Herbal Teas

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JD Spydo
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Herbal Teas

#1

Post by JD Spydo »

In the past year I've been comparing notes with a very good lady friend of mine who is truly an expert on vitamins, health foods and herbal remedies. I've always been a believer in herbal remedies as well as homeopathic remedies. But lately we've put our heads together and been testing out many of the herbal teas you find at health food stores as well as a few big box stores.

Some of the herbal teas I've found to be really tasty as well as being highly nutrition include "Rooibos, Roasted Dandelion Root, Ginger, Turmeric and Reishi Mushroom just to name a few. We have even been making mixtures and cocktails using 3 or more teas and herbs mixed together with some very interesting results. The Rooibos Tea for instance comes from a rather small geographic area around the "Cape of Good Hope" in the country of South Africa. It is considered highly valuable by the locals during harvest time. Rooibos Tea has more trace minerals than any other herbal tea on the planet. Also Rooibos is one of the most faked and diluted herbs on the market>> you really need to know your source on that one because a good grade of Rooibos is not cheap.

Many of these herbal teas have been used for centuries by several indigenous peoples throughout the world. One of my late aunts told me that they used "Wild Cherry Bark" tea for the treatment of high blood pressure long before they ever invented any modern medications to treat that problem. I've also found that many of these herbal type teas have had a really long and interesting history attached to them. This past year I've even met a couple of people that grow their own herbs and make their own teas. With modern medications becoming almost cost prohibitive in many cases I'm now wanting to learn more about herbal teas and tinctures.

If any of you have dabbled into the study of herbal teas and tinctures I would love to hear your testimonies. There was a time several years ago that I got really sick ( a bad flu) and I was stuck way out in the boonies on a deer hunting trip. The people I was staying with gave me a tea made with a tincture of Echinacea and Goldenseal. It tasted absolutely horrible and I almost upchucked but within 12 hours I was feeling really good again. I would love to hear what you all know about herbal teas and tinctures.
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Re: Herbal Teas

#2

Post by NorWest_05 »

I drink Rooibos, good stuff.
JD Spydo
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Re: Herbal Teas

#3

Post by JD Spydo »

NorWest_05 wrote:
Sat Apr 10, 2021 8:59 pm
I drink Rooibos, good stuff.
I'm curious which brand of Rooibos you drink? I just had a friend turn me on to the Rooibos sold by "The Republic Of Tea". Any of the teas sold by "The Republic Of Tea" I've always had great luck with. Their white tea is also awesome.

Once you acquire a taste for Rooibos tea you will always keep in your cupboard from that point on. It has a taste that really grows on you. On occasion I put a little wildflower honey in mine and it has such a delightful flavor.

There are so many great herbal teas out there and they are easy to get hooked on.
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Re: Herbal Teas

#4

Post by Doc Dan »

I used to drink a lot of herbal teas of various kinds, but now I drink chamomile with honey, mostly. I do like ginger, fresh ginger, tea, as well. Chamomile reminds me of my hippie freak days.
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JD Spydo
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Re: Herbal Teas

#5

Post by JD Spydo »

Doc Dan wrote:
Mon Apr 12, 2021 8:56 am
I used to drink a lot of herbal teas of various kinds, but now I drink chamomile with honey, mostly. I do like ginger, fresh ginger, tea, as well. Chamomile reminds me of my hippie freak days.
Chamomile tea has a really relaxing effect to it. However if you like that effect from an herbal tea then I would also recommend Valerian Root, Skullcap & Hops. There are a couple of companies that make tea with those 3 ingredients and they are sure much healthier than taking Xanax, Ativan or any other dangerous pharmaceutical products.

Even the Rooibos tea that I like to drink on a regular basis has somewhat of a relaxing effect to it.

And again I can't stress enough to be careful where you obtain your herbal teas. There is so much fraud in the "Organic and Health Food" industries it seems. I find that "The Republic Of Tea" and "Traditional Medicinals" are two very well trusted brands that maintain good quality.
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Re: Herbal Teas

#6

Post by Doc Dan »

JD Spydo wrote:
Mon Apr 12, 2021 8:11 pm
Doc Dan wrote:
Mon Apr 12, 2021 8:56 am
I used to drink a lot of herbal teas of various kinds, but now I drink chamomile with honey, mostly. I do like ginger, fresh ginger, tea, as well. Chamomile reminds me of my hippie freak days.
Chamomile tea has a really relaxing effect to it. However if you like that effect from an herbal tea then I would also recommend Valerian Root, Skullcap & Hops. There are a couple of companies that make tea with those 3 ingredients and they are sure much healthier than taking Xanax, Ativan or any other dangerous pharmaceutical products.

Even the Rooibos tea that I like to drink on a regular basis has somewhat of a relaxing effect to it.

And again I can't stress enough to be careful where you obtain your herbal teas. There is so much fraud in the "Organic and Health Food" industries it seems. I find that "The Republic Of Tea" and "Traditional Medicinals" are two very well trusted brands that maintain good quality.
I just like the flavor :D but thanks for the tip. Maybe I can suggest that to my wife so she can sleep.
I Pray Heaven to Bestow The Best of Blessing on THIS HOUSE, and on ALL that shall hereafter Inhabit it. May none but Honest and Wise Men ever rule under This Roof! (John Adams regarding the White House)

Follow the Christ, the King,
Live pure, speak true, right wrong, follow the King--
Else, wherefore born?" (Tennyson)



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Re: Herbal Teas

#7

Post by z4vdBt »

I drink Pique green tea now and then.
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Re: Herbal Teas

#8

Post by kobold »

I drink a lot of Tulsi, Jiaogulan, Gotu Kola, Ginkgo, Horny Goats Weed and Damiana.
Most are adaptogens and some, like Jiaogulan act like mild Ginseng, and Ginkgo is good for the brain.

I also like to add Elderflower to these for floral sweetness.

Chamomile + Calendula + honey is a classic mix for sore throat.

Valerian + St Johns Wort + Chamomile for sleep. I had this when I couldn't sleep because of back pain and it worked.

Hyssop for upset stomach. Sage is also super healthy.

There are heaps.
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Re: Herbal Teas

#9

Post by TomAiello »

I don't really enjoy Roiboos. I drink green tea (not herbal) most days, and mint or peppermint (herbal) tea occasionally in the evenings. I haven't branched out much. We have a ton of different teas on hand (my wife and daughter both have much more sophisticated tastes than I do).
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Re: Herbal Teas

#10

Post by JD Spydo »

TomAiello wrote:
Tue Apr 13, 2021 9:05 am
I don't really enjoy Roiboos. I drink green tea (not herbal) most days, and mint or peppermint (herbal) tea occasionally in the evenings. I haven't branched out much. We have a ton of different teas on hand (my wife and daughter both have much more sophisticated tastes than I do).
Great that you bring up "Green Tea" Tom. Because I got a question. Have you or anyone else here ever tried that "Gunpowder" Green Tea? I had a huge box of it given to me about a year ago and I mix it a lot with many of my herbal teas and it really enhances that flavors of most herbal teas. It's totally different than most other Green Teas I've ever tried.
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Re: Herbal Teas

#11

Post by JD Spydo »

Oh I almost forgot to mention "Essiac Tea". The wonderful properties of Essiac Tea have helped many people over the years. Not only for cancer survivors but for diabetics and various other health problems as well. I've had two cancer survivors I've known for years tell me how Essiac Tea really helped bring back their appetites and got their blood in good order during their recovery. And the one guy who survived it over ten years ago still drinks Essiac Tea on a regular basis. He has also told me that Rooisbos Tea has been great too for his problems.

I do believe that there are all kinds of great remedies in the herbal kingdom. Even the Bible speaks of all types of herbs and other remedies. This past week I've been drinking a lot of "Roasted Dandelion Root" Tea and I've really acquired a taste for it. It's really good mixed with Rooibos tea. Oh and I almost forgot to mention how Ginseng Tea did me so much good when I was still an avid distance runner. Ginseng has done me a lot of good over the years. The Chinese have been using it for centuries.
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Re: Herbal Teas

#12

Post by James Y »

I won’t be much help here, but back when I was living in Taiwan, one of my martial arts teachers would occasionally invite me to a tea house, sometimes after we’d had a heavy dinner at another restaurant. He would order a special kind of tea in a little teapot, with little, thimble-sized cups. My teacher said this tea was good for your digestion, but not to drink too much of it, or it could harm your stomach, especially if the stomach were empty. I never knew the name of the tea, or if he told me its name, I’ve long forgotten. The tea itself had almost a ‘buttery’ taste, and after drinking it, if you clenched your teeth, they kind of squeaked, almost like running your fingernail across a chalkboard (if that makes any sense).

What this tea did was it seemed to ‘burn off’ or break down the food we had eaten earlier. We had stuffed ourselves at dinner, but after only about 90 minutes of sitting in the tea house discussing various things and sipping little portions of that tea, we were starving again and had to go for some food at a street stall afterwards.

I regret not knowing what that tea was.

Jim
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Re: Herbal Teas

#13

Post by JD Spydo »

James Y wrote:
Thu Apr 15, 2021 6:18 pm
I won’t be much help here, but back when I was living in Taiwan, one of my martial arts teachers would occasionally invite me to a tea house, sometimes after we’d had a heavy dinner at another restaurant. He would order a special kind of tea in a little teapot, with little, thimble-sized cups. My teacher said this tea was good for your digestion, but not to drink too much of it, or it could harm your stomach, especially if the stomach were empty. I never knew the name of the tea, or if he told me its name, I’ve long forgotten. The tea itself had almost a ‘buttery’ taste, and after drinking it, if you clenched your teeth, they kind of squeaked, almost like running your fingernail across a chalkboard (if that makes any sense).

What this tea did was it seemed to ‘burn off’ or break down the food we had eaten earlier. We had stuffed ourselves at dinner, but after only about 90 minutes of sitting in the tea house discussing various things and sipping little portions of that tea, we were starving again and had to go for some food at a street stall afterwards.

I regret not knowing what that tea was.

Jim
That's interesting Jim because I've heard some similar testimonies pertaining to that "Gunpowder" green tea I spoke of earlier. I can only guess as to which kind of tea you're speaking of. But in many places in Asia and the Middle East as well as the North African continent ( Sahara region) people take their tea drinking very seriously.
The ancient and modern day Chinese actually incorporate their consumption of different teas as part of their health maintenance.
A few years ago I had a guy I met through a friend who was originally from Madagascar who told me that most of the tea you could buy here in the USA was considered trash by his country's standards. I found that extremely interesting. And yes many of these people from different countries also drink different type of herbal teas as well as traditional teas.
Truthfully I wish I knew more about it. Which is one reason I started this thread.
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Re: Herbal Teas

#14

Post by James Y »

JD Spydo wrote:
Fri Apr 16, 2021 5:58 am
That's interesting Jim because I've heard some similar testimonies pertaining to that "Gunpowder" green tea I spoke of earlier. I can only guess as to which kind of tea you're speaking of. But in many places in Asia and the Middle East as well as the North African continent ( Sahara region) people take their tea drinking very seriously.
The ancient and modern day Chinese actually incorporate their consumption of different teas as part of their health maintenance.
A few years ago I had a guy I met through a friend who was originally from Madagascar who told me that most of the tea you could buy here in the USA was considered trash by his country's standards. I found that extremely interesting. And yes many of these people from different countries also drink different type of herbal teas as well as traditional teas.
Truthfully I wish I knew more about it. Which is one reason I started this thread.

Joe,

I also wish I knew which tea it was, One thing I forgot to mention in my post is that when the tea was served, it was kept warm on a little burner (or tiny “oven”) that was kept on the table. This was a little over 30 years ago.

I have also heard that most of the tea here in the US, especially the popular, brand-name teas, are considered garbage by those in the know.

Not to go too far OT, but in Taiwan, I learned that meals had to be ‘balanced.’ Traditionally, soup was always a part of every Chinese meal, as it provided the liquid, and the yin to the yang of the mostly non-liquid foods. Soup was often used in place of actual beverages during meals, unless there was also tea or alcohol served.

Jim
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Re: Herbal Teas

#15

Post by JD Spydo »

James Y wrote:
Fri Apr 16, 2021 8:21 am
JD Spydo wrote:
Fri Apr 16, 2021 5:58 am
That's interesting Jim because I've heard some similar testimonies pertaining to that "Gunpowder" green tea I spoke of earlier. I can only guess as to which kind of tea you're speaking of. But in many places in Asia and the Middle East as well as the North African continent ( Sahara region) people take their tea drinking very seriously.
The ancient and modern day Chinese actually incorporate their consumption of different teas as part of their health maintenance.
A few years ago I had a guy I met through a friend who was originally from Madagascar who told me that most of the tea you could buy here in the USA was considered trash by his country's standards. I found that extremely interesting. And yes many of these people from different countries also drink different type of herbal teas as well as traditional teas.
Truthfully I wish I knew more about it. Which is one reason I started this thread.

Joe,

I also wish I knew which tea it was, One thing I forgot to mention in my post is that when the tea was served, it was kept warm on a little burner (or tiny “oven”) that was kept on the table. This was a little over 30 years ago.

I have also heard that most of the tea here in the US, especially the popular, brand-name teas, are considered garbage by those in the know.

Not to go too far OT, but in Taiwan, I learned that meals had to be ‘balanced.’ Traditionally, soup was always a part of every Chinese meal, as it provided the liquid, and the yin to the yang of the mostly non-liquid foods. Soup was often used in place of actual beverages during meals, unless there was also tea or alcohol served.

Jim
I've heard from more than one person ( non USA citizens) that most of the tea that is sold in this country is not at the top on the quality charts. We have an upscale shopping district here in Kansas City, MO known as "Crown Center". In "Crown Center" shopping center they have a little tea shop that is owned and managed by Chinese nationals that live here locally. The name of the tea shop is "The Shang Tea Co." They mostly sell "white teas" at that shop and I'm here to tell you that I have never experienced any tea that tastes as good as their selection of "white tea" tastes.

"The Shang Tea Co." have a website and they tell me that they sell all over the USA. Like I said it's nothing like any other type of tea I've ever drank. Not cheap but it's extremely satisfying. Now I will again plug a tea company that mostly sells their stuff in health food stores and/or organic markets like Whole Foods and Natural Grocers. They are known as "The Republic Of Tea" and I sure don't consider anything of theirs to be sub-standard. Common brands like Lipton and Luzianne tend to turn my stomach. Apparently most of the conventional type tea plants can't be grown here in the USA for a few reasons I've been told.
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