By Ellen Zimmermann
Medicinal teas are a delicious and relaxing way to receive the healthy benefits from herbs, and once you master the technique it’s easy to create your own. Fresh plants or high-quality dried herbs are best for these two different types of medicinal teas. The first is a medicinal infusion, meaning an extraction arrived through steeping the soft parts of the herb (leaves or flowers). Try lemon balm, passionflower or nettles, for example.
The second is a medicinal decoction, meaning an extraction arrived through boiling the hard parts of the herb (roots, stems or berries). Try a simple ginger root tea to start with.
Medicinal teas are brewed with hot water and commonly served warm, but the health benefits/medicinal qualities are present at any temperature. Remember to use only a stainless steel, glass or ceramic kettle/pot to prepare medicinal teas, as copper and aluminum can negatively affect the quality of the herbs.
Creating a Medicinal Infusion:
Creating a Medicinal Decoction:
Creating a Medicinal Infusion:
- Use a tea kettle or a large stainless pot to heat the water.
- In a separate teapot or pot, measure and add the herbs (2 teaspoons fresh herbs per cup of water, or 1 teaspoon dried herbs per cup of water).
- Pour the desired amount of water over the herbs, cover and let infuse, or steep, for at least 20 minutes.
- Strain and enjoy!
Creating a Medicinal Decoction:
- Add the desired amount of cold water to a pot.
- Place cut roots, stems and/or berries (2–3 tablespoons per quart of water) in the pot and bring to a boil.
- Cover and reduce the heat to simmer for 20 minutes.
- Strain and enjoy!
