How to Make Herb Tea
Almost any edible plant can be brewed to make tea, but some combinations are better tasting than others. Leaves, stems, flowers, and even seed pods can be brewed into relaxing recipes. Some blends of herbal tea can even strengthen the immune system to help fight colds and recover more quickly from the flu. Teas can speed healing of injuries and help ease pain as well. Plant a tea garden, harvest the ingredients and make delicious herb tea blends. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Herbs like chamomile, mint, lavender, sage, rosemary, lemon balm, lemon grass and eucalyptus
- Rose petals and hips
- Sassafras root
- Ginger root
- Water
- Honey or stevia
- A handful of herbal tea mix
- Sun tea jar
Instructions
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Plant chamomile, mint, lavender, eucalyptus, sage, rosemary, lemon balm, lemon grass, and roses. Plant sassafras trees for later harvest. When plants are ready, harvest them and dry the leaves, flowers and stems. Check the resources at the end of this article for the proper way to use each herb. Use only the part of the plant that is safe for human consumption.
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Remove leaves from stems. Set aside seeds in a separate dish. Lay flowers face down on drying rack or cookie sheet. Lay leaves so that they are not overlapped or touching. Place the cookie sheet into oven on lowest setting. Check tray every 15 minutes or so, turning plants to ensure even drying. You may also choose to use a dehydrator. Lay flowers face down in rack. Be sure leaves and flowers do not touch or overlap. Plants may also be dried in the sun. Be sure to cover with cheesecloth to prevent being blown away or contaminated by insects.
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Once herbs are dried, they can be crushed or powdered to make a smoother blending tea, or you can tie them in little cheesecloth bags to be thrown into a cup or pot of water. Store all dried herbs separately, clearly marked.
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You may wish to find herbs in the wild. Use a field guide to assist in identifying edible wild plants. Do not take any plant that is on the protected or endangered list. Consult with a local park ranger or naturalist to take an edible wild food hike.
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Brew a pot of sun tea using your favorite herbal blend. Rose hips, orange peel, cinnamon sticks, chamomile and lemon grass can be placed in a piece of cheesecloth and tied with string. Fill sun tea jar with water, then dangle tea blend in water with string hanging outside the jar. Tighten the lid. Place jar in full sun. Wait 15 to 30 minutes, depending how strong you want your tea to be. Sweeten with stevia or honey according to your taste. Enjoy your herbal tea blends while relaxing in your multisensory garden. Don't forget the ice!
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Tips & Warnings
Be sure ingredients are thoroughly dry before use. Use a dehydrator or lay plant parts on a tray in the sunlight to dry. Be sure to turn plants from time to time to ensure even drying.
If you oven dry your plants, set the oven on its lowest temperature and check the tray every 15 minutes at the longest.
Use caution when blending herbs. Consult a physician to be sure your tea blend will not interfere with any medications you are taking.
Consult a professional before blending ingredients to be sure you are using a safe amount of each.
