The Basics: Herbal Tea Infusion

The history of herbs is as old as mankind. They’ve had their place in every civilization in the world, used for centuries for medicine, food, beverages and dyes. Archaeologists believe that prehistoric people used herbal concoctions to treat physical complaints long before the dawn of written history. The drinking of herbal infusions was widespread in Europe long before the arrival of black tea. Medieval villages often had an official herbalist, who made up concoctions for healing maladies both physical and nonphysical. The recipes handed down over decades traveled the seas to America, where indigenous people were already drinking herbal infusions like sage. Today modern Americans are using more and more herbs in foods, beverages and the treatment of physical ailments—and of course, still, as a beverage.

Herbal infusion is made from many plants, using not just leaves, but also flowers, roots, bark and seeds. However, it never uses leaves from the ‘tea’ plant camellia sinensis. The flavors, colors and aromas of herbal infusions are as varied as the plants that are used. Blending herbs only extends this range, and is a fun way to create personal mixtures. Herbal infusions contain little to no caffeine at all. (It may come as a surprise to some that peppermint actually does have some caffeine.) Some of the perennial favorites such as chamomile, peppermint and rosehips have long been well known standards. Current trends in the US include the South African rooibos (aka RedBush) and the South American yerba mate, both herbal plants that have been used for centuries in those regions.

There are a number of ways and reasons to enjoy herbal infusions. You can take it as a simple, with just a single herb infused in boiling water. Simples are especially effective when you have an acute condition, like a headache or stomach disturbance, in which case you might use just one herb.

When drinking herbals for pleasure or general health, blend different ones. You can choose herbs for their taste, color, medicinal effect, or nutritional value. Use your nose, imagination, and herb guide to help you choose herbs for different effects. Choosing which to use is really a matter of mix and match:

Herbs that are tasty: mint, chamomile, hibiscus, lemon verbena

Herbs that add spice: scented leaf geranium, hibiscus, rose blossoms, orange and lemon peel

Herbs that are relaxing: chamomile, skullcap, oat straw, lemon balm, linden flowers, valerian (sedative)

Herbs that are medicinal: mint, sage, thyme, burdock, dandelion, chickweed, echinacea, st. john’s wort, red clover, licorice root, juniper berries, ginger, lady’s mantle

The choice is yours. What’s your pleasure?

Customer Corner

		Name: Marcess Owens City: San Leandro Occupation: Full-time student (beleaguered f/t student; has 2 p/t jobs) Favorite Tea: Jade Spring Oolong
Tea lovers are often made, not born. And so it is with Marcess. Although she grew up drinking tea, it was “run of the mill”. (Think “Lipton”.) Occasionally, she’d get something better, as her best friend’s family was from Tokyo, and encouraged the drinking of tea of a whole other order. But it wasn’t until a dear friend introduced Marcess to L’Amyx that her tea love affair began. Now, Marcess is quick to sing the praises of tea, and not just for its taste. “Coffee is the drink of the ‘rush-rush’ corporate world,” she says, almost shuddering. “You get your jolt, your fix, so you can accomplish things.” Tea, on the other hand, has ‘more purposes’ she says. “You sit down, you relax. You share it with friends, sitting, drinking, catching up, enjoying life.” Not to say that you can’t share coffee with friends, she’s quick to add. L’Amyx itself operates as her center for those ‘non-ambitious’ times. For her, the cafe “reinforces more aspects of life.” She’s made numerous friends there, with both fellow customers and staffers, and brought her own circle of friends into the mix. “Tea reinforces community”, explains Marcess. “Coffee’s kind of about ‘ambition’. Tea is a drink of pleasure and enjoyment.” Ain’t love grand?