How To Brew Herbal Tea

   

Making A Medicinal Tea

Our How To Brew label gives the basic instructions for brewing a medicinal tea. A medicinal tea contains herbal compounds at a higher concentration than a regular tea, thus making it similar to a medicinal dose. Herbs release compounds slowly therefore, a longer steep time will create a stronger tea.

This is why the suggested brew time is much longer than a standard black or green tea. A medicinal strength tea will be medium to dark in color, and have a strong herbal smell to it. A good rule of thumb is the color should be so dark, that you cannot see through the tea to the bottom of the cup.

Factors that effect tea strength

Time- Notice the label says for BEST results steep or allow your tea to sit in hot water, for AT LEAST 30 minutes. This means, you are free to steep your tea for a shorter time, however it will not be at its best quality. Meaning, it will not be as strong as it could be, but it will still be effective. The longer you allow your herbs to sit in water, the more plant compounds will be released, creating a stronger tea. The use of a shorter time means you can reuse the herbs for another batch of tea. 

Amount of herbs- The amount of tea on the label represents and very mild herbal tea. This is the standard recommendation for preparing loose leaf tea and is recommend for beginners. If you want a stronger tea without a long wait, you can increase the amount of herbs. Using tablespoons instead of teaspoons is an easy way to create a stronger tea. If you are looking to resolve long term or chronic conditions, I recommend using a larger amount of herbs as well.

Water temperature- Tea can be made using cold or hot water. Using hot water allows the herbs to release its compounds quickly, or within minutes. This is why tea is normally made with boiled water. Tea can also be made using cold water, also called a cold brew. This method takes a longer time and can be done at room temperature or in the fridge. However, the herbal compounds release slowly, or within hours. I recommend 8-10 hours for a cold brew, therefore making your tea the night before is best.

Agitation- We all know from making iced tea that for some reason, it taste better when we stir it forever. The same is true for all teas. The more your stir or shake your tea the stronger it will be. Frequently moving the herbs while in the water, also helps increase compound release creating a stronger tea.

 

 ***Tea Use for Chronic Conditions***

Long term tea use is recommended for more serious or chronic conditions. We define long- term use as the use of a tea for longer than 3-4 weeks. If you plan to use our medicinal tea to deal with chronic conditions we advise booking a consultation as well. This will give you detailed information about herb use for your specific condition and lifestyle.