By definition, an herbal tea is an infusion of plants other than tea leaves, be they medicinal or aromatic, leaves, pieces of tree crust, pieces of fruit or combinations of all three. Herbal teas have a long history, as plant infusions have been used for medical and gastronomic purposes ever since ancient times. Herbal teas have become so popular and so accessible that we often don't even notice when we resort to an herbal infusion to soothe an upset stomach, relieve fever or relax after a long day. The properties of herbs have long been studied and applied, and the herbal teas are the most simple and common application of this centennial preoccupation.
Herbal teas can be used to treat all sorts of mild symptoms or ailments, and as herbs exist in a sort of gray area when it comes to regulations, there are all sorts of offers on the market of herbal teas meant to treat certain ailments without much scientific background to sustain the curative claims. Another problem that arises is that of dosage. Because herbs are natural and seen as seemingly harmless, not everyone stops to consider that some of the substances plants contain can be toxic in high doses and tend to abuse the herbal treatments to their ulterior detriment, not to mention the fact that some might even be allergic to substances certain herbs might contain. Of course, many herbs can and do help in a lot of situations, but caution must be employed when using them, both as to what herbs you are using and as to what amount of those herbs you are willing (and able) to consume.
Many herbs can be very helpful in fighting day to day indispositions such as minor indigestions, headaches or even stress. Some of the herbs that can be very beneficial in this respect are mint (it has soothing properties and will also help you get rid of mild headaches or indigestions), chamomile (is very beneficial with its mild disinfecting action, and also has soothing and relaxing properties), Echinacea (lowers fever and clears the airways, having a benefic effect in case of colds or flu), ginger root (will help with gastrointestinal upset like nausea and diarrhea), cherry tails (excellent diuretics).
Other herbs are simply used in infusions for their pleasant taste and aroma. It's not rare to find teas made out of dried up pieces of berries or exotic fruit, sometimes on their own and sometimes in combination with other herbs with soothing or relaxing attributes.
Herbal teas can be useful in cases when you have a minor health upset but feel reluctant to pumping yourself full of chemicals, or when you feel like relaxing with pleasant warm beverage in your hand that doesn't contain caffeine. As long as you are careful about what you are using and have checked with a specialist in regards to the effects your herbal tea might surprise you with, herbal teas can represent very practical and healthy alternatives to both medicine and caffeine-filled tea infusions.
To learn more about the equipment needed to brew Loose Leaf Tea and how to use it, see out Tea Equipment section
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By definition, an herbal tea is an infusion of plants other than tea leaves, be they medicinal or aromatic, leaves, pieces of tree crust, pieces of fruit or combinations of all three. Herbal teas have a long history, as plant infusions have been used for medical and gastronomic purposes ever since ancient times. Herbal teas have become so popular and so accessible that we often don't even notice when we resort to an herbal infusion to soothe an upset stomach, relieve fever or relax after a long day. The properties of herbs have long been studied and applied, and the herbal teas are the most simple and common application of this centennial preoccupation.
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