A cup of herbal tea can be easy on the body compared to what pills will do to your kidneys and liver. Each wonderful plant does something great for us. Ease anxiety, help us sleep, give us relief from pain, stop muscle spasms and so much more. The information I am adding to this article is just information about herbs and teas. A great tea for just relaxing on the back porch watching the hummingbirds and bees is bee balm (monarda), lemon balm and mints. Add some hot war and relax with your cup. Anytime is tea time.

Health Benefits of Herbal Teas

Made from herbs, fruits, seeds, or roots steeped in hot water, herbal teas have lower concentrations of antioxidants than green, white, black, and oolong teas. Their chemical compositions vary widely depending on the plant used.

Barberry, eye bright, milk thistle, Oregon grape, wild yam and yellow dock cleanse and detoxify the liver and endocrine system You can use them together or one at a time. No Oregon Grape if pregnant.

Borage seed, chamomile, dandelion and sarsaparilla help to restore the acid/alkaline balance to the bloodstream. Do not use chamomile if allergic to ragweed. Do not use during pregnancy and nursing. Warfarin and cyclosporin interact with these herbs.

Burdock, dandelion root, hawthorn, licorice root, red clover, rhubarb, sage and Siberian ginseng detoxify and cleanse the blood. They can be used with each other or by themselves. Licorice is not used during pregnancy or nursing. Licorice is not used with many of our common pills we take so ask be fore using. Echinacea cleanses the lymphatic glands. Golden seal cleanses the mucous membranes.

Varieties include ginger, ginkgo biloba, ginseng, hibiscus, jasmine, rose hip, mint, rooibos (red tea), chamomile, and echinacea. We can heat water to boiling and put your herbs in a quart jar. Pour hot water over herbs and let them infuse for at least 20 minutes to get the most from the herb. Strain and put some in a cup and drink all day.

The most common herbs I use are chamomile and valerian root for bedtime tea for sleeping. I use fennel for gas as it stops what is causing the gas to stop. Works great. I use mint and mulberry to lose weight. Mulberry takes half of the sugars from your meal and flushes it out of the body and that is why we can lose some weight.

Health Benefits of Instant Teas

Instant tea may contain very little amounts of actual tea and plenty of sugars or artificial sweeteners. For health’s sake, check out the ingredients on the label. I believe instant tea is mostly sugar or sweetener of some kind. Really consider not buying.

Can Tea Be Bad for Your Health?

Most teas are benign, but the FDA has issued warnings about so-called dieter’s teas that contain senna, aloe, buck horn, and other plant-derived laxatives.

The agency also warns consumers to be wary of herb-containing supplements that claim to kill pain and fight cancer. None of the claims are backed by science and some of the herbs have led to bowel problems, liver and kidney damage, and even death. The FDA cautions against taking supplements that include:

• Comfrey

• Ephedra

• Willow bark

• Germander

• Lobelia

• Chaparral

I think we should consider teas as a natural replacement for carbonated beverages. They are so hard on our teeth and our bodies. I quit drinking my favorite carbonated beverage about 10 years ago and it was one of the best things I did for myself. These are some of the better herbal plants to dry for teas.

Chamomile tea: Its antioxidants may help prevent complications from diabetes, like loss of vision and nerve and kidney damage, and stunt the growth of cancer cells.

Echinacea: Often touted as a way to fight the common cold, the research on echinacea has been inconclusive.

Hibiscus: A small study found that drinking three cups of hibiscus tea daily lowered blood pressure in people with modestly elevated levels.

Rooibos (red tea): A South African herb that is fermented. Although it has flavonoids with cancer-fighting properties, medical studies have been limited.These cautions aside, nutritionists say to drink up and enjoy the health benefits of tea.

Lavender: Is an all around great ingredient for your tea of any kind. Just add to your cup, ground up for better flavor. Add a touch of fresh ground nutmeg from the seeds. I also use ground lavender in sugar cookies. Great flavor too if added to the icing also.

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“You want to incorporate healthy beverages in your diet on a more regular basis to benefit from these health-promoting properties," says Diane L. McKay, PhD, a Tufts University scientist who studies antioxidants. "It’s not just about the foods; it’s about what you drink, as well, that can contribute to your health."

This information is from Web MD and not the opinion of the blogger. Please leave me some comments if you want me to know what you are feeling.

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