Used hundreds of years ago, beneficial and fragrant herbs are today regaining their well-deserved popularity. More and more people who care about their health prefer natural herbal drinks to the usual tea or coffee. What types of herbal drinks are there and how can you prepare them at home?
Efficacy and Application
In Rus', herbal teas were popular until the end of the 18th century, until Chinese long tea was imported here. For centuries, people independently prepared and drank daily warming, medicinal and pain-relieving drinks, the recipes of which were kept in every family.
Conventionally, drinks made from plants, flowers, fruits, and roots can be divided into two types:
- medicinal tea;
- herbal teas for every day.
In the first case, we mean herbal preparations from several types of raw materials, designed to solve existing health problems. So-called fragrant herbs that do not have a systemic effect on the problem and have weak medicinal properties are suitable for use every day. These include drinks with oregano, mint, lemon balm, sweet clover and other aromatic plants or flowers.
Medicinal tea is drunk on the recommendation of a doctor, in courses in a certain dosage. Since the beneficial components from the drink accumulate over time, their effectiveness increases with each new cup. When treating in this way, mandatory breaks between courses must be arranged.
If the problem is mild, a herbal drink will help smooth out its manifestations. For more serious diseases, drinks from medicinal plants are used as an additional remedy to drug treatment.
Mint is most often used to flavor tea.
The most popular Russian herbal tea is Ivan tea, or fireweed. It was first harvested in the town of Kaporye, not far from St. Petersburg. This immune-strengthening, tonic and aromatic drink was supplied to the UK for a long time and was one of the important export goods of the Russian state.
Today, the traditions of making and consuming fireweed are being renewed and many hobbyists are preparing, fermenting and drying it themselves. Tea is harvested during the flowering period. Both leaves and blooming flowers are collected.
Useful herbs
Tea can be prepared at home in different ways, because there are a great variety of plant materials for these purposes. You can add a few leaves or inflorescences of aromatic plants to a regular brew. This way the tea will acquire new notes and benefit the body. Drinks consisting of beneficial herbs, the purpose of which is treatment, do not include tea leaves.
To prepare an aromatic tea drink at home, you can add aromatic tea herbs to the teapot:
- oregano;
- sage;
- mint;
- currant leaves;
- spiraea;
- heather;
- lavender;
- sweet clover;
- chamomile;
- Linden;
- clover.
These tea herbs have a pleasant aroma and give the infusion a beautiful color and light taste. If you harvest plant materials yourself, you need to be careful with the names of fragrant herbs. In folk medicine and official reference books they often differ.
Names of herbs with medicinal effect:
- St. John's wort;
- strawberries;
- anise;
- tricolor violet;
- primrose;
- bear ears;
- cowberry;
- tansy;
- sagebrush;
- chamomile;
- black elderberry;
- thyme.
This is a very modest list of useful herbs that are most often used in medicinal mixtures. Some of them can be planted on your own plot, others will have to be collected in the forest and meadow. Mint, lemon balm, chamomile and wormwood feel good in the garden. Thyme, tarragon, fennel and others can grow.
How to properly collect plants for tea? They all gather on a clear day in the morning after the dew has disappeared. It is believed that the maximum strength in plants is concentrated during their flowering period, and at the very beginning. It is this moment that needs to be seized when collecting field herbs for tea.
After collecting the herbaceous parts, they are dried in a shaded, ventilated area. The raw materials must be turned periodically so that there is no rot and it dries better. After 3-4 days, it can be placed in linen bags and stored at room temperature away from odorous foods. All aromatic and fragrant herbs are stored in glass or other hermetically sealed containers so that they do not absorb other odors and lose their own.
Fruits and roots
Healthy herbal teas consist of more than just plants and flowers. These are also numerous fruits, roots and tree bark, which contain many biologically active components. Most often, herbal tea includes:
- rose hip;
- blueberry;
- currant;
- cowberry;
- cranberry;
- apples;
- plum;
- Rowan;
- dandelion roots;
- burdock roots;
- bark of rowan, buckthorn, oak, bird cherry.
Before adding dried fruits to tea, they are crushed in a mortar and only after that they are placed in a teapot and filled with hot water. You can drink such drinks every day, because they are rich in vitamins, antioxidants, pectins and other useful components. You can give berry decoctions to children instead of regular compote.
If the collection includes roots and bark, they are prepared in a special way. It is usually practiced to prepare an infusion in a water bath, when the plant material is filled with cold water and simmered in a water bath for 15 to 30 minutes. Later, the infusion is filtered, its volume is adjusted to the desired volume and drunk in the indicated dosage.
The roots and bark have healing powers that are more intense than herbs and fruits. They often contain glycosides, tannins, phytoncides, and astringent components. A prominent representative of such drinks is an infusion of oak bark, which has anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, astringent and wound-healing properties. It is recommended to drink it instead of tea for diseases of the upper and lower respiratory tract, and digestive problems. Suitable for rinsing and external use.
Cooking recipes
A lot of herbs have healing powers of varying intensity. Some can be brewed regularly to obtain a tasty drink, while others are added in a calculated dosage. If tea is prepared from herbs, it is poured with slightly cold boiled water. Steep boiling water is not suitable, as it destroys some useful elements and provokes complete evaporation of essential oils. The infusion time is on average 10 minutes, the prepared drink is drunk fresh.
Recipes for every day
The most popular vitamin drink for daily use is rosehip tea. Dry fruits are used to prepare it. If the drink is prepared in a cup, grind the rose hips in a mortar and 1 tsp. raw materials are poured with hot water. Leave for 15-20 minutes. You can also prepare tea by brewing it in a thermos. To do this, pour whole fruits with hot water, close the lid of the thermos and leave for 3-4 hours. You can keep the infusion all night, then in the morning it will acquire a beautiful color and rich taste with a slight sourness.
Rosehip is rich in vitamin C and does not cause allergies
Recipe for tea from herbs and berries:
- Prepare a mixture of equal quantities of leaves and fruits of currants and raspberries.
- 1 tbsp. l. Pour hot water over the mixture and leave for 30 minutes.
Delicious tea for every day is made from blackberry and birch leaves, which are combined in a ratio of 8:1. An additional ingredient can be blackberries or raspberries. A drink made from dried blueberries and mint has an original taste. Rose petals are also often added to tea. They are taken fresh or dried, first filled with cold water, allowed to brew for 1-2 hours, and then the infusion is brought to a boil and simmered for 2-3 minutes. The tea is amber in color and very aromatic.
What herbs can be combined with each other for daily use? These are fireweed and rose, cherry and birch leaves, mint and sage, lingonberries, blueberries and currants. If a tea collection is prepared for cold consumption, then the berry and fruit component should predominate in its composition. On the contrary, hot drinks should contain more herbal components.
Medicinal teas
Medicinal drinks can be soothing, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, vitamin, help in the treatment of the reproductive, genitourinary, cardiovascular, and digestive systems.
Recipes for herbal teas with sedative and calming effects:
- Take 10 g of motherwort herb, mint and valerian root. Pour hot water, leave for 15 minutes. Drink 2 times a day after lunch.
- Take 10 g of lemon balm and speedwell leaves, 30 g of strawberry leaves and 40 g of rose hips. A homogeneous mixture in a volume of 1 tbsp. l. pour 250 ml of hot water, leave for 15 minutes and drink similarly to the first recipe.
- Take chamomile, linden and mint flowers in equal proportions, pour 1 tbsp. l. mixture with water, leave for 10-15 minutes. Drink before bed.
This tea for weight loss can be used while on a diet. It will help regulate internal metabolic processes and improve overall condition. To prepare it, take 30 g of buckthorn bark and nettle leaves, 10 g of calamus and mint. For one serving of drink, 1 tsp is enough. mixtures. Drink 2 glasses during the day. You can add spices to such weight loss drinks to stimulate metabolism. For example, ginger.
Buckthorn bark is included in numerous weight loss preparations.
Multivitamin tea from rose hips, parsley seeds, rowan, and currant leaves is drunk half a glass a day on an empty stomach. The volume of ingredients is arbitrary; you only need to limit the number of parsley seeds, as it may not give a very pleasant taste.
Herbal infusions for tea intended to meet the vitamin needs of pregnant women.
- Take 1 tsp. dried rose hips and currant leaves. Pour 400 ml of water and drink 100 ml 3-4 times a day.
- Take 1 tsp. rowan and rosehip fruits, add 500 ml of water, leave for 30 minutes, drink in small portions throughout the day.
How to properly brew herbal tea, create infusions, combine ingredients - all these questions must be studied before you begin to put them into practice. Any plant material may not always be beneficial at a certain level of health. Teas for children and people with chronic diseases are especially carefully prepared. They are too sensitive to the entry of complex active components into the body.
It’s worth returning to the roots, and it’s even nice to harvest fragrant and healthy plants and fruits. This is another reason to take a break from the bustle of the city and commune with nature.
The tea ceremony has been used for pleasure for a very long time. This is a common option for relaxation, even if the process does not take place in a cafe, but at home, while talking with dear people.
The most common drink is black tea; green tea is consumed somewhat less frequently, but for certain people these drinks are not as safe as many believe. The good thing is that instead of tea, you can use other drinks as an alternative.
What herbs are good to use instead of tea?
For a long time, our relatives preferred to drink only drinks of natural origin, and today, over time, the fashion for leading a healthy lifestyle returns, so many people prefer to drink healthy herbs, combining business with pleasure. This is explained very simply and logically - these drinks contain essential oils, flavonoids, valuable micronutrients, vitamin complexes that provide great benefits to the body.
Teas made from natural herbs must be called herbal drinks, since tea tree leaves or a small amount are not used for their preparation. This drink is very good at eliminating pain, warming, toning, stimulating, invigorating or giving a relaxing effect. The effects can be different, it all depends on what is included in the plants used to prepare the drink.
Common green and black teas, consumed in large quantities, can harm the human nervous system, sometimes they can provoke the development of insomnia. But if you choose the right herbs, you will receive exceptional benefits for the body.
Mother Nature gives us a gift of many plants with healing effects, which can help in the treatment of many diseases, or are an excellent prevention of their occurrence. There are benefits to herbal drinks that you need to know.
- do not provoke addiction from the body;
- do not provoke the appearance of swelling;
- do not interfere with the absorption of vitamins and microelements;
- made from cheap raw materials;
- help to obtain a certain therapeutic effect.
If a person has diseases that are caused by an imbalance in purine metabolism, then it is better not to drink a regular black drink at all, since such a drink contains a large amount of uric acid, which is harmful, and the caffeine present in the tea leaves increases excitability and does not always benefits people who have problems with the activity of the heart muscle, blood vessels, and people with hypertension problems. So you can safely drink herbal drinks and get benefits and pleasure.
Contraindications to the use of herbal remedies
Like every product, herbal teas have some contraindications for use:
- It has been scientifically proven that if you drink a portion of peppermint very often, it will be difficult to conceive a child in the future, and certain problems may arise. So everything good should be in moderation.
- Pregnant women are prohibited from drinking teas that contain plants such as nettle and thyme.
- If you have a chronic illness, do not uncontrollably and systematically take teas prepared from untested plants (it is recommended to consult a doctor before use).
- If you are hypertensive and often have high blood pressure, then you should give up herbs such as licorice and St. John's wort. It should also be noted that licorice has a bad effect on potency.
- If you have impaired kidney function, you should be careful when using thyme, as well as birch buds.
- People who have gastrointestinal problems such as ulcers and gastritis should avoid drinking chokeberry teas.
It should be noted that if you experience any allergies, soreness in the head, or pain in the abdomen, you should immediately stop drinking herbal tea. And, of course, when choosing components, do not forget about your health.
What herbs can be consumed daily instead of tea?
Herbal drinks are drunk not only as part of preparations; some of them are made on the basis of a specific plant. For example, leaves from one rose hip, lemon balm or black currant are of great polarity. If you prefer different taste characteristics and aromas, then you can conduct your own experiments to ultimately choose the recipe you like best.
Herbal Blend Options:
- , lemongrass, mint;
- Raspberry leaves with linden flowers and rowan berries;
- Thyme with rowan fruits, rose hips, and strawberry leaves.
- Rosehip, lemon zest, oregano, immortelle, nettle.
- Dried apple pieces, blueberry cherry leaves, chamomile extract.
- Raspberry leaves, cinnamon, orange zest;
- Cardamom with lemon balm;
- Rosehip and blackcurrant.
Herbs for vigor
Such drinks can be a good alternative to coffee, which gives energy. The advantage of such teas is that after a sleepless night they saturate the body with energy and help get in shape. To prepare a drink with invigorating effects, the following components are suitable:
- (raw).
All components must be taken in equal proportions. Drink a cup of this drink and you will be able to cheer up well, you will be full of energy, your mood will improve, but do not forget that such a tone cannot replace proper rest.
Drinks to calm your nerves
Such drinks can provide relaxation; they are very suitable for eliminating tension after a hard day. To prepare a relaxing drink you will need the following herbs:
- chamomile;
- motherwort;
- thyme;
- mint, ;
- valerian root.
Herbs can be combined or used separately. To get a lasting sedative effect, drink this drink every day before going to bed at night. The only exception is valerian, since it is forbidden to use it for a long period of time.
To lower blood pressure
Persons who suffer from high blood pressure can drink a drink made from strawberries (leaves and flowers are also suitable), from knotweed and string, barberry, and black rowan. One cup per day is enough; taking in large quantities is not recommended. All good things should be in moderation, since in large quantities even the healthiest drinks can be harmful to the body.
Cleansing drinks
In order for the body to function normally and perform its tasks, it needs to be cleansed. Cleansing drinks are used as additional means. Here are the ingredients for making such drinks:
- fennel fruits, elderberry and plantain are suitable for dissolving mucus;
- To ensure a choleretic effect, it is worth using corn silk, calendula, chamomile, wormwood, and immortelle.
To provide a mild laxative effect, it is recommended to use rhubarb root, joster and senna. To cleanse the lungs, you should use oregano and chamomile. To remove accumulated toxins from the body, you should drink drinks made from burdock, dandelion and nettle. To cleanse blood vessels, you should drink drinks from black currants and Japanese sophora.
How to select and prepare herbs?
The main rule when choosing a herbal drink is that all nutrients should be to your taste, because you will be drinking the drink daily. That is, drinks made from tansy and millennial are certainly very healthy, but tart and bitter in taste. Not everyone will like this.
Herbal tea needs to be steeped well before drinking. You should only take freshly brewed drinks, only in this case all the healing nutrients will become beneficial to the body. By the way, not only leaves are placed in the teapot for brewing, but also flowers and fruits, and in some cases, the stalks of useful plants.
Remember, the drink should not contain plants with a strong smell, as they will strongly interrupt each other and you will not be able to get a harmonious drink. It is worth selecting herbs in such a way that all components complement each other, both in aroma and taste.
It is recommended to prepare the raw materials for making tea in advance. Plants are collected during flowering. After this they are dried. It is important to follow one important rule - plants should be collected only on dry and clear days, it is advisable that they grow in clean areas. Avoid collecting plants on the roadsides, as they will definitely not contain anything useful.
Drying the leaves should not be done in direct sunlight, but in a dry and shaded room. You can use the attic for drying; some people dry the herbs in the oven, which is much faster and does not affect the benefits of the herbs. As for storage, it must be done in closed containers. Where no other aromas and oxygen will enter. It is recommended to initially dry berries and fruits in the sun. Then put it in the oven and dry for 3-4 hours over low heat.
If you cannot and do not want to collect herbs yourself, then you can purchase it in pharmacies. When choosing a pharmacy, preference should be given to those that have passed radiological control and certification.
Teas made from medicinal herbs can be drunk by all people, regardless of their state of health and age. If you decide to consume such drinks for preventive purposes or for treatment, you must carefully monitor the expiration date.
Brewing
Take the herbs and grind them well. If they are dry, then mix. For brewing, it is recommended to take 250 ml of boiling water and add one teaspoon of herbs to it. Rinse the teapot with hot water, then pour in the required amount of the mixture and fill with water. Close the lid and let it brew for half an hour. The herbs need exactly 30 minutes so that they can saturate the water with their healing properties, and the tea comes out tasty and has a pleasant aroma.
In addition, it is possible to prepare such drinks in a water bath. Sugar should not be added to the teapot, as it can spoil it very quickly. You can add sugar to your cup immediately before drinking. Instead of sugar, you can use honey, so the drink will be rich in additional useful components. But remember that honey should be added not to a hot drink, but to a warm (60 degrees) drink, otherwise all its beneficial properties will be lost.
If you want to prepare a herbal drink with additional solid ingredients (bark, branches, roots), then they must first be crushed and boiled for 15 minutes.
Don't forget to like! 🙂
As you know, everything new is well forgotten old. This expression perfectly suits the topic of today’s article. The popularity of tea made from the collection of herbs, fruits and flowers is increasingly growing, and it’s not just a matter of fashion. Very often, those who seriously care about their health abandon traditional tea and coffee and switch to herbal teas. The motivation is simple: “regular” tea contains a high content of caffeine and tannin - substances that excite the nervous system. In addition, few people follow the instructions of tea masters and brew tea leaves correctly - alas, tea leaves that have stood for 2-3 days are not at all uncommon in our kitchens, and such tea cannot be called tasty and healthy. Yes, and children can only be given tea after 2-3 years.
Good old herbal teas are another matter. This is what our ancestors drank some 500 years ago, before real tea appeared in our country. Strictly speaking, an infusion or decoction of herbs, roots or flowers should not be called tea, because it is not prepared from the leaves of a tea bush. But we won't be too picky.
Herbal teas come in a variety of varieties: vitamin-rich, medicinal, cooling or, conversely, warming, aromatic and not so aromatic, but in any case they are all healthy. And most importantly, you yourself can collect and compose your own unique tea, you just need to know 
a few important rules. When going for the necessary herb, remember that nature is very vulnerable - do not tear everything out, leave some of the grass at the collection site for its renewal. When collecting leaves (strawberries, raspberries, stoneberries, blackberries), cut only a few leaves from the branch, and you need to collect them fully unfolded. When collecting flowering plants such as mint, St. John's wort, thyme, oregano, always leave some plants with flowers for the seeds to ripen. Jasmine, rosehip, and linden flowers should only be collected when fully bloomed. Pick berries and fruits when fully ripe. The best time to collect raw materials is the beginning of flowering or full flowering of the plant. You need to collect grass in dry weather, immediately after the dew has disappeared.
Drying herbs is also a science. The collected herbs are dried in a shaded area (under a canopy, in an attic or in a well-ventilated room) until completely dry. Do not allow the grass to rot under any circumstances. Blackened grass should not be consumed!
. Herbs containing essential oils (oregano, calamus, thyme, etc.) should be dried slowly, at a temperature of 30-35ºC. This is necessary so that the essential oil does not evaporate.
. Herbs containing glucosides (tansy, mint, adonis, St. John's wort, coltsfoot) are dried in a dryer at a temperature of 50-60ºС.
. Fruits (rose hips, black currants, barberries, rowan), containing a lot of vitamin C, are dried in a dryer at a temperature of 80-90ºC.
You need to store finished raw materials in paper or linen bags, away from strong-smelling products, preferably each type separately. Scented herbs can be stored in glass or ceramic jars with tight-fitting lids. Each bag or jar must have a label with the name of the herb and the time of collection. The shelf life of leaves, flowers and herbs is 1-2 years, fruits and berries - 3-4 years, bark and rhizomes - 2-3 years.
Another important skill in making herbal teas is collecting a bouquet of herbs. You can, of course, make tea from just one herb, but who would refuse the opportunity to work some magic on a teapot? If you use aromatic herbs (mint, lemon balm, oregano, thyme, etc.), then it is advisable to include only one of them in the mixture. Otherwise, the aromas can destroy each other or, even worse, merge into an unpleasant odor. Therefore, the best option may be to mix several neutral herbs with one aromatic one.
You also need to know how to brew herbal tea. If you are preparing tea from flowers, then you need to brew them in a large porcelain teapot with white boiling water and let it brew for 5-10 minutes. The leaves can also be brewed with boiling water, or you can boil them for 3-5 minutes, but this will remove many useful substances. Before brewing, dry berries need to be crushed, pour boiling water over them and let steep for 5-10 minutes. The roots, bark and rough parts of the plants are finely chopped, placed in cold water, brought to a boil and boiled for 10 minutes, then allowed to brew for 10-15 minutes. Properly brewed herbal tea has a wonderful aroma, rich taste and bright color, and is simply a storehouse of useful substances. You can even say that herbal teas can be considered a food product, because they contain a huge amount of biologically active substances: enzymes, vitamins, organic acids, micro- and macroelements, etc.
All herbal teas can be divided into vitamin and medicinal teas. As the name suggests, you can safely drink vitamin herbal teas all year round as much as you want and whenever you want, but you need to be careful with medicinal teas. Such teas are prescribed by doctors and can be drunk for a limited time. The herbs included in medicinal tea may have contraindications for certain diseases.
In the morning you can drink a tonic vitamin tea consisting of leaves of strawberry, angelica, lemongrass, lavender, leaves and flowers of clover, lovage, etc.
. In the evening, on the contrary, you need to drink soothing herbal teas - St. John's wort, raspberry leaves, peppermint, lemon balm, chamomile, fireweed, cherry leaves, primrose, etc.
. In winter and early spring, it is good to prepare multivitamin herbal teas from raspberry, black currant, blackberry, nettle, carrot, barberry, rose hip, sea buckthorn, and rowan leaves.
. But in the summer it is best to drink tea from fresh herbs and leaves - this is the best time for “live” vitamins.
Here are some sample recipes for vitamin herbal teas.
Lingonberry: 2 g heather flowers, 2 g rosehip leaves, 10 g strawberry leaves.
Rowan: 30 g rowan berries, 5 g raspberries, 2 g currant leaves.
Strawberry: 10 g strawberry leaves, 2 g mint, 2 g St. John's wort.
Primrose tea: 5 g primrose leaves, 5 g St. John's wort.
Honey-rosehip tea: 20 g rose hips, 15 g honey, 5 g lemon juice.
Vitamin: 20 g rose hips, 10 g rowan fruits, 5 g oregano leaves.
General strengthening: 3 g strawberry leaves, 3 g blackberry leaves, 3 g black currant leaves, 10 g thyme, 10 g St. John's wort. 1 tbsp. Brew the mixture with 200 ml of boiling water and leave for 10 minutes.
General strengthening №2: 6 g rose hips, 6 g sea buckthorn fruits, 2 g centaury herb, 2 g licorice root, 3 g dandelion root, 20 g honey.
General strengthening No. 3: 30 g rose hips, 20 g blueberries, 10 g bird cherry berries, 30 g nettle leaves. 1 tbsp. Brew the mixture with 200 ml of boiling water and cook for 10 minutes, leave for 1 hour. Drink with honey.
General strengthening №4: 30 g rose hips, 10 g lingonberry leaves, 30 g nettle, honey. 1 tbsp. pour 400 ml of boiling water over the mixture, cook for 10 minutes, leave in a thermos for 2 hours. Drink hot. This tea is contraindicated for constipation.
Medicinal herbal teas are used only on the recommendation of a doctor and under his supervision. The doses and number of herbs in medicinal tea collections are not strictly necessary, it depends on your state of health and your well-being, they can be reduced, but you should not increase them. Unlike vitamin teas, which can be drunk at any time of the day or night, medicinal herbal teas are consumed 20-30 minutes before meals. The prepared tea can be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Typically, medicinal teas are prepared in a water bath. To do this, the dishes with the collection filled with boiled water are placed in a bowl with slightly boiling water and boiled. Infusions are prepared in a water bath for 15 minutes, decoctions - 30 minutes. Then the medicinal tea is removed from the heat and infused: infusions - 10-15 minutes, decoctions - 30 minutes. After this, the resulting tea is drained, the remaining raw materials are squeezed out and all the liquid is filtered through cheesecloth. Then the finished medicinal tea is topped up with boiled water to the original volume.
Wise use of natural remedies will help alleviate your condition and get rid of the disease. However, you should not self-medicate, exceed the indicated doses of herbs, or use unknown herbs. This is fraught with poisoning!
Here are some recipes for medicinal teas.
Diuretic tea: 5 g sainfoin, 5 g St. John's wort, 5 g black currant leaves.
Blueberry tea (for colitis): 2 g blueberry fruits, 2 g chamomile flowers, 2 g peppermint, 2 g nettle leaves.
Sweatshop tea: 10 g raspberries, 10 g linden flowers. 1 tbsp. Brew 2 cups of mixture. boiling water, leave for 5 minutes, drink hot.
Medicinal tea for colds: 10 g chamomile flowers, 10 g linden flowers, 10 g black elderberry fruits, 10 g peppermint. 1 tbsp. Brew the mixture with a glass of boiling water, cover for 30 minutes, strain. Drink hot.
Breast tea: 40 g coltsfoot leaves, 30 g plantain leaf, 30 g licorice root. 1 tbsp. Brew 2 cups of mixture. boiling water Leave for 30 minutes, strain. Drink 2 tbsp. every 3 hours. This tea helps get rid of phlegm in the lungs.
Warming tea: 10 g ginger, 10 g cinnamon, 10 g cloves. 1 tsp Brew the mixture with 200 ml of boiling water and leave for a little while. Ginger improves blood circulation, has antiseptic, expectorant, and stimulating properties. This tea is very unique and harsh.
Soothing tea:
10 g lemon balm leaves, 10 g veronica leaves, 30 g strawberry leaves, 40 g hawthorn fruits. 1 tbsp. Brew the mixture with 250 ml of boiling water, leave for 5-7 minutes. Drink with honey.
Calming tea No. 2: 30 g strawberry leaves, 20 g peppermint, 40 g hawthorn fruit. The mixture is prepared in the same way as in the previous recipe.
Calming tea No. 3: 10 g peppermint, 10 g lemon balm, 10 g valerian root, 10 g leaves and flowers of prickly tartar. 1 tbsp. pour 200 ml of boiling water over the mixture, leave for 30 minutes, strain. Drink half a glass 3 times a day.
Calming tea No. 4: 10 g peppermint, 10 g motherwort, 10 g valerian root, 10 g hop heads. The mixture is brewed and taken in the same way as in the previous recipe.
Separately, it should be said about herbal teas for weight loss. Such teas gradually restore metabolism, promote the breakdown of fat, and remove toxins. Of course, you won’t achieve a miraculous immediate effect, but by taking herbal tea for weight loss for a long time, you will significantly improve the general condition of the body.
Multivitamin tea for weight loss: 30 g buckthorn bark, 10 g dandelion root, 10 g parsley fruit, 10 g peppermint. 1 tbsp. pour 200 ml of boiling water over the mixture for 15 minutes. Take 2 tbsp. in the morning on an empty stomach for 2 months.
Rowan tea for weight loss: 70 g rowan berries, 30 g nettle or rose hip leaves. 1 tbsp. pour 400 ml of boiling water over the mixture for 10 minutes, leave for 4 hours, strain. Take half a glass between meals 3 times a day.
Blackberry tea for weight loss: 80 g blackberry leaves, 10 g birch leaves, 10 g coltsfoot leaves. Pour boiling water over the entire mixture in a ratio of 1:20, leave for 15 minutes. Take 1 glass. before breakfast and lunch.
Slimming tea based on buckthorn bark: 30 g buckthorn bark, 20 g peppermint leaves, 30 g nettle leaves, 10 g calamus root. 1 tbsp. pour 300 ml of boiling water over the mixture, leave for 4 hours, strain. Take half a glass 3 times a day 30 minutes before meals.
Be careful! Teas for weight loss are contraindicated in case of exacerbation of gastrointestinal diseases, general weakening of the body, urolithiasis, as well as during pregnancy and lactation.
And finally, a few words about the benefits and harms of herbal tea during pregnancy. The issue of the safety of herbal teas during pregnancy is quite controversial. Experienced herbalists claim that some of them can have a beneficial effect on the course of pregnancy and the condition of the fetus, but contraindications are also known. For example, you can drink chamomile tea, but little and infrequently - no more than one cup a day, but if there is a threat of miscarriage, this dose can become fatal. Teas containing ginseng, pennyroyal, crowberry, Chernobyl, slippery elm, fennel, licorice (or licorice), fenugreek, sage, hops and wormwood are generally prohibited from drinking during pregnancy. These herbs can tone the uterus and cause miscarriage. If you don’t know exactly what the effect of a particular herb is on uterine activity, it’s better not to take risks.
For pregnant women, vitamin herbal teas can be a good solution.
Vitamin tea for pregnant women: 10 g rose hips, 10 g black currant fruits. 1 tbsp. pour 400 ml of boiling water over the mixture. Leave for 40 minutes in a sealed container. Take half a glass 3-4 times a day.
Vitamin tea for pregnant women No. 2: 10 g rose hips, 10 g raspberry leaves, 10 g currant leaves, 10 g lingonberry leaves. 2 tbsp. collection, pour 200 ml of boiling water, boil for 10 minutes, leave for 45 minutes. Drink half a glass 2 times a day.
Vitamin tea for pregnant women No. 3: 10 g rose hips, 10 g rowan fruits. 2 tbsp. pour 600 ml of boiling water over the mixture, boil for 3 minutes, leave for 30 minutes. Take half a glass 3-4 times a day.
As for children, any vitamin herbal teas can be given to them, only, of course, diluting them by about half.
Enjoy your tea!
Larisa Shuftaykina
Herbal tea was once a staple tea drink. Only since then, when black and other varieties of tea were brought to Russia, has it given way to its place. Now that the fashion for a healthy lifestyle has re-emerged, herbal tea is becoming very popular again. The benefits of herbal tea are undeniable and are confirmed today by many scientific studies. Indeed, what could be better than drinking a cup of healthy herbal tea on cold winter days? So what are the benefits of herbal tea and is there any harm?
Herbal tea is tea obtained by brewing herbs, flowers, and plant roots. You can brew this tea with any herb. We need to calm down after a hard day at work, relieve the first signs of a cold, relieve nausea or bloating - we resort to herbal teas.
In winter, this tea will warm you up and boost your immunity. In summer it is an excellent cooling and healthy drink. After all, all herbs have healing properties. And in addition to simply quenching thirst, herbal tea can solve a number of health problems.
Benefits of Herbal Tea
Herbal tea has many beneficial properties. It can be drunk hot or cold. At all times and throughout the world, such tea is valued as a drink that provides the key to health and longevity and is the most ancient drink. How can I benefit from drinking herbal tea?
The main benefit of such tea is that when brewing any part of the plant, we get a healing drink with all the beneficial properties inherent in this plant in an easily digestible form. In addition, herbal tea is:
excellent source of vitamins and minerals;
flavonoids;
antioxidants;
tannins;
ether compounds.
Herbal teas are simple, inexpensive and effective. This is one way to drink a delicious drink without caffeine and non-drug prevention and treatment of certain diseases.
Flavonoids and antioxidants contained in the tea drink help remove toxins and heavy metal compounds from the body, have a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular and digestive systems, capillaries and connective tissues, and promote faster healing. Flavonoids are believed by scientists to have an antitumor effect and slow down the aging process.
Tannins also help the body fight many diseases, have astringent properties, and relieve inflammation.
Depending on the herb or multiple types of herbs being brewed, herbal tea may have the following properties:
Anti-inflammatory;
Antibacterial;
Immuno-strengthening and immunostimulating;
Tonic;
Relaxing and calming;
As a rule, herbal tea is drunk without sugar. But if desired, you can add sweetener. It is better if it is natural honey or stevia. 
Harm of herbal tea
It's hard to imagine that herbal tea can cause any harm. However, certain requirements must be met.
First of all, this applies to the herbs from which you will prepare tea. They must be collected in an ecologically clean area so that they do not contain harmful substances from industrial enterprises or highways and roads.
Never buy herbs at the market until you know exactly where they were collected. It's better to buy it at a pharmacy or store.
Some herbs are for healing purposes only. Drinking them in the form of tea is not recommended. These are herbs such as comfrey, ephedra, willow bark, celandine, dubrovnik, lobelia and the like, which contain poisonous and toxic substances. They are taken strictly in a certain dose and for a strictly regulated time.
There may be individual intolerance to some herbs, which can manifest itself in the form of a rash, irritation of the skin and mucous membranes, coughing, sneezing, etc.
The main purpose of herbal tea is prevention. Therefore, you should not brew tea that is too strong.
You should definitely consult with your doctor or specialist, especially if you are currently undergoing treatment and taking medications, are pregnant or breastfeeding. 
How to brew herbal tea correctly
Herbal tea is essentially a decoction or infusion made from an herb, leaves, bark, seeds or flowers. It does not contain caffeine and people drink it, as a rule, for the sake of prevention and personal pleasure due to the beneficial properties of the herb or herbal collection.
As many scientists note, herbal tea is much better than vitamin tablets. Therefore, in order to preserve all the healing properties, herbal tea must be brewed correctly.
One of the main requirements is to brew tea in a closed container. To do this, you can use a teapot, in a mug, or a glass with a lid. When the herb is brewed, it releases essential oils.
When brewing some herbs, after brewing with hot water they need to be kept in a water bath. Brewing in a thermos is allowed.
It is better to first pour some herbs with warm boiled water and then bring to a boil over a fire and simmer for several minutes. As a rule, bark or fruits are brewed in this way.
How to choose herbal tea
When it comes to choosing herbal tea, first of all you need to know for what purpose you will be drinking it. Nowadays you can buy ready-made herbal preparations intended for specific purposes. These are vitamins, to strengthen the immune system, for children, especially for women or men and compiled by specialists in clear proportions.
Herbal tea should not contain anything other than the herb itself, no artificial flavors or colors.
When harvesting herbs yourself, you need to dry them in the shade or under a canopy, laying them out in one layer or tying them into small bunches. Drying herbs in the oven is allowed; the temperature should not be higher than 35 degrees. Can be dried in an electric dryer for fruits and vegetables.
Herbs are stored in tightly closed paper bags, cardboard boxes or cotton bags. The shelf life depends on the specific herb. Usually this is one or two years. 
The most useful herbal teas for every day
For many centuries, people have passed on information about the healing powers of herbs from generation to generation. With so many choices of herbal teas available today, it can be difficult to know which tea is best to choose. Here are just a few types of healthy herbal teas you can drink every day. In fact, there are many more of them.
Chamomile tea
Chamomile tea is the most famous tea. It has calming properties, will help lower blood sugar levels, and improves digestion. They also drink tea for colds, coughs, bronchitis, and use it to rinse the throat and mouth. Studies have shown that drinking chamomile tea can reduce mortality rates by almost 29 percent.
Elderflower tea
Elderberry flowers are traditionally used to treat colds. This tea is an effective decongestant and helps clear mucus from the nasal passages.
It also has diaphoretic properties, cleanses the lymph nodes, and strengthens the immune system. Elderflower tea is drunk for allergies, asthma, in the treatment of fungal infections, urinary tract infections, and toothache.
Melissa tea
Melissa is a representative of the mint family. These herbs have calming, anti-inflammatory properties and reduce pain. The plant is rich in antioxidants and contains the powerful compound eugenol.
You can drink lemon balm tea for problems with digestion, sleep, stress and anxiety.
Fennel tea
This is the most famous tea that is drunk for bloating and increased gas formation. It has anti-inflammatory and diuretic properties, relieves spasms, and removes bad breath.
Mint tea
Traditional tea for nausea and vomiting. Tea stimulates the production of bile, improves digestion, calms and promotes sound sleep. 
Tea with lemongrass
Schisandra has a positive effect on digestive processes, calms the nerves and lowers blood pressure. It will also help with insomnia, acne, and colds.
Lavender tea
Lavender is known for its relaxing properties. Lavender tea is most often drunk to relieve stress and calm nerves. It will also help with stomach problems, relieve pain associated with arthritis or other bone diseases, and headaches.
Echinacea tea
Echinacea has excellent tonic properties. They drink this tea to boost immunity, for colds, and to relieve pain in joints and muscles.
Nettle tea
Nettle is rich in minerals. It is a good source of iron, calcium, and silicon. Nettle tea is a good anti-inflammatory agent, improves skin condition, fights allergies, and improves blood composition.
Tea with thyme
You can drink thyme tea when you have a cold. Thyme contains essential oils that protect the body from viruses and infections. It also helps with coughs as an expectorant. It will help with pain in the stomach, throat, and menstrual pain.
Tea with red clover flowers
This tea is particularly well known for its ability to reduce symptoms and ailments during menopause. If you suffer from frequent hot flashes or have trouble sleeping, brew a cup of red clover tea. 
Rosemary tea
The aroma of rosemary, according to scientists, helps improve cognitive performance and help prevent brain aging.
Ginger tea
Ginger tea is a good remedy in the early stages of infections. They drink it for rheumatic pain, it dilates blood vessels and stimulates blood circulation, promotes weight loss.
Hibiscus tea
Red hibiscus tea is a very versatile tea. It can be drunk hot or cold. It perfectly quenches thirst, improves appetite, and fights colds. This tea is also good as a laxative and diuretic.
This special type of green tea is very rich in antioxidants. It contains 17 times more antioxidants than blueberries and 7 times more than dark chocolate.
Oolong tea promotes weight loss. Thanks to the large amount of antioxidants, it can reduce the level of bad cholesterol, good prevention of cardiovascular diseases, and improves skin condition.
Pu-erh tea is the only tea that can ripen and improve with age. Studies have shown that it can reduce fat deposits, lower cholesterol levels, and prevent the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.
Rooibos tea
Rooibos tea can help with headaches, insomnia, eczema, high blood pressure, and allergies.
Drinking this tea can improve the condition of the skin, clear it of acne, and promote hair strengthening and growth.
This tea can also be classified as herbal tea. It is rich in antioxidants, contains vitamins and valuable minerals that have a beneficial effect on the heart, liver, and DNA cells.
This is not a complete list of the best herbal teas. In summer, collect leaves of strawberries, currants, raspberries, stock up on rose hips and other berries. all this is perfect for brewing delicious and healthy herbal tea.
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