Updated: February 06, 2009

Herbal tea is one of the most effective natural remedies. While synthetic drugs come with harmful side effects and risk of dependency, alternative medicine uses natural plant life to beget the same cures. Herbal teas prevent and cure many conditions, both physical and mental.

Conditions to Cure

Medicinal teas are often used to soothe sore throats, relieve stress, promote weight loss, and to strengthen the body's defenses. They're also useful in treating arthritis, allergies, the common cold, indigestion, and much more. An herb called St. John's Wort has been successfully used to treat depression and anxiety. Another time-honored choice, chamomile tea calms nerves and soothes the stomach - a combination that happens to make most people drowsy. Then there's green tea, which improves circulation, plus it lowers high blood pressure and cholesterol. Herbs like ginseng and ginkgo biloba are becoming more and more popular for memory enhancement and stress relief.

Brewing Herbal Tea

The art of brewing herbal tea is definitely worth mastering. Fresh herbs should be used for the most aromatic tea possible, but sometimes they're out of season or unavailable. Then dried herbs will have to suffice. Brewers of medicinal teas will need one kettle and a teapot, along with a mesh strainer. Since herbs react with certain metals, only use pots made of safe material, such as porcelain, earthenware, and tempered steel. Gradually warming the teapot will prevent it from cracking and keep the tea warm. While infusions are made from flowers or leaves, decoctions are made from seeds, roots, and bark. Both call for their own unique brewing recipes.

Homemade Herbal Tea Decoctions: Chop roots and bark into tiny pieces, and bruise seeds with the back of a spoon. Add 1oz. of medicinal herb to each pint of lukewarm water. Bring the decoction to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Pour over the mesh strainer. Instead of using sugar as sweetener, add natural herbs like licorice root, or perhaps some honey.

Homemade Herbal Tea Infusions: Sprinkle bruised herbs (1 tsp. dry or 3 tsp. fresh per 8oz. cup water) in the teapot. Pour simmering water inside and cover immediately. This prevents the oils from evaporating. Let the tea steep for 5 minutes. Pour the infusion over the mesh strainer. To brew iced tea from either infusions or decoctions, double the spices, and chill the mixture for one hour before drinking.

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