By: Ariana Palmieri
Recently, I’ve been drinking a lot of tea: Two cups a day in fact. Why? Because, both my parents were sick and I needed to keep my immunity up. So, I’ve been drinking Yogi tea, specifically Echinacea Immune Support. And oh my goodness has it been working! I haven’t gotten sick (fingers crossed) and have truly come to love the tea (its got a delicious warming flavor that relaxes me beautifully right before bedtime). But the real beauty of the tea lies in the ingredients: The tea blend, if you will. Because that tea is loaded with herbs and plants specifically designed to support the immune system (like Echinacea, rosehips, and mullein leaf), it was bound to work. And that’s when I started thinking about making my own beneficial tea blends: Not just for immunity and keeping sickness at bay, but for other purposes. And thus, this blog post was born.
All the homemade tea blends I’ll be talking about would be considered loose leaf teas, so you will need a steeping device (in other words, a tea infuser). You can find them for sale online or at a local tea shop (like Teavana). It’s so easy to make loose leaf tea too, so don’t be discouraged. All you need to do is fill your little infuser up with the loose leaf tea blend of your choice and place it in the mug you’ll be using. Then boil some water and pour it in. Done. Literally as simple as making tea using a tea bag. That said, I highly recommend you do not throw away tea bags: They can be composted and added to your garden. Personally, I like to add them directly to my indoor container garden: I just dig a little hole for the tea bag in the pot, plop it in, and cover it up with some more soil. It actually enriches the soil and helps my plants because everything in the tea bag is decomposable. Here are some other reasons why you should be planting your tea bags and not throwing them out. Just saying.
But enough about that: It’s time to talk loose leaf teas! Are you ready? Please note that you can also add used loose leaf tea to compost (or directly to soil), as it’s naturally biodegradable as well. Time to share some amazing tea blends! Lets hop to it.
Sleepy Time Tea
If you’re anything like me, sleeping at night can be an issue. That’s why I always like to drink tea right before bed. Calms me down and helps me relax. Want it to do the same for you? Then try this delicious blend.
You will need:
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1 tablespoon of lavender buds
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1 tablespoon of chamomile flowers
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8 ounces of boiled water
Directions:
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Steep the tea for 5-10 minutes. If you’d like, add a pinch of honey (or organic sugar) for flavor. I usually don’t add anything though, and suggest you try to do the same. Drink up!
Note: I notice the best results while drinking this tea when I shut off my television, phone, and any other distractions and just meditate on the flavor. I highly encourage you to just close your eyes and get lost in the tea’s gentle taste. It’ll put you in a sleepy state for sure.
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Morning Burst Tea
This is the perfect sort of tea to drink in the morning to start your day. It’ll give you a lovely boost of vitamin C, antioxidants, and energy. Not to mention it tastes really good.
You will need:
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1 tablespoon of green tea leaf
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1 tablespoon of dried hibiscus flowers
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1 tablespoon of dried rosehips
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1 tablespoon dried raspberry leaf
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8 ounces of boiled water
Directions:
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Steep the tea for 5-10 minutes. If you’d like, add a pinch of honey (or organic sugar) for flavor. I usually don’t add anything though, and suggest you try to do the same. Drink up!
Note: This tea tastes great chilled too, so go ahead and drink it in the warmer months!
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Immunity Tea
If you’d rather make your own immunity tea (and not purchase the one I recommended above from Yogi’s teas), I have a blend for you. This blend is perfect for cold and flu season, but should still be drank occasionally to keep your immune system in tip top shape. Also, if you notice people getting sick around you (in any season), drink this to prevent catching it too!
You will need:
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1 tablespoon of Echinacea purpurea root
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1 tablespoon of Echinacea angustifolia root
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1 tablespoon of dried rosehips
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1 tablespoon of spearmint leaf
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1 tablespoon of licorice root
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8 ounces of boiled water
Directions:
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Steep the tea for 5-10 minutes. If you’d like, add a pinch of honey (or organic sugar) for flavor. I usually don’t add anything though, and suggest you try to do the same. Drink up!
Note: I suggest drinking this more than once a day if you really want to prevent getting sick. Twice a day or more is best!
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Beautiful Skin Tea
Everyone wants glowing skin! To get it, I recommend drinking this blend of tea at least once a day every week. All the ingredients mentioned are fantastic at keeping your skin youthful, glowing, and healthy. These particular ingredients can also be drunk on their own (ex: rosehip tea), but when combined together, they certainly pack a punch. Lets just say it’s the only punch your skin will actually thank you for.
You will need:
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1 tablespoon of dried rosehips
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1 tablespoon of dried rose petals (or buds)
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1 tablespoon of dandelion root
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1 tablespoon of green tea leaf
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1 tablespoon of dried hibiscus flowers
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8 ounces of boiled water
Directions:
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Steep the tea for 5-10 minutes. If you’d like, add a pinch of honey (or organic sugar) for flavor. I usually don’t add anything though, and suggest you try to do the same. Drink up!
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Healthy Tummy Tea
Have a queasy tummy? Suffering from a little upset stomach or a devastating stomach bug? I’ve got just the thing for you. This blend will help ease your tummy as well as promote healthy digestion (so you can still drink it even if your tummy is completely fine!).
You will need:
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1 tablespoon of fennel seeds
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1 tablespoon of ginger root
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1 tablespoon of dried peppermint leaf
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1 tablespoon of licorice root
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8 ounces of boiled water
Directions:
- Steep the tea for 5-10 minutes. Please try not to add any sweeteners to this (it may only upset your stomach more). Drink up!
Important Note: All the ingredients you need to make these teas can be purchased on Mountain Rose Herbs. Just search for them in the search box. And as always, if you’re allergic to a certain ingredient I recommend, simply leave it out. Happy drinking!