For as long as I can remember, I have been interested in herbal tea recipes and its benefits. Only after reading a few books on this topic my herbal tea routine got really serious. A new world opened up and it seems like I could endlessly create my own recipes depending on what my body needs during certain times.
My Favorite Herbal Tea Infusions
I have to say that it’s not that easy to find good quality, organic, cut and sifted herbs. I used to get my herbs from different stores and wasn’t able to get my hands on all the herbs I wanted. Until someone told me iHerb also offers a great selection of herbs. How could I not have thought about that considering the name is… iHerb?
These days I buy all my herbs on iHerb. They offer all the herbs I’m looking for, it’s organic, cut and sifted and well priced!
Why iHerb?
For years I have been a loyal iHerb fan. Especially this year it has been such a convenience to be able to order whatever I need from the comfort of my home. I find the service at iHerb amazing, but the wide variety of products is the reason why I’m coming back.
A wide variety of products means that iHerb carries over 30,000 natural products and they ship to over 180 countries. Their delivery is extremely fast. Also, all iHerb products are shipped from climate-controlled distribution centers to ensure the quality of our products. Everything arrives well (not damaged or expired) no matter where you live.
If I have a question I can contact the customer service 24 hours a day / 7 days a week and if I wanted to I could speak 10 different languages and they would still be able to support me. Kind of cool, right?
Click here to read everything about their (fast and well-priced) shipping methods to your country.
My last order was a beautiful all herbal iHerb order. If you are curious about my order and would like to have a quick look, click here for my cart.
iHerb treats their customers well. So if you decide to do some iHerb shopping, you will get a discount by shopping via this link HERE.
What Are Nourishing Herbs?
Although tea is quite common, the nourishing effect of herbs is not. They are mineral-rich, full with vitamins that support our health and immunity when used regularly.
A few examples of nourishing herbs are stinging nettle, oat straw and raspberry leaves.
What’s The Difference Between Herbal Tea & Herbal Infusions?
There is definitely a difference between a good old cup of tea and an herbal infusion. The main difference is that herbal tea uses less herbs (plants) and those are steeped for maximum 20-30 minutes, but quite often just for a few minutes.
Herbal infusions use more herbs and are steeped for at least 30 minutes and quite often overnight. Since the herbs are steeped for a longer period of time all the medicinal constituents, such as the vitamins and minerals are released from the herb.
Teas are more or less the same, but then a much gentler version of an infusion.
These brews are like a super food and an amazing way to provide deep nutrition to our bodies.
Tea Infusions or Decoctions
Another difference is between herbal tea infusions and decoctions. Herbal teas and herbal infusions are made with so called soft herbs, such as flowers, stems, and leaves. Decoctions on the other hand are made by seeping harder herbs such as seeds, roots, nuts, and barks in water over low heat for a set amount of time.
So now we got those differences (there are also tinctures, syrups, capsules) out of the way let’s dive into my little world of herbal teas and herbal infusions. I’m not an expert so please feel free to correct me or supplement my knowledge in the comment section below.
The Power of Herbs
In herbalism daily herbal brews are considered to be supercharged brews and a great way to support our health and even our looks (think of a improved skin complexion or stronger hair and nails).
Herbal infusions are my favorite preparation out of all methods. For some reason I feel that the long steep really makes sure I’m able to benefit from every vitamin, mineral and antioxidant the herbs (leaves and flowers) have to offer.
Moreover, I think that drinking a herbal tea infusion makes it very easy for my body to absorb all nutrients.
I read in a book that an herbalist recommended that when you have the choice to choose between an herbal tea infusion or water, you should always go for an herbal infusion. Because herbal infusions are like water, but loaded with minerals and vitamins. A cup filled with deep nutrition.
“Because minerals are rock-like, we need to break open cell walls to get at them. To extract minerals, we need heat, time, and generous quantities of plant material.” – Herbalist Susun Weed
Beauty Boosting Herbal Infusions
A good herbal infusion can be beauty boosting, especially for the skin, nails and hair. A nettle infusion will have a good amount of B vitamins, but also raspberry leaf is full with minerals.
Raspberry leaf infusion is my absolute favorite for a glowing skin, thicker hair and stronger nails. Especially my hair seems to love this herbal infusion. Just a side note, I drink it and don’t wash my hair with it.
If the rosebud petals are for external use only, I love to add them to my rose water or oils. I buy a cheap rosewater made for cooking and to that bottle I add about 10-15 rosebuds. This will create the absolute most luxurious rosewater ever! My skin calms down immediately and it feels like I’m using a very expensive toner.
Immune Boosting Herbal Infusions
Of course, there is so much more (medicinal) than just herbal infusions for beauty and skincare alone.
My kitchen cabinets are basically filled with dried herbs. I use specific herbs at specific times. In general, I like to use herbs that are immune boosting, stress relieving or beauty boosting.
An immune boosting infusion is for example with fresh ginger, lemon juice and echinacea.
A stress relieving infusion is quite often pure oat straw or a pure hibiscus infusion. Oat straw is very powerful to nourish the nervous system, and it really calms me down when I’m feeling stressed. Some people swear by oat straw to sleep like a baby.
In my opinion oat straw is the most bio available. It’s one of my all-time favorite restorative herbs. Oatstraw is best known however for its ability to enhance libido and balance the mood. In Auryuvedic medicine, oat straw is considered a longevity tonic. But it is also considered a nutritive tonic to support the immune system and healthy hair and nails.
As herbalist 7Song says: ‘’oat straw is for the person who has pushed and pushed and now feels tired …or just plain disconnected much of the time no matter how much they rest …”
Another great herbal infusion is a raspberry leaf infusion (contact your GP when pregnant). This herb is high in antioxidants and can boost our immunity. It is an astringent infusion known as a ”women tea” as it is an energetic tonic for the reproductive organs. In general, this infusion contains vitamins and minerals that are beneficial to our health, immune system, and cellular processes.
Stinging nettle contains high amounts of vitamins, minerals and nourishing green chlorophyll. It’s also an energy booster, and good for the heart, hair and skin. It’s a favorite among herbalists. It has a deep, rich flavor.
Rose petals and rose buds are great to help PMS related symptoms and have antimicrobial properties.
How to Make Herbal Teas & Infusions
For a tea you can simply steep the herb in boiled water for 5-30 minutes. For an infusion, steep the herbs in boiled water and let rest for a few hours or overnight. A good way to do this is to make a jar before going to bed. The next day you can enjoy a perfect infusion with amazing therapeutic effects. These effects are stronger than when making tea with the same herb.
Pro Brewing Tips
- Make sure your jar or mug can handle hot boiling temperatures.
- Use a lid or cap while your infusions are brewing. This is very important to get all the nutrition in the water.
- Use a French coffee press to make this process very simple and not messy. It also allows for an easy second brew (albeit it diluted). Once you use a French press, you will never want to use anything else. It’s so easy.
- Feel free to add extras such as fresh ginger, lemon juice, date syrup or goji berries.
- If you want to make a summer version, add ice cubes and/or a splash of cold sparkling water.
- I like to use a maximum of 2-3 herbs at a time.
- Don’t be shy with how much herbs you are using. The recipes below are pretty gentle to start with, but quite often I pack my jar quite full with herbs (one-third to halfway full).
Discount Offer for iHerb Customers
New and returning customers will get a DISCOUNT off their iHerb order with no minimum purchase by clicking HERE. If you would like to see my other orders and recipes by iHerb, you can check out these salad dressing recipes and these 3 smoothie recipes with a boost.
I hope my herbal infusion ritual will become a ritual for you too! I’d love to read your feedback! I also hope this post inspired you to do your own research and try the amazing herbs available at iHerb.
PrintMy Favorite Herbal Tea Infusions
- Category: tea
- Method: boiled water, French press
Description
Four herbal infusions to support the body: women support, immune boosting, stress relieving and beauty boosting. They are mineral-rich, full with vitamins that support our health.
Ingredients
The Herbal Beauty Infusion
2 part nettle leaf
2 part raspberry leaf
1 part goji berries (optional)
The Herbal Immune Boosting Infusion
2 part echinacea purpurea
a few slices fresh ginger
a few drops lemon juice
The Herbal Stress Relief Infusion
2 part oat straw
2 part nettle leaf
Or 1 part hibiscus
with fresh lemon juice to taste
The Herbal Women Support Infusion
2 part raspberry leaf
2 part nettle leaf
Instructions
For example for The Herbal Beauty Infusion, for about 10-ounce cup (300 ml), add 4 tablespoons of nettle leaf, 4 tablespoons of raspberry leaf, and 2 tablespoons of goji berries.
Simply adjust these measurements for a stronger brew or a larger/smaller serving. For a stronger brew I use the same measurements but then for 8 ounces. Bring water to a boil and pour over the herbs in the jar.
I always use a French coffee press for this, since this makes the process extremely easy and effective.
Cover the jar with a lid and let steep for a few hours or overnight. Slowly push the lid of the French press down to strain the herbs and serve.
You can safely enjoy 2-3 cups a day.
Drink before the day is over and make a new one for the next morning.
Tip
Once you finished the jar you will be left with a French press with herbs on the bottom of the jar. I simply add more boiling water and enjoy a diluted herbal infusion, more like a tea. As such, nothing is wasted and you are sure to get all the nourishment from the herbs.
Notes
The infusion will (of course) be cold once it has been steeping for several hours. I don’t mind drinking room temperature tea, but if you prefer a warm drink add a little splash of boiling water to your cup before serving or reheat it on the stove so that your tea is hot.
If you have a celiac or severe gluten intolerance, please take caution with oat straw as there is the possibility of gluten contamination.
If you have a medical condition or if you are pregnant, please check with your physician if you can use any of these herbs.
The Green Creator and its materials are not intended to treat, diagnose, cure, or prevent any disease. All material on The Green Creator is provided for educational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider before trying any of these herbs.
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