Herbs, Roots and Flowers
The word “tea” is used for just about any beverage that is made from plants and is not coffee! 🙂 But if you enjoy drinking an herbal “tea” like me, you should know that what you are drinking is actually called a “tisane”.
Tisanes are herbal infusions or decoctions of herbs, roots or flowers made to serve either health purposes, baking or cooking purposes or just to drink and enjoy.
To break it down even further, an infusion is made of only herbs and flowers steeped for a short time. Decoctions are created with more tough or woody plant parts like licorice root or cinnamon bark and are often steeped for longer, even up to several hours, to get the full benefits of the plants.
Tisanes can be made from just about any edible plant. The plants used in tisanes are often chosen for their various health properties. Here are some herbs and plants to consider for your next herbal beverage and some of the health benefits they can offer.
- Lavender – very calming and serene
- Lemon Verbena – light lemon flavor that calms the nerves
- Chamomile – the ultimate calming and comforting herb
- Mint (Peppermint, Spearmint) – cooling and helps with digestion
- Ginger – very warming and helps with digestion
- Hibiscus – cheerful, sour and flavorful
- Echinacea – helps support the immune system
- Raspberry Leaf – flavorful and a good tea for women
- Rose – lots of antioxidants
- Passion Flower – good to help you drift off to sleep
