With herbal tea through Advent
It's cold outside, the lights are on in the windows, and there's nothing nicer than curling up in an armchair with a good book and a hot cup of tea. One thing is for sure: Winter is here! To help you get through the cold season and best protect yourself from frost and cold, we'll tell you here. Our secret weapon: good old herbal tea! Sounds old-fashioned? Not at all! We'll show you how to easily make your own herbal tea from your own herbs and the miraculous effects this warm beverage can have. So, curl up with a cup of tea and read on.
The story of tea
A long, long time ago, the term tea first appeared. Back then, the word meant something like "beverage made from boiled leaves." Whether tea originated in China or India is disputed. There are about as many legends as there are different types of tea. If you'd like to learn more about the history of tea, you can read about it here or here . Its development to date is impressive: tea is the second most consumed beverage in the world (after water). And we've also fallen victim to the tea addiction. That's why we've put a small selection of our most popular tea herbs in our shop.
Make your own tea from herbs
There are two ways in which the herbal plant becomes the scalding warm, soothing drink:
- Fresh: If you have your own herb plant at home and it's growing and thriving, you can always make a fresh herbal tea. Simply cut a few leaves from the herb plant and pour hot water over them. Let it steep for a few minutes, season with honey, sugar, or lemon, if desired, and enjoy!
- Dried: There's really nothing wrong with tea made from fresh leaves. Nevertheless, there are some good reasons to dry the leaves of herbal plants and preserve them for later.
Reason 1 : The harvest is simply too bountiful. Plants are sprouting from the flowerpots on your balcony, and you don't know how to use them fresh. Then dry them! That way, you can enjoy your bountiful harvest for a long time to come!
Reason 2 : Summer is almost over and winter is coming. Before the plants start to wilt, you can get the most out of them one last time. Cut the still-good stems and dry them to make herbal tea!
Reason 3 : To ensure the herb plant continues to grow beautifully and voluptuously, you'll only do good by trimming it a little from time to time. These "remains" can also be dried and later brewed into a delicious tea!
Reason 4 : “Hoarding” for the cold season: By stockpiling supplies for the cold season, you can enjoy home-grown herbal tea all year round.
As you can see, there are many good reasons to process herbs by drying their leaves. Especially at Christmas, homemade herbal tea is an exceptionally beautiful and guaranteed popular gift under the tree!
Making herbal tea is easy! By following a few simple tricks and tips, you'll enjoy your homemade herbal tea for a long time.
Time of harvest:
Herbs can actually be harvested and dried at any time. However, harvesting the plant during flowering is not recommended. It's better to do so shortly before flowering! Flower development is hard work for the plant, so it will lose its aroma (to conserve energy). When choosing a harvest time, make sure the herb has been exposed to sunlight for a few days! Even then, the aroma is significantly stronger than on rainy days.
Drying the plant:
It's Friday morning, the sun has been shining for two days, and you know it's the right time to harvest your herb plants? Then go ahead! Use scissors to snip off a few shoots from your herb plant. Don't cut them too small! Avoid washing these stems thoroughly; instead, just briefly rinse them under clean water, shake them, or pat them dry with a clean, dry cloth. Spread out on a clean towel, the shoots can rest for a day to pre-dry. Then, using cotton thread, tie them together in small bundles. Hang these up in your room to dry. 
Herbs hung to dry
It's important to choose a spot that's warm, sheltered from the wind, and as shady as possible. Be sure to protect it from direct sunlight! This allows the plant to dry naturally for 3-4 days and minimize the loss of nutrients. A nice side effect: The herbs create a pleasant room fragrance!
Of course, it's also possible to dry herbs in the oven or microwave. However, experience has shown that the risk of losing the aroma is higher. And since Christmas isn't tomorrow, but in a few weeks, we believe: There's power in calm! Give the herbs 3-4 days and let them air dry!
Proper storage:
The way the herbs are stored determines their shelf life. "Storage" refers to how long the tea retains its aroma. After drying, the herbs should be ground immediately and stored in tightly sealed containers. You can find beautiful tea tins online or in household or drugstore stores. If you're a fan of upcycling, our Streuwiesen packaging is the ideal tea container!
Our tea herbs and what they can do
Herbs not only taste good, they also have other beneficial properties! Many herbs are used as home remedies and are believed to have healing properties. Wondering what herbs can do? Then take a look!
A little tip: If you want to learn more about herbs and their healing properties, you can find a good and informative overview here !
Colorful lemon balm and lemon balm
Lemon balm for melancholy! At least, that's what ancient people knew. Today, lemon balm tea is used to treat digestive problems. It's said to relieve unpleasant cramps, and lemon balm is also extremely helpful against flatulence. The lemon scent is pleasant, and the aroma is soothing for the gastrointestinal tract!
White lemon balm
Compared to lemon balm, white balm is even better suited for drying, as its aroma hardly evaporates at all. White balm is said to have a relaxing effect—for both mind and body!
English mint
Mint has an extremely invigorating effect thanks to its high menthol content! Mint tea is said to relieve cramps, inhibit bacteria, and boost energy!
Lemon verbena
Verbena is the modern-day verbena! Lemon verbena is primarily said to help with colds—making it the perfect herbal tea for the cold season!
For women: Verbena is also said to help with menstrual and menopausal symptoms!
