How do I Make Fresh Sage Tea?

You can make your own fresh sage tea at home.

Sage offers many wide-ranging health benefits. Its fresh leaves may strengthen gums and freshen or eliminate bad breath, while a strong infusion of the leaves---either fresh or dried---may be useful in various ways from healing external injuries to darkening the hair. Sage tea, when consumed, may offer relief from a sore throat, reduce excessive perspiration, soothe sore gums and even lower a fever. If you wish to try a natural remedy for one of these conditions, or if you just enjoy the flavor of sage, try making your own fresh sage tea at home.

Things You'll Need

• 2 tsp. fresh sage leaves
• 2 mugs
• 1 cup hot (almost boiling) water
• Strainer
• Sugar or honey to taste (optional)
• Lemon juice to taste (optional)

Instructions

1. Put the sage leaves into one of the mugs.

2. Pour all of the hot (almost boiling) water into the mug containing the sage leaves.

3. Taste the tea after about 10 minutes. If it is not strong enough, wait five minutes and taste it again. It may take up to 30 minutes for the tea to reach its full strength, but you may stop the brewing process whenever the flavor suits you.

4. Pour the tea through the strainer into the other mug. Discard the used sage leaves.

5. Add sugar or honey and lemon juice to taste, if desired.

Tips & Warnings

• Make a tea using this method with approximately four parts sage, two parts horsetail and one part valerian root to assist with excessive sweating. Due to the valerian, this tea may cause drowsiness and should be taken at night. Leave out the valerian for a daytime version.

• Make a tea using this method with approximately four parts sage and three parts fennel seeds to soothe a sore or infected throat.

• This article is for informational purposes only and should not be regarded as medical advice. Always consult a doctor or other health care professional before self-medicating for any condition, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, currently taking any medications, or have pre-existing health conditions.

References

• Grandma's Wisdom: Grandma's Sage Tea Medicinal Recipes
• TeaBenefits.com: Sage Tea Benefits

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• University of Maryland Medical Center: Herbal Medicine