June 4th, 2008Herb Tea Preparation
From the Transfiguration Diet
To make an infusion (a tea made from leaves, flowers or stems): Bring distilled water to a boil. Remove from heat. Add the herbs to the water and steep 10 to 15 minutes. Strain and serve plain or with an optional teaspoon of honey.
To make a decoction (a tea made from bark or roots): Add herbs to cold distilled water in a pot. Slowly bring the water and herbs to a boil on medium heat. When it reaches boiling, turn down to low heat and simmer 30 minutes. Strain and serve either plain or with an optional teaspoon of honey.
Beverage teas (infusions or decoctions) are usually made with 1 slightly rounded teaspoon of the herb to 1 cup of water.
Medicinal Teas can be made much stronger, using as much as 1 to 2 oz. of an herb to 1 ½ pints of water. One ounce of leafy or flower herbs is about one handful.
November 20th, 2008 at 8:12 pm
I have a question about the enzymes in the herbs we use to make teas. When you pour boiling water over herbs to make tea, the temp of the water is far greater then the 112 degrees that kill enzymes. Then when we boil roots and bark for several minutes or reduce for a tincture there can’t be any enzyme activity left. I don’t understand how tea, tinctures etc can be so potent when we’ve killed the herb and the enzymes? What about letting the tea sit in the sun for several hours instead of boiling it?
Love the newsletter, thanks. Keep up the great work.
December 17th, 2008 at 10:12 am
[…] cinnamon, cloves and turkey rhubarb powder and make a tea (for directions on how to make a tea see http://articles.herballegacy.com/herb-tea-preparation/). Pour that tea over spearmint or peppermint leaves. Let it steep. Strain and drink. It is […]
December 22nd, 2008 at 10:20 pm
The enzymes are killed when making a tea, in fact unless you are picking your own herbs from the wild or your garden fresh the enzymes are gone by the time you get them.
This is not a worry, however, because the medicinal quality of herbs is not found in the enzymes most of the time.
You can make a sun tea out of the fresh herbs and still keep a lot of those qualities if you wish.
You will not lose the medicinal quality of the herbs if they are gently shade dried, or if a hot tea is made from them because the medicinal chemicals are not located in the enzymes.
March 30th, 2009 at 5:40 pm
Hi, Jared,
How do you make a tea for an eyewash using Dr. Christopher’s Herbal Eyebright Combination, please? I do know that after you make the tea it has to be strained.
Thank you,
Amie Lois Dilqule
July 14th, 2009 at 6:37 pm
How long will the decoction “tea” be good for?
After it’s simmered, strained and put in the fridge, how long will it still be good to use? I was debating about making up a batch of the BF&C.
July 15th, 2009 at 7:49 pm
It keeps about 1 week to 10 days.
July 15th, 2009 at 7:53 pm
To make the herbal eyewash, use 1 tsp of the herbs and pour boiling distilled water over the herbs, cover and steep for 20 minutes, strain and let cool enough so as not to burn. Use it in an eye cup for an eye wash.