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Herbs for Tea...for a beginner

18 years ago

Hi...I am wanting to incorporate more tea drinking into my life. Is there a thread or site that shows the best herbs to start growing (other than mint)? I am looking for the more common ones that do not have the most health risks (I read comfrey can be bad on the liver).

Hopefully this would help me on the path to rid my life of diet coke (don't ask how much I drink - I am a walking experiment for aspartame sadly).

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Comments (6)

tucker303
Original Author
18 years ago
I should mention I take blood pressure meds and...gulp...smoke.
robynlacy
18 years ago
You can google 'herbs for tea' and find kazillions. A few notes though, if you are concerned about your liver, chamomile can also be hard on the liver. Some people love lemon balm, it puts me out like a light... I will sleep a long time. :o)
scented geraniums are good for teas, and there are tons of flavors.
I love mints for teas. I just got a pineapple sage for exactly that, too... smells HEAVENLY.
Another thing, you can go to the mexican section of some of your local stores and get dried hibiscus flowers for real cheap, I think they call them Jamaica flowers (in spanish) They are just the same as buying the expensive flowers online. Anyway, they have a tart flavor that is really good.
LEMONGRASS makes a good tea.
oh, and a long time ago, I made these neat little tea things, I cut up an orange skin into squares, and put a clove into them, then dried them... that was good! throw a couple of those into hot water and you have your own orange-clove tea.
hope this gives you some ideas.
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tucker303
Original Author
18 years ago
I would be concerned about liver affecting herbs. I realize I can still have it but not everyday I guess.

Here is my list for this year:

Mints
Lemon Grass
Chamomile (already have the seeds!)
Pineapple Sage (just got seeds in a trade so...yea!)
Lavender???? I have lots growing
Lemon Verbena (just got some seeds!)
Anise Hyssop (have growing)
Lemon Balm (have growing)
Vanilla Grass (I have seeds and wonder if that could be a flavoring??)

Think this is a good start? I like the idea about the orange peels and the hibiscus! Excellent!
Daisyduckworth
18 years ago
You will find the comments and ideas at this site helpful.

Here is a link that might be useful: Growing tea herbs
tucker303
Original Author
18 years ago
very good info on that link...thanks! I was concerned about the confrey's etc. That's why I sticked to the "safer" side of herbs.

Everything in moderation! Which with diet coke...I have not lived by that rule. I do have a dr's appt Monday...so I will quiz on some of this stuff. I remember drinking peppermint tea as a young teen. Liked it very much!
javamilk
17 years ago
Hi,
I'm new here and probably way too late, but thought I'd throw in my $.02.

With the concern for your liver, I'm surprised nobody mentioned the ever-despised WEEDS! (which are just herbs that grow where you don't want them...)

Nettle, dandelion, milk thistle and red clover are all excellent liver support herbs. Instead of trying to eradicate them, use 'em!

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