We all search for the beverage that we can share with loved ones,friends and neighbors. There is no better fragrance than waking up in the morning and smelling freshly brewed coffee. It is something to look forward to. Having a cup with your special person, bringing a cup into the computer room to share, taking a cup out on the porch, filling a carafe to take in the car. Tea on the other hand seems more relaxing to me. A cup in the afternoon when we are tired and all the work is done. A cup before bed...chamomile tea is my choice, and who can forget that cup prepared lovingly for us when we are ill. It is the best for soothing a sore throat. Ginger tea, when you have a cold. All these uses for tea are comforting. I guess that coffee stimulates and gets us going and tea calms us, when we need it.
Are there any guidelines to follow when selecting herbs for brewing tea?
Be alert to the toxicities of certain herbs.
Avoid buying unlabeled "loose" or bulk teas.
Read labels carefully, so that only prepackaged teas with safe ingredients are used.
Use moderate amounts of those teas.
Avoid buying unlabeled "loose" or bulk teas.
Read labels carefully, so that only prepackaged teas with safe ingredients are used.
Use moderate amounts of those teas.
Drink no more than 1-2 cups of tea per day on a regular basis, since the long term effects of drinking most herbal teas in large quantities is not known.
People who show allergic response to ragweed, asters, or chrysanthemums should avoid all teas containing marigold, yarrow and chamomile flowers.
Pregnant women should especially use caution in drinking any herbal tea since few have been thoroughly tested for safety. Before using any herbal tea, a pregnant woman should first consult with her physician. Likewise young children should be restricted in their use of herbal teas.
People who show allergic response to ragweed, asters, or chrysanthemums should avoid all teas containing marigold, yarrow and chamomile flowers.
Pregnant women should especially use caution in drinking any herbal tea since few have been thoroughly tested for safety. Before using any herbal tea, a pregnant woman should first consult with her physician. Likewise young children should be restricted in their use of herbal teas.
Safe Herbs for Teas
Alfalfa
Fenugreek
Hyssop
Rose hips
Blackberry
Feverfew
Lemon Grass
Rosemary
Chamomile
Flaxseed
Orange
Sarsaparilla
Chickweed
Ginseng
Peppermint
Savory
Chicory
Gotu kola
Psyllium
Slippery elm
Dandelion
Hibiscus
Raspberry
Spearmint
Echinacea
Hops
Red Raspberry
Valerian
Fennel
Horehound
Unsafe herbs for teas
Arnica
Foxglove
Nutmeg
Tansy ragwort
Black Cherry
Gordolobo
Oleander
Tonka bean
Bloodroot
Groundsel
Pennyroyal
T'u-san-chi
Buckthorn
Jimsonweed
Periwinkle
Water Hemlock
Burdock root
Lobelia
Poke root
Woodruff
Blue Cohosh
Mandrake
Sassafras
Wormwood
Comfrey
Melilot
Senna
Yohimbe
Elderberry
Mormon tea
Snakeroot
Some of the herbs listed are new to me. I think that I will stick to the old tried and true ones. It's fun to check things out and plan a garden ahead of time. Spring dreaming ....you know.
Balisha
