Winter, 2000 - 2001

. . . How to choose quality herbs for teas

Loose Herbs vs. Tea Bags

When choosing herbal teas it is best to purchase loose bulk herbs. Use a stainless steel tea ball or an unbleached cotton tea sac in which to infuse the herb (most commercial tea bags are bleached). The herb leaves and roots should be purchased as whole as possible and cut or rubbed as needed for optimum freshness. There are many reasons why bulk herbs are superior. The first reason has to do with how tea bags are made. The heat-sealed type that look like little pillows are made using Polyvinylchloride, a heat sealant chemical that is a known carcinogen! If you prefer the convenience of herbs in tea bags, purchase the ones that are stapled shut such as those teas made by Yogi, Bigelow and Traditional Medicinals. Secondly, herbs used in tea bags are often of inferior quality to whole bulk leaves because they are finely shredded to fit the bag. Herbs prepared in this way lose their medicinal properties quickly from exposure to air and heat. Many Bulk stores offer chopped herbs; the larger pieces are much better than the fine powder in bags. Also, beware of expensively packaged herbal teas that taste like Kool-aide or fruit juice because this probably means they have added artificial flavours and colours.

Certified Organic Herbs

One important final consideration when purchasing quality herbs is the growing method. Whenever possible choose certified organic herbs that have not been irradiated or fumigated with chemicals. Choosing organic means there will be less over-harvesting of herbs in the wild. Currently, wild Echinacea and Goldenseal are facing extinction and to save them we must purchase cultivated varieties. By choosing organic you also support farmers who practice sustainable, chemical-free and pesticide-free farming techniques. Organic herbs support the health of our planet as well as the health of our bodies. Choosing non-irradiated herbs means that the herbs are not fumigated with nuclear energy waste products. Choosing herbs that do not sit in a warehouse that uses chemical sprays such as Phystoxin and Ethyl Bromide to destroy insects is also wise. Consumers cannot readily obtain enough information about the safety of these fumigation practices so it’s best to avoid them altogether. I agree with my teacher…I’d rather risk having the bugs than the chemicals. Companies like Frontier in the USA and Clef des Champs in Canada carry non-fumigated, non-irradiated organic and bug-free herbs.

Making a Tea Blend

When it comes to actually brewing your herbs, understand that making a medicinal herbal tea blend is a fine art. One must blend herbs proportionately to work synergistically in order to heal the mind, body and spirit, and this requires a fair amount of training. But if you’d like to make your teas from bulk herbs there are a lot of good recipe books out there written by trained herbalists. My favourites are Herbal Healing for Women by Rosemary Gladstar and " The Complete Illustrated Holistic Herbal" by David Hoffman to name just a few. Below are two tea recipes that I have formulated and use freely in my home. I hope you and your family can make good use of them this winter.

Winter Tea
Nutritious Calcium Tea

Colleen has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Geography and has been a practicing herbalist since 1996. She is currently studying The Science and Art of Herbology with revered herbalist Rosemary Gladstar.

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