How to Make Herbal Tea from Leaves

Herbal tea can be made from any plant that is edible. Another way herbalists refer to tea is infusion or decoction. An herbal infusion is herbal tea made from the leaves, stems or other parts of the plant that are above ground. A decoction is an herbal tea made from roots, bark or woody parts of the plant. An herbal tea made from leaves of a plant is an infusion.

For each herb, there is usually a favorite part of the plant to be used in preparing tea. Herbs with leaves that make good tea include: peppermint, lemon balm, nettle, blackberry, sage, ginkgo, and red clover.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Herbal Tea Leaves: Cold Infusion
   
   Place 1 - 2 cups of fresh herbal tea leaves in a 2 quart pitcher of water. Allow it to stand in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Strain the leaves from the tea and enjoy.

2. Herbal Tea Leaves: Hot Infusion
   
   Boil the water and infuse 1 teaspoon dried leaves for each cup of hot water. Steep the leaves for 15 minutes and strain the leaves from the herbal tea. For fresh leaves it takes approximately 5 times the amount of herbal leaves to make 1 cup of tea.

3. Drying Herbal Tea Leaves
   
   You can dry any herbal tea leaves for storing the tea. Simply hang the herbs upside down on the wall from the stems. You can also dry the leaves in a dehydrator at temperatures between 85 and 105 degrees. After they are dry, store them in a cool, dark place until you are ready to prepare your herbal tea.

Resources

• Make Herbal Tea Bags
• Make Wise Woman Tea
• Make Herbal Tea
• Make Herbal Tincture

[ladyselene]

on 10/18/2009 Good definitions and instructions on hot and cold infusions as well as how to dry leaves for herbal tea. Helpful info.