People often ask me what I think is the best way to take herbal medicine. While tinctures are great for their convenience and optimal extraction of key constituents, there is nothing quite as medicinal to the soul as tea.
No, tea is not the way to extract certain constituents, especially those that are more resinous, like pine, myrrh, or frankincense. But for most plants, water is an excellent medium for extracting medicinal constituents, especially the water soluble starches, pectins and antioxidants.
Beyond “solubility”, tea is a medicinal ritual. There is a reason why, when you have someone into your home, offering them a warm cup of tea is a way to relax their guards and help them feel comfortable. Having something warm in our hands, aromatic to our senses, and yummy to our taste buds is part of why tea is so nourishing to the soul.
Especially as we move into the winter season, drinking warm beverages like herbal teas are a great way to stay hydrated, keeping the fire of the digestive system stoked, and getting extra medicinal or nutritional benefits.
Generally, during winter, we lean on herbal teas that help to promote circulation, support the immune system to ward off the common cold/flu, or help us relax during the long nights.
If you choose to make your own seasonal teas, here are a few medicine making concepts to keep in mind.
Herbal Infusions vs Decoctions
One of the biggest mistakes I see new herbalists make is brewing tea (infusions) with dense herbs that need to be simmered and broken down. This means they aren’t getting the true potency of medicinal benefits and are essentially wasting herbal material.
Here is the difference between an infusion & decoction:
Decoctions
Decoctions are required for herbs that are more dense, like roots, berries, mushrooms, barks and most seeds. They need the low simmer of heat and longer extraction time to break open their cell walls so that the medicinal constituents are bioavailable.
The process: Simply bring a medium sized pot to boil with your water and herbs- 2 quarts to 30g by weight of herb, or if you’re me and never measure- fill the pot and add a few handfuls of herb, you will begin to learn how strong you like it. Once it boils, reduce the heat to low and let the decoction simmer until reduced by 1/2 (1 quart) or for at least 30 minutes.
Herbs to work with in a decoction during the winter season are:
- Hawthorn
- Rosehip
- Reishi
- Elderberry
- Burdock
- Dandelion
- Ginger
Infusions
Infusions are great for herbs that are lighter and fluffier, like leaves & flowers. These plant parts are more delicate and become bitter or loose medicinal properties when simmered. Think- rose or lavender for example, who have a high volume of aromatic essential oils. These essential oils are volatile, meaning they evaporate with steam. We want to preserve these by adding the herb to hot water, and even covering the top to retain the flavor and aromatics- the opposite of a simmering decoction.
The process: Add 30g (or about 2-4 tbsp) herb to a quart sized mason jar, cover with boiling water and lid the jar. Let steep for 30 minutes to overnight.
*If you are wanting to preserve aromatics and flavor, steep for a shorter amount of time. The longer an infusion steeps the more minerals will be extracted, but also more bitter flavors.
Herbs to work with in an infusion during the winter season are:
- Elderflower
- Marshmallow
- Nettle
- Oatstraw
- Holy Basil/Tulsi
- Butterfly Blue Pea
- Chamomile
*And yes, sometimes you want to make a tea blend (infusion) that has some more dense herbs in it. This is okay! The herbs are still medicinal and giving you some benefit, it would just be more potent in a decoction.
You can increase the availability of constituents by adding the herb to a blender, and breaking it down into smaller pieces. This is what we do with the hawthorn berry in our water tea, for example.
Dancing Willow Herbs teas that are great for winter:
Fire Tea
This tea is one of our most popular blends at the apothecary and it excels during the colder months! Fire Tea is a warming blend of aromatic and aphrodisiac herbs that support circulation, embodiment and creativity! It is a delicious and unique flavor, perfect for warming you up and staying cozy during the winter!
Contains: Damiana, Carob, Cinnamon, Hibiscus, Rosehips, Rose Petals, Ginger & Black Pepper
Extra Medicinal Mulling Spices
A lovely herbal decoction! Can be used to make mulled cider, wine or as a decoction on its own with great benefits! Warming herbs help to promote circulation, with the help of circulatory super star, Hawthorn. Reishi & Burdock support the immune system as well as organs of detoxification, especially during an indulgent season.
Make our Extra Medicinal Pumpkin Orange Mocktail!
Contains: Cinnamon, Allspice, Clove, Cardamom, Orange, Reishi, Hawthorn, Ginger & Burdock
Purchase Extra Medicinal Mulling Spices here!
Berry Good For You
Delicious and supportive immune tonic tea! This blend is great for the colder months as it has vitamin C rich herb as well as warming Cinnamon, Ginger & Cloves. This tea is one of our community’s favorites to drink daily with the whole family to stay healthy!
Contains: Elderberry, Rosehip, Nettle, Licorice, Holy Basil, Cinnamon, Ginger, Cloves & Orange Peel
Purchase Berry Good For You here!
Dream Keeper
A beautifully blue herbal tea that promotes a vivid dreamscape. As the nights grow longer, supporting restful sleep and working with your dreams can be a great practice. The Dream Keeper tea was intentionally designed to help you relax into deep sleep with herbs like Skullcap, Passionflower & Butterfly Blue Pea. Mugwort helps to enhance your dreams and Gotu Kola helps you remember them. This is a great tea for holiday gifting as it tastes delicious and is blue in color, which is always fun!
Contains: Butterfly Blue Pea Flower, Mugwort, Skullcap, Passionflower & Gotu Kola
Purchase Dream Keeper here!
Wishing you a healthy, warm winter season full of many cups of tea!