(Use the information in this blog post at your own risk. Nothing presented in any form is to be construed as medical, nutritional, legal, or financial advice, or any other form of advice requiring a licensed professional. The opinions expressed here are intended for informational and entertainment purposes only.)
Whether you live in suburban America with next-door neighbors or in the wilderness without a standard postal address, you can make tea. And while you probably already know what tea is, there are actually two different types of tea made in herbal medicine: infusions and decoctions. When an herbalist makes an infusion, he adds delicate plant parts like petals or soft leaves to hot water. When an herbalist makes a decoction, he boils tough plant parts like roots or dried seeds with water.
Here’s how to make herbal tea – two different techniques!
How to Make an Infusion
What You Need:
- 1 Tsp-2 TBsp herbs (delicate dry or fresh plant material)
- 6-8 oz water
Instructions:
Bring water to boil. Remove from heat, add herbs, and steep for at least 15min. Strain and drink.
Make It Easier…
Cat Ellis puts her herbs in the bottom of a Mason jar before pouring in boiling water. Then, she covers the jar with a lid and steeps it all day, putting it in the fridge overnight. Finally, she warms the tea again the following day.
How to Make a Decoction
What You Need:
- ½-1 cup herbs (hard plant material – stems, roots, dry berries, seeds)
- 4 cups cold water
Instructions:
Place herbs in cold water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 20min in an uncovered pot, allowing the liquid to reduce by half. Strain and drink.
Additional Application
Make a double decoction by reducing the tea an additional 20min. Mix a double decoction with honey or molasses to make an herbal syrup.
Now you know how to make herbal tea!
Photo Credits: Marco Arment & Even Bench at Flickr.
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Want to Learn More from Herbalist Cat Ellis?
Cat presented a training session in our Summit Online Course about how to make your own herbal medicines, including different preparation methods and overviews of her favorite 20 herbs. This course provides 30+ training sessions from experts like Cat Ellis, Wardee Harmon, Rick Austin, Wranglerstar, Sharon Peterson, Noah Sanders, Michael Bunker, Scott Hunt, and many more. It's a 45+ hours of content and includes $130+ in bonuses, too!
Read the Entire Herbal Medicine Chest blog series:
Introduction
Herbal Preparations
Herbs
- Herbs for the Circulatory System
- Herbs for the Respiratory System
- Herbs for Injuries and Pain
- Infection-fighting Herbs