Herbal Green Tea

All about herbal and green tea


Monday, May 22, 2006

Herbal Tea Recipe - Angelica.

Angelica is a remedy for colds, coughs, pleurisy, flatulence, rheumatism, fever, nervousness, poor skin, appetite loss, gas, indigestion and can also be used as a blood tonic. Fresh Angelica root stimulates production of digestive juices and improves the flow of bile. This tea resembles china tea with a celery taste.

To 1 teaspoonful of dried or 3 teaspoons of fresh add 1 cup of boiling water. Steep to taste.




Sunday, May 21, 2006

Thyme Tea

Thyme Tea helps bronchitis, coughs, sinuses, nose and throat, larynx and whooping cough. It can be used as an anti-bacterial. Thyme tea aids digestion.

To 1 1/2 teaspoons thyme add 1 cup boiling water. Steep 10 minutes. Take several times a day. Do not exceed 3 cups per day.


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The Classification of Chinese Teas


White Teas:

Naturally these are the lightest color teas and possess a very mild flavor. White teas are often sun dried and free of processing, as the leaves are usually just-picked. Their leaves are flat and silvery, as are those in Sow Mee, which translates as "Old Man's Eyebrows."

Green Teas:
This color of tea has been getting lots of praise over the past decade as being a cure for all manner of ailments ranging from mild to serious. A more bitter tea, the leaves are very curly and dark green. Green tea is excellent for one's digestive system and can increase energy. Many green teas take their names from the region in which they are grown, such as Jin Chu ["Sun-Poured"] from the southeastern area of China. Despite its name, Gunpowder is a green tea that contains only a small amount of caffeine. It is made from young leaves that are tightly rolled in order to maintain freshness.

Oolong teas:
They are made by semi-fermenting green tea leaves. Some of the best Oolong teas are cultivated on the steep mountain slopes. With tea trees growing almost 100 feet in height, trained monkeys can only pick tealeaves. Those teas are nick named " Monkey Teas."

Red Teas:
A Chinese red tea, Qimun, is valued for the compact size and shape of the dry tealeaves, and the resulting color: bright red. The tea is heavy bodied and strong. Red tea is fermented, thereby containing no more caffeine than green tea.

Black Teas:
There is some mix-up about the difference between black and red teas as the Chinese refer to them as "red" tea, which describes the color of the liquor they produce. Some of this is attributed to the fact that the leaves change color when brewed. Whether black or red, these are the most familiar to Western tea drinkers, and are often taken with the addition of milk and/or sugar. They also contain the highest amounts of caffeine.

Drinking tea will help lower your cholesterol and can be beneficial for those who are trying to lose excess weight. However, to determine the best type of tea for your needs, it is recommended that you consult with a licensed practitioner of Chinese medicine.



Monday, May 15, 2006

Lemon Herbal Iced Tea

 

2 Sunkist Lemons
4 cups boiling water
6 herbal tea bags (peppermint and spearmint blend or ginger flavored) ice cubes
Honey or sugar to taste

With vegetable peeler, peel each lemon in continuous spiral, removing only outer colored layer of peel (save peeled fruit for other uses). In large pitcher, pour boiling water over tea bags and lemon peel. Cover and steep 10 minutes. Remove tea bags; chill tea mixture with peel in covered container. To serve, remove peel and pour over ice cubes in tall glasses. Sweeten to taste with honey. Garnish with lemon half cartwheel slices, if desired. Makes 4 (8 ounce) servings.




Lemon Balm Tea

Lemon Balm Tea will perk you up in the morning; help bloating, gas, mood disorders, bronchial inflammation, high blood pressure, mild vomiting, toothache, earache and headaches. Lemon Balm has anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties.

Use the plants leaves. A good combination is lemon balm and fennel. To 1 teaspoon of crushed lemon balm add 1 cup boiling water. Steep 10 minutes. Take twice a day.


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Sunday, May 14, 2006

Peppermint Tea

Peppermint Tea helps indigestion, head colds, headaches, appetite loss, bronchitis, and fever and gal bladder problems. It can be used as a blood and liver tonic.

To 1 teaspoon of peppermint add 1/2 cup of boiling water. Steep 10 minutes.


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Herbal Tea - Rose Petal Tea

 

2 cups freshly picked petals of dark red roses
1 litre water
honey Place

washed petals in a teapot. Pour in the boiling water, cover and leave the tea to brew for 10 minutes. Serve this tea hot or iced, with honey to enhance the delicate taste.

 




Friday, May 12, 2006

Fennel Tea

Fennel Tea helps bronchitis, digestive problems, coughs, stimulates movement of food through the stomach and intestines, dries respiratory phlegm and destroys germs. It makes a good after dinner tea.

Use crushed or ground seeds. To 1 - 1 1/2 teaspoons of ground seeds add 1 cup of boiling water. Steep to taste.


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Chamomile Tea

Chamomile Tea has soothing, calming and relaxing properties. It helps digestion, coughs, colds, poor skin, and is used as a liver tonic. The entire chamomile plant can be used for tea. However, the flowers are the most flavorful.

To 2 teaspoons dried flowers or 1 tablespoon of fresh flowers add 1 cup boiling water. Steep to taste.


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Dill Tea

Dill Tea helps an upset stomach, indigestion, coughs, colds, and bronchitis, fever, sore throat, and tendency to infection, urinary tract infections and sleep disorders. It stimulates the appetite, acts as a nerve sedative, and is a blood and liver tonic. Dill seeds have been proven the most effective.

Crush the seeds or use a grinder. To 1 teaspoonful of crushed seeds add 1 cup of boiling water. Steep to taste.


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Wednesday, May 10, 2006

Chinese Green Tea.


Tea and China are two words that go extremely well together. For Americans it's probably the first Asian herb they have ever used. During the days of the Peoples Revolution in China, workers were paid mostly in rice as tea was considered an extravagance or a medicine. Nowadays, green tea is the most popular variety in China. China produces more green tea than any other country. There are many types of green tea, all of which share the characteristic of being light and refreshing. Although green tea is recognized as an antioxidant, and for possessing qualities that guard against cancer, further research in Australia and Japan reveal that all teas have similar qualities.

WHERE TO BUY CHINESE TEAS:
Any Chinese grocery or herb store
Any tea shop
The only online merchant offering service to cure terra cotta teapots
http://www.suzannes.com

Teas and Tea Pots Unlimited--Provides information about the Chinese gongfu style of tea drinking with an assortment of fine Chinese teas and teaware.

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Friday, May 05, 2006

Secrets of Green Tea.

The Chinese have known about the medicinal benefits of green tea for over 4,000 years. But recent studies are just starting to unlock these ancient secrets of green tea.
Today, a great deal of research is being carried out about green tea health benefits and the findings are very exciting.

Here are just a few medical conditions that drinking green tea is reputed to be helpful with:
Cancer
Rheumatoid arthritis
High cholesterol levels
Cardiovascular disease
Infection
Impaired immune function
Controlling high blood pressure
Lowering blood sugar

Researchers believe the real secret of green tea lies in the fact that it is rich in EGCG which is a powerful anti-oxidant. EGCG has been found to kill cancer cells without harming healthy tissue.

A University of Purdue study recently concluded that a compound in green tea actually inhibits the growth of cancer cells.

Red wine has been long studied because it contains resveratrol, a polyphenol that limits the negative effects of smoking and a fatty diet.

But researchers from the University of Kansas determined that EGCG is twice as powerful as resveratrol, which may explain why the rate of heart disease among Japanese and French men is quite low, even though approximately seventy-five percent of them are smokers.

Research also indicates that drinking green tea lowers total cholesterol levels, as well as improving the ratio of good (HDL) cholesterol to bad (LDL) cholesterol.

But the health benefits of green tea don't end there. Green tea has been found to inhibit the abnormal formation of blood clots which is the leading cause of heart attacks and stroke.

New studies have actually shown that green tea can even help you loose weight. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition performed a study at the University of Geneva in Switzerland. Researchers found that men who were given a combination of caffeine and green tea extract burned more calories than those given only caffeine or a placebo.

It has also been shown that drinking green tea can give your body a greater ability to fight infection and kill bacteria.

Green tea can even help prevent tooth decay. Its bacteria-destroying abilities kill the bacteria that causes dental plaque and aids the immune system with its antifungal properties by improving digestive function.

You may be asking if other Chinese teas offer similar health benefits. But the answer is no. Although green, oolong, and black teas all come from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant, the way green tea is processed is what sets them apart.

Green tea leaves are steamed, and that prevents the EGCG compound from being oxidized. Black and oolong tea leaves are made from fermented leaves, which converts the EGCG into other compounds. This process makes oolong and black teas much less effective in preventing and fighting various diseases.

So how much green tea should you drink? There are as many answers to this question as there are researchers investigating the health properties of green tea.

While some companies selling green tea say that ten cups per day are necessary to reap the maximum benefits, a University of California study on the cancer-preventative qualities of green tea concluded that you could probably attain the desired level of polyphenols by drinking two cups a day.

The research of this ancient beverage continues, and it may take decades to unlock all of the secrets it holds. Although green tea should not be considered to be a magic bullet, researchers agree the positive health benefits are very promising.



Miso Broth Tea.

Miso broth makes a wonderful tea-like drink. Be sure to stir well.

INGREDIENTS:

1 tbsp miso (more or less to taste)
water

PREPARATION:

Use as much water as you need for your cup. Heat water to just barely boiling, remove from heat and add miso. Stir well, sip and enjoy! Be sure not to boil the miso, as this will kill some of the beneficial enzymes



Thursday, May 04, 2006

Turmeric Tea.

INGREDIENTS:

1 tsp turmeric powder
4 cups water
1 cup milk (soy or dairy)
2 tbsp almond oil
liquid sweetener, to taste, optional (honey, agave, maple syrup)
PREPARATION:

Bring water to a boil and add turmeric. Allow to simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring to make sure the turmeric is fully dissolved. Reduce heat, add milk and oil and stir well. Add sweetener if desired and enjoy!



Herbal Tonic Tea.

This herbal tonic tea is really a cross between a tea and an infusion. It's substantial, nourishing, and tasty, but not medicinal, and you can drink as much as you like. It's good for everybody, an excellent source of many vitamins and minerals, including Vit. C, E, K, calcium, magnesium, potassium, silicon and zinc, to name just a few, and will benefit every part of your body. The tea tastes good on it's own, and you can vary the taste with the optional herb mixtures and also add lemon and honey.

Ingredients:
4 quarts boiling water
1 cup fresh nettle leaves, or 2 tblsp dried
1 tblsp dried horsetail
1 tblsp raspberry leaf
1 tblsp echinacea root
1 tsp milk thistle seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
Optional Variations:
1 tblsp licorice root, 1 slice fresh ginger, 1 cinnamon stick - these make the tea sweet, warming and robust - nice in cold weather
A few fresh leaves of peppermint, spearmint, lemon balm, or basil - refreshing in spring and summer
1 tblsp rose buds, 4 green cardamom pods - cooling when the weather is hot
Lemon and honey - good with any of the variations, but especially in the morning
Directions:
Bring the water to a rolling boil uncovered
Add all ingredients, and simmer uncovered for ten minutes
Turn off heat, cover and let brew another ten minutes or longer
Strain and drink throughout the day.
Refrigerate and reheat if you like - it'll keep for a couple of days.
Chilled, with ice in hot weather, this tea is a lifesaver



Wednesday, May 03, 2006

Ginger tea

INGREDIENTS:
2 thin slices raw ginger
water
PREPARATION:Boil enough water to fill your cup, remove from heat, and add the slices of ginger. Allow to steep to desired strength (3-5 minutes), strain and enjoy!



Chai Tea.


INGREDIENTS:

1 cinnamon stick
1 tbsp chopped cardomon pods
2 thinly sliced pieces of fresh ginger
1 tbsp whole cloves
dash nutmeg
1 tsp whole peppercorns
dash garam masala (optional)
1 vanilla bean (optional)
4 cups water
1 cup milk (dairy or soy)
liquid sweetener (honey, agave or maple syrup)

PREPARATION:

Add spices to water in a large pot or saucepan and boil for at least 15 minutes, or to desired strength. Remove from heat and strain. Add milk or soymilk and mix well. Add sweetener to taste (about one teaspoon per serving). Serve and enjoy!