Post 238 

Making Tea

General Tea Information and Steep Times

Tea leaf is not an herb.  Herbs are tisanes and naturally caffeine free with few exceptions.  Tea leaf naturally contains caffeine, black being the strongest and white usually the least, but not always, and most grassy.  Teas are much lower in caffeine than coffee; an individual will not likely get the jitters from tea.  Coffee is quite dehydrating, contributed to mostly to the caffeine content. Tea can be dehydrating too but not in the same way. Tea helps to hydrate you in the right way because of its considerable amount of antioxidants, polyphenols, and anti-cancer compounds as compared to coffee. Don’t under-estimate coffee however;  it has been found that those who consume 1 cup of coffee per day, NOT to exceed three, have higher longevity– meaning- they live longer. The anti-oxidants in these beverages are a benefit to your health.

White tea contains the highest amounts of antioxidants with the exception to Matcha, green second, and black third.  All tea helps with weight loss and a reduction of edema, which is further enhanced when combining it with specific herbs, ginger and/or lemon. A squeeze of fresh lemon (not plastic lemon!) increases the EGCGs (Epigallocatechin gallate)  by a whopping 34%.  EGCGs have high potential for a positive impact on your health. Tea has been found to reduce inflammation, help with weight loss, and prevent diseases of the heart and brain. EGCGs are an anticancer compound.

All tea leaf is repeat steeped, meaning you can add water to the same tea leaf an average of 3 times.  Herb tea is a one time steep with the exception of stronger types such as peppermint or those with spices like Chai. Even herbal tea with spices can be repeat steeped 2-3 times for full flavor extraction.

Do not add creamer to teas with citrus or they will curdle.  You may however add cream to any tea with bergamot which is a citrus oil from orange blossoms, and it will not curdle.

Customers commonly retain a tea bag in their cup while drinking tea. This is okay when done the second steep forward. It is the first steep that is critical. Steeping the first steep following the guide, prevents a bitter brew. Most of the caffeine is out in the first steep, but the antioxidants and polyphenols require more steeping to capture the most from your serving of tea. Whether black, oolong, green, white, or herbal—all types of tea have variable steeping times which either brings out the full flavor and color, or prevents bitterness.  If tea leaf is steeped too long, it results in a bitter note.  Green and white teas are especially fragile compared to black.  Herbal tea does not become bitter, but only strengthens as it steeps to full extraction. If an herbal tea is bitter, it is likely a bitter medicinal and you would not be able to prevent bitterness regardless of your steeping method– after all, medicine seldom tastes that good!

Be sure to take the time to make tea and drink tea, with your children. By creating a social experience with tea when children are young, you will instill a healthy, social, and relaxing habit with them that will last a lifetime. Tea is social. Tea is discussed similar to that of wine. There are notes and nuances, back flavors and hidden gems in every tea strain. Having a small amount of caffeinated tea during the day is not going to hurt them, but rather the opposite. Tea, especially green tea, has an amino acid called L-theanine. L-theanine is nature’s natural anti-depressant, so it can improve mood. In the evening however, an herbal tea or a decaffeinated tea is a better choice, using particular plants that are known to relax and prepare for bed. When giving children for preparation for bedtime, be sure to drink this about an hour before bed so they have time to use the restroom before going to sleep. This also applies to adults!

Enjoy!

Herb Teas Including Dessert Teas Which are Caffeine-Free

Steeping Temperature: 206 F degrees
Steep Time:  5 to 15 minutes
Caffeine:  None
Serving Size:  1 rounded tsp to 1 tablespoon with 6-8 oz. water. The amount of herb used depends upon the type of tea. A puffy light airy herb will need more and a heavy type like roots, barks, twigs or berries, will require much less.

Black Teas

Steeping Temperature: 206 F degrees
Steep Time:  4 minutes
Caffeine:  moderate to high
Serving Size:  2 grams (approx. 1 teaspoon) to 6-8 oz. of water for hot tea. Double the amount for iced tea and follow the post for making iced tea

Green Teas

Steeping Temperature: 180 to 192 F degrees
Steep Time:  3 minutes
Caffeine:  moderate to high
Serving Size:  2 grams (approx. 1 teaspoon) to 6-8 oz. of water for hot tea. Double the amount for iced tea and follow the post for making iced tea

White Teas

Steeping Temperature: 170 to 180 F degrees
Steep Time:  1 minutes
Caffeine:  minimal to high
Serving Size:  2 grams (approx. 1 teaspoon) to 6-8 oz. of water for hot tea. Double the amount for iced tea and follow the post for making iced tea

Medicinal Teas General

Steeping Temperature: 206 F degrees
Steep Time:  20 to 60 minutes, covered or See Tea Concentrates for steeping overnight
Caffeine:  none, few exceptions (caffeine or stimulant herbs include those such as;  yohimbe, kola nut, guarana, yerba mate, guayusa, etc)
Serving Size:  1 tablespoon to 6-8 oz. of water

Dosages for Medicinal Teas Vary

• Dried Herbs-  1 tablespoon per 1 cup of distilled or filtered water or 6 tablespoons (1/4 cup dried herbs) per 1 quart
• Fresh Herbs-  2 tablespoons per 1 cup of distilled or filtered water or 12 tablespoons per 1 quart
• Chronic Conditions-  3 cups of prepared tea daily, one cup per serving spread out throughout the day between meals, use for a few days for an acute problem and longer for chronic conditions. For a chronic problem, 8 weeks is commonly used but in some cases, you may drink it for a year– such as a tea for high blood sugar or high blood pressure for example
• Acute Conditions-  1/4 to 1/2 cup prepared tea throughout the day every 2 hours hours or using up to 3-4 cups average, between meals throughout the day
• See POST 2 Tea Concentrate for easy tea preparation making 3 to 6 quarts for a convenient week’s supply