Top Five Friday: Herbals - To Tea or Not to Tea?

Ecstasy is a glass full of tea and a piece of sugar in the mouth.
~ Alexander Puskin

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ontinuing our celebration of National Iced Tea Month, today I offer up my five favorite herbal teas.

There is nothing more comforting than a cup of tea.  Add some homemade shortbread, a good book, and your favorite lounge-at-home outfit, and you’re set to soothe those commute/misbehaved kids/unfeeling partner/insert your downer here-shattered nerves!

Herbal teas are made from herbs (imagine that!) versus leaves of the Camellia sinensis.  So technically it isn’t tea, it’s a tisane, which Merriam-Webster defines as an infusion used as a beverage or for medicinal effects and which comes from the Latin ptisana ~ to crush barley.  And that is what is done here: the herbs are crushed to make “tea.”



Photo courtesy Desislava Vasileva



Just a reminder: if you are taking prescription meds, some herbs may interact or counteract them.  So read up on your herbs carefully before making a cuppa!  The Herb Companion is a great resource, as well as my mother of all go-to books ~ Nutritional Healing. 

Stomach Ease – Yogi Tea

Love this stuff!  It really does help ease a tummy ache ~ although if one has overindulged, a detox fast is your better bet!

Organic Chamomile with Lavender – Traditional Medicinals

It goes without saying that when putting something in your body, it is best to put in something that hasn’t had toxins sprayed all over it.  TM has great organic teas and this one is my favorite versions of chamomile.  Love the lavender scent! 

Allergy alert! If ragweed gives you the sniffles and makes your eyes weepy-red, give chamomile a pass.

Fairytale Tea

I cannot sing the praises of Mountain Rose Herbs enough.  I buy oils from them and have tried a few of their teas.  Haven’t been disappointed yet.  This tea is scrumptious!  My goal is to try all of them. 

Honeybush Vanilla Herb Tea

Note: I don’t know if this version is organic, but I believe Tazo does make an organic one.  Great flavor, pairs well with cream ~ or in my dairy-free world ~ coconut milk.  A calming tea to drink right before bedtime.

Lemongrass

Grate some fresh ginger in a pot of this and your sinuses will clear and your tummy will settle!

And now to put the kettle on!

Oremus pro invicem,

~ Mikaela

What herbal teas do you enjoy?