How to Make Healthy Herbal Tea
Many people drink herbal tea as a healthy alternative to caffeinated teas and coffee. Virtually any herbal tea blend you can conceive of is commercially available, but creating your own herbal teas is rewarding. You need 2 teaspoons of dried herbs per serving of tea. The more herbs you use, the less of each herb you would need per cup to equal 2 teaspoons. How long you steep your tea is largely dependent on how strong you wish the flavor to be. The casual drinking of herbal teas is free of the more definite mandates on steeping that alternative medicinal herbal blends must adhere to be effective.
Things You'll Need
- ½ tsp. dried lemon peel
- ½ tsp. dried orange peel
- ¼ tsp. dried cloves
- ¼ tsp. dried allspice
- ¼ tsp. dried apple
- ¼ tsp. dried cinnamon
- 1 cup boiling water
- Re-sealable teabags
Instructions
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1
Place the herbs into an unused teabag and seal. Re-sealable teabags can be found in most health food stores.
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2
Pour boiling water into a teacup.
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3
Add the teabag to the water in the cup, and allow the tea to steep in the hot water for at least 5 to 7 minutes (or longer, if desired). Discard the used teabag.
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4
Add sweetener of your choice to the tea. Stir to dissolve.
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5
Allow tea to cool slightly and enjoy.
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1
Tips & Warnings
If you use fresh herbs, triple the amount of fresh herbs to equal a teaspoon of the same herb when dried.
Experiment with any herbs that are safe for tea drinking and that appeal to you. The ingredients listed suggests a delicious herbal tea blend that you can try.
Keep in mind the ratio of 2 teaspoons of dried herbs per each 1 cup serving of tea when you wish to brew a larger amount. Scale up the amount of herbs and water needed to serve more than one person or to provide multiple servings.
Remember that not all herbs can safely be consumed. Purchase a good general reference guide on safe herbs for making homemade herbal teas.
Resources
- Photo Credit www.natures-healers.com/herbalteas.htm
