I’ve never been much of a soda drinker, but I love coffee! If I could I would drink nothing but coffee, morning, noon and night. However, as I get old my body just can’t handle the caffeine, and decaffeinated coffee, well… if you’re a coffee lover you know the rest. So these days I drink more tea and herbal tea than ever. I’ve even become comfortable mixing up my own herbal tea infusion blends.
Hopefully, you will enjoy them as much as I do. All the blends listed below can also be mixed with black tea if you’d like to add it. All of the herbs and spices have extra health benefits and all the ingredients can be easily found at the supermarket, on Amazon, or grown in your garden. Also, all of the herbs and spices can be dehydrated placed in long-term storage. So these recipes use the dried versions of the herbs and spices.
Here are some of the health benefits of the main spices and herbs used in these infusions:
Turmeric–anti-inflammatory, helps with antioxidants, improves brain function, helps with heart disease prevention, help with cancer prevention, helps with arthritis and helps with depression.
Ginger–anti-inflammatory, helps with circulation, immune building, helps with digestive health.
Mint–helps with digestive health, curbs cravings, eases mild headaches and helps with congestion.
Elderberries–immune building, help ease cold and flu symptoms and antioxidant.
Lemongrass–helps with cancer prevention, helps lower blood sugar and help with heart disease prevention.
Lavender–helps relieve bloating, helps you relax, helps keep skin healthy, help relieve mild anxiety.
10 Plus Herbal Tea Infusions
Turmeric
Simple Turmeric Tea
2 c Water
½ t Ground Turmeric
Honey To Taste
Boil 2 cups water. Add turmeric and let simmer for 10 minutes. Strain if desired. Add honey if desired. Can be served hot or cold.
Turmeric and Ginger Tea
2 c Nut Milk
2 t Ground Turmeric
2 t Ground Ginger
Honey To Taste
Lemon To Taste
Heat nut milk to just under boiling (do not boil as nut milk may scorch). Add turmeric and ginger and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Strain if desired. Add honey and lemon to taste. Serve hot.
Spiced Turmeric Tea
2 c Water Or Milk
2 t Ground Turmeric
1 t Ground Cinnamon
2 t Ground Ginger
2 t Lemongrass
6 Peppercorns
1 T Coconut Oil (optional)
Sweetener Of Choice To Taste
Heat water to a boil or milk to just under a boil. Add turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, lemongrass, and peppercorns. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Add coconut oil if desired. Add desired amount of sweetener and serve.
Lavender
Relaxing Lavender Tea
2 c Water
2 t Lavender
1 T Lemon Juice
Honey to Taste
Heat water to just under boiling (steaming). Place lavender in a tea bag or tea strainer. Steep for 3 to 5 minutes. Add 1 T lemon juice and honey to taste. Serve hot.
Refreshing Lavender Tea
2 t Dried Lavender
2 t Dried Mint Leaves
2 Cups Water
Honey To Taste
Heat water to just under boiling (steaming). Place lavender and mint in a tea bag or tea strainer. Steep for 3 to 5 minutes. Add honey to taste. Serve hot.
Lemongrass
Basic Lemongrass Tea
2 Cups Water
2 T Dried Lemongrass
Sweetener Of choice
Heat water to just under boiling (steaming). Place lemongrass in a tea bag or tea strainer. Steep for 3 to 5 minutes. Add sweetener if desired. Served hot or cold.
Perfect Lemongrass Tea
2 T Dried Lemongrass
1 t Ground Ginger
¼ t Cinnamon
Honey To Taste
Lime Juice To Taste
Heat water to just under boiling (steaming). Place lemongrass, ginger, and cinnamon in a tea bag or tea strainer. Steep for 3 to 5 minutes. Add honey and lime as desired. Serve hot.
Elderberry
Basic Elderberry Tea
2 T Dried Elderberries
2 c Water
Honey To Taste
Heat water to just under boiling (steaming). Place elderberries in a tea bag or tea strainer. Steep for 3 to 5 minutes. Add honey as desired. Serve hot.
Immune Building Tea
2 T Dried Elderberries
¼ t Cinnamon
2 Cardamom Pods Crushed
¼ t Ground Cloves
½ t Ground Turmeric
½ t Ground Ginger
Honey To Taste
Heat water to just under boiling (steaming). Place elderberries, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, turmeric and ginger in a tea bag or tea strainer. Steep for 3 to 5 minutes. Add honey as desired. Serve hot.
Mint
Basic Mint Tea
2 T Dried Peppermint or Spearmint Leaves
2 c Water
Honey To Taste
Heat water to just under boiling (steaming). Place mint in a tea bag or tea strainer. Steep for 3 to 5 minutes. Add honey as desired. Serve hot.
Tummy Tea
2 T Dried Peppermint or Spearmint Leaves
2 t Ground Ginger
2 c Water
Honey To Taste
Heat water to just under boiling (steaming). Place mint and ginger in a tea bag or tea strainer. Steep for 3 to 5 minutes. Add honey as desired. Serve hot.
Ginger
Basic Ginger Tea
4 cups of water
2-inch piece of fresh ginger root
optional: honey and lemon slice
Heat water to just under boiling (steaming). Place ginger in a tea bag or tea strainer. Steep for 3 to 5 minutes. Add honey as desired. Serve hot.
Spiced Ginger Tea
2 t Ground Ginger
⅛ t Cayenne
¼ t Cinnamon
2 c Water
Lemon To Taste
Honey To Taste
Heat water to just under boiling (steaming). Place ginger, cayenne, cinnamon in a tea bag or tea strainer. Steep for 3 to 5 minutes. Add honey and lemon as desired. Serve hot.
Do you make your own tea blends or herbal tea infusions? What ingredients do you use?
