Herb Teas

[Earthbabe]

rosehips? lavender flowers

[emmalowtherwright]

Nettle Tea

Hi All

Did anyone hear the piece about nettle on radio 2 yesterday? Chris Evans drank nettle tea and said it had a 'loopy juice effect'. Now, I don't want to get myself a reputation but anyone know about the benefits of nettle tea and whether it does have a 'happy' effect?

Ta
x
Emma

[Wendy]

Hi Emma,
I've never known it to have a 'happy effect' but it is great for removing toxins from the body, blood purifier, diuretic and some believe it is a good tonic for bringing out the natural colour of hair! It also contains vitamin c, protein and dietry fibre.

However there is another natural weed that is great for 'happy effect'

[Birdie Wife]

Bilberry/blaeberry leaves make a good tea, if you're lucky enough to have nay growing wild around you. Cultivated blueberry would probably be similar. And what about heather flowers?

[emmalowtherwright]

Hi Wendy

Happy effect - the mother-in-law visits a lot, maybe I should stick to the nettles.

[Wendy]

Hi Wendy

Happy effect - the mother-in-law visits a lot, maybe I should stick to the nettles.

Yeah you could be right there Emma!

one of my fav herb teas is lemon balm and chamomile - refreshing yet very relaxing yummy!

[Flummery]

I love herb/fruit/flower teas but I can't stand lemon balm - it tastes like soap! I grew some in our old garden but the smell did me 'ed in as the kids used to say, so I grubbed it all up.

[Carrot]

Lemon verbena, a small tender shrub, makes a lovely refreshing tea. In our area (North Yorkshire), lemon verbena is not hardy, so I keep it in the unheated greenhouse and wrap it in bubble plastic when it gets very cold, so far without problems. Sage tea is slightly bitter but good for sore throats. You can buy a proper herb tea (or tisane) cup which has a china "filter" with lid into which you put your whole or crumpled leaves, cover with boiling water and then remove the filter and leaves after about 5 minutes. It works best if you first warm the cup and "filter" with boiling water, too, like you would a teapot.

[Raised Beds]

We drink thyme tea for sore throats and infections. Works wonder and the flavour is pleasant enough.

[manicorganic]

Oh, and don't forget teas made from the dried zest of citrus fruits, and the dried skins of apples, peaches, etc....they are actyually quite yummy and can be added to herb teas, or just used alone.
Sometimes I add fennel seed to my teas just to take them up a knotch.

[Mushroom]

thanks for the last 4 messages .. thats brill. I just bought some lemon balm, so I'll see if it tastes any good. I had a go with mint leaves last week and they were good, my mint needs to grow bigger now as you need quite a few leaves.
I'll definately try making my own mixes of herb teas now, with dried fruit peel as well, fab idea!
I was looking at the ingredients for a 'celestial seasonings' tea and it had catnip in it!
Camomile - anyone know does it have to be the 'german' type or will any type of camomile flower do a good tea?'

[Earthbabe]

I'd go with the "roman" type anthemis nobilis. The other type is very strongly scented and would be overpowering.

[muckdiva]

Fennel tea is nice too

[Nicos]

Fennel tea is supposed to cut down wind. Could come in handy after the JA's and all the brassicas.....

[Two_Sheds]

ah, fennel.
2 years ago I had a packet on which I'd written 'Verbena Bonariensis', and sprinkled it around my plot. Turned out to be bronze fennel, now it comes up everywhere like a weed. Gurt big tap roots too, worse than dock. Anyone want some?!