Introduction
Gardens, supermarkets, and health-food stores are filled with edible flowers, herbs, bushes, trees, even some weeds that, when steeped, make delicious and healthful hot brews.
Drinking a tea brewed from freshly gathered herbs is an easy way to get nature's healing force into your body - something we all need, whether we are healthy or fighting illness. Fresh plants help strengthen the immune system and detoxify. They are loaded with vitamins, antioxidants, essential oils, soluble fiber, minerals (including calcium), enzymes, chlorophyll, and numerous compounds to boost our health.
Herbs are plants that are valued for their medicinal, aromatic, or savory qualities. Many are tasty, too. A fresh tea made from fresh herbs captures between 50 and 90 percent of the effective ingredients of the plant. (Roots would need an alcoholic extract, so leave them out.) Much of what you can use in your tea may already be growing in your garden, and what is not there you can easily plant or purchase. Because you drink with your eyes and nose as well as your palate, you want your tea to consist of three kinds of ingredients: greens, blossoms, and herbs.
How will this tea taste? Appealing and complex - and different every time because the ingredients change with the seasons. If you already like green tea, you'll be pleased with the smooth, rich flavor of your garden tea.
Kitchen herbs for your tea - such as basil, thyme, rosemary, mint, and oregano - are a delight to grow (though you can buy them in supermarkets year-round). They thrive everywhere, even in poor soil, and need little watering. Many do not need to be grown in full sun. You can even cultivate a variety of kitchen herbs in small pots on a bright windowsill. There they do require a bit more attention, since they do not like to be over- or under-watered.
Don't be afraid to try out and experiment with combinations. However, do not use any plants that have been sprayed with pesticides, and never harvest anything you find growing along the roadside. Be careful to avoid poisonous greens, such as the leaves of tomato or potato plants.
The beauty of your garden tea is that you can vary it by changing the combination of kitchen herbs, ornamentals, and weeds that you pick. No matter what the recipe, though, you'll feel good, literally, after drinking what you've made.
Teas made from your garden are a surprising departure from those brewed with ready-made tea bags. Be prepared for a fresh, vibrant, unfamiliar mix of tastes.
We hope you like this mix of recipes that we have put together, to get you started!
Disclaimer
These herbal uses and properties are only given for reference purposes. I am not responsible for any actions or outcome of use of these remedies, taken by persons using these references.
Please be aware that like food a person may have a personal reaction
to an herb that is not necessarily a toxic substance.
If not sure what the uses and dosages of herbs to be used are please consult a medical or holistic practitioner
Information provided is not designed to diagnose, prescribe, or treat any illness, or injury and is provided for informational purposes only.
Always consult a medical doctor, or other alternative medical practitioner when suffering from any disease, illness, or injury, or before attempting a traditional or folk remedy.
Keep all products away from children.
As with any natural product, they can be toxic if misused.
Want Lots of Free Stuff? Join our Free Club!