One of the best things about herbal tea is not only the flavour and benefits. It is the opportunity to grow many herbs by yourself and make your own blends.

Herbal teas are very easy to make at home. Although you can easily enjoy making herbs blends on your own from both fresh herbs and dried herbs.

Make a small amount first and adjust the ratio of ingredients to your taste. Some ingredients are stronger than others, so change the amounts slowly to keep the balance. IF you make larger quantities, store the tea in an airtight container. If you are using a glass jar, always keep it away from light.

To brew, use about one teaspoon per cup and steep for 5-10 minutes in boiling water.

Here are some homemade tea recipes to try out:

Lemon and Elderflower Tea for Fighting Common Flu:

Elderflowers and lemon might easily become your most favourite herbal tea in the world. While lemon tea is no stranger to tea drinkers, elderflowers are still not as widely used as they deserve. Some studies showed that the elderberry flower may have helped to relieve the flu symptoms. However, the best part of elderflower tea is the flavour

These flowers are popular for making syrups and flavouring soft drinks and water. They blend amazingly well with lemon too. You can use both fresh and dry flowers. Wash them before use. Elderflower usually grows freely in nature and starts blooming around May.

Blend for a cup:

• 1 spoon of elderflowers
• 1-2 teaspoons of lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon of honey

Ginger Tea:

Fresh, dried, pickled or powdered, ginger tastes well in any form and in any dish or drink, especially in tea. Ginger tea is the only tea we absolutely recommend making with fresh instead of dry ingredients. Peel, wash and slice ginger into thin slices. Then add it to a small saucepan together with 1 ½ cup of water and a few peppercorns. Bring it to a boil and let it simmer for another 10-15 minutes. Strain, add honey and drink. Why add peppercorns to a blend? Both ginger and peppercorns may warm you up, may offer benefits for the digestive system and positively influence the mood.

Blend for a cup:

• ½ – 1 inch of fresh ginger
• A teaspoon of honey
• A few peppercorns

 

Mint and Lavender Tea:

Upgrade the simple mint tea by adding a touch of lavender flowers. Lavender may help with relaxation, and help freshen the breath. Together with mint, it gives a delicious and potent tea with relaxing, antimicrobial, antiviral and antioxidant properties.

To brew mint and lavender tea, use about 1 teaspoon of dry leaves. Bring water to a boil and let it cool for a few minutes. Oversteeped lavender tea may become bitter. 

You can easily fix this by adding a spoon of honey. Once brewed, you can cool it down and serve it with honey and ice as iced tea.

Blend for 2 cups:

• 1 spoon of mint
• ¼ spoon of lavender flowers
• 1 teaspoon of honey

Chamomile and Lemon Balm Tea:

When you combine two tasty herbs with relaxing properties, you get the most delicious sleepy time tea in the world. Lemon balm or Melissa is a herb from a mint family with a mild minty and lemony flavour. It blends well with the sweet herbal flavour of chamomile.

Blend for 3-4 cups:

• 1 spoon of dried chamomile flowers
• 1 spoon of dried and crushed lemon balm leaves

For more amazing recipes, check out simple loose leaf.

Published on HOLR Magazine.