I can’t imagine life without tea. When we think about tea many of us imagine freshly brewed black tea in a daintily matching china cup and saucer, being sipped slowly and politely, pinky up and joined by a tray full of accoutrements floral napkins and china milk jugs. Or perhaps you might think about Lipton in a Styrofoam cup. But however you look at it, teas of all kinds like black, white, green, yellow and oolong all come from the tea plant, Camellia sinensis. And depending upon the processing involved this determines which type of tea will result.
Nowadays there are many varieties of teas, herbal and tisanes which are not only delicious but health promoting and therapeutic. And the great benefit for many of us is that there’s no need to add milk when you are going herbal.
The medicinal benefits of herbal teas date back centuries. A wonderful herbal tea like peppermint or chamomile has the ability to do so many things from relaxing your mind to soothing your belly. Lemon Myrtle leaf, sage and hawthorn berry are not particularly well known teas or widely used but their healing properties are quite astounding.
Lemon Myrtle Leaf Tea has anti-bacterial properties that help fight against infection. Discovered in 1853 it was given the botanical name Backhousia Citriodora after the English botanist, James Backhouse. Did you know that it is indigenous to the rainforests of Queensland? The name reflects the strong lemon smell of the crushed leaves. Indigenous Australians have used the leaf in their cooking and as a healing plant. It is also known as sweet verbena myrtle. Its therapeutic uses include: Antiseptic, anti-viral, calmative, sedative and corrective. This tea has fresh uplifting qualities and is used by many public speakers as it helps to soothe the throat and keeps your voice going all day!
How to make a Lemon Myrtle…
Method: Infuse the lemon myrtle into boiling water in your favourite tea pot. Allow to stand for 3-5 minutes depending on the preferred strength. Remove the lemon myrtle and serve.
Sage leaf tea is native to the Mediterranean region and was the most popular tea of ancient times. Sage has a very long history of effective medicinal use and is utilised as a herbal remedy for disorders of the digestive system. Its antiseptic qualities make it an effective gargle for the mouth as it can heal sore throats and ulcers.
The sage plant is antihidrotic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, astringent, carminative, stimulant, tonic and a vasodilator. Sage is also used internally in the treatment of excessive lactation, night sweats, excessive salivation (as in Parkinson’s disease), profuse perspiration, anxiety, depression, and menopausal problems. This tea should not be used by pregnant women or by people who have epileptic fits.
Sage Tea or infusion of Sage is beneficial in biliousness and liver complaints, kidney troubles, for colds in the head as well as sore throat, for pains in the joints and lethargy. A cup of sage tea will help relieve a nervous headache.
How to make a Sage Tea…
Method: In a tea pot add leaves to boiling water boil for 3-5 minutes, allow to stand, strain and then serve. Sip slowly and enjoy.
Hawthorn Berry tea is a spiny shrub with toothed leaves and white flowers. The fruit is a dry red berry that has been used medicinally since the first century. The berries make a red tea that is fantastic for people with heart problems, it is used to treat angina, cardiac arrhythmia, high blood pressure and the berry has been found to strengthen the heart. It is a safe and effective method in the treatment of heart disease, strengthening blood vessels, restoring the heart muscle wall. It has also been used for myocarditis, arteriosclerosis, nervous conditions like insomnia and also for diarrhea.
How to make a Hawthorn Berry Tea…
Method: Put 1 to 2 tsp. of hawthorn berries in a single-serve tea strainer, boil water, add tea to the mug, slowly add hot water, steep tea for 5 minutes, you may need to add some stevia to sweeten as the berries are naturally sour in flavor.
Although Hawthorn is considered a safe herb there are some rare side effects which should be noted these are include headache, nausea and heart palpitations
Bottoms Up!
For more healthy gluten, wheat, dairy, yeast and sugar-free recipes visit www.superchargedfood.com
See you next time 
Lee
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