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Herbal Tea
A tisane is the correct term for a medicinal drink or infusion. An infusion consists of soaking leaves, fruit or flowers in liquid to draw out their properties, while a decoction is the simmering of plant material, usually roots, bark and seeds to extract theirs. The common term used for all these definitions is simply - tea.
For clarification purposes tea is actually a tisane made of plant material from the tea plant; Camellia sinensis. This would include black tea, green tea, white tea, matcha tea, oolong tea, and iced tea. These all come from the same plant but are processed with different methods, giving them different properties and taste. For those of my faith that follow the Word of Wisdom, these are part of the "hot drinks" that are not good for the body.
Herbal tea is the best way for the body to absorb and utilize the properties of herbs. Rosemary Gladstar differentiates teas in two categories; a beverage tea and a medicinal tea. A beverage tea can be good for your health but the purpose is not to make a remedy, its for pleasure, to enjoy the flavors of certain herbs mixed together, with taste as the guiding factor. A medicinal tea is one that has been blended (or can be a lone herb) to bring balance to the body through focusing on a certain system or area of concern. These medicinal teas can certainly be tasty but that is not the guiding factor and lets face it, there are some medicinal teas that just aren't going to taste that great.
Roots
Generally, roots are harvested in the fall after the plant has died back and sent all its energy back into the roots. This is not an absolute, they can also be harvested in the spring or really, anytime of the year. The most potent plant material is in the fall. Plants like common mallow and dandelion can be harvested as you pull them from your yard and garden throughout the year. Some plants you can merely pull up and out of the ground, but most will need to be dug up with a shovel or spade. Brush the dirt off the root, wash under running water and then pat dry. Chop roots before drying.
Preparations
Prepare herbs by crushing dry plant material, chopping fresh plants or using purchased herbal teas loose or bagged. Dry and fresh can also be combined together.
These are many of the methods I have used to prepare a tea which can be changed up depending on tools, season, or what the tea is being used for.
Follow the basic instructions for preparing a common infusion then make adjustments as each method directs.
Basic Increments
These can be adjusted for taste, purpose, and individual constitution.
Dry Herb
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1 tsp herb per 1 cup water
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¼ cup herb per 1 quart water
Fresh Herb
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2 Tbsp herb per 1 cup water
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½ cup herb per 1 quart water
Medicinal Dosages
When treating acute conditions, make a quart of tea and sip on it throughout the day, about ¼ cup of tea every half hour. Continue a quart a day until symptoms subside. For chronic conditions follow the same quart a day, just do it for several weeks, taking a break for a day or two each week.
Common Infusion
Use to prepare delicate plant material such as leaves, flowers, and fruit.
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Boil water and pour over the herbs.
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Steep - cover and let it sit for 5-20 minutes, depending on the herbs that are used.
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Strain herbs using a tea strainer, sieve, muslin bag, etc.
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Optional add a sweetener to taste such as raw honey or stevia
Note: Some herbs get bitter when steeped too long (ex. chamomile), some lose potency with hot water (ex. cherry bark), some need cold water to extract properties (ex. mucilage herbs) so check how each herb used needs to be prepared.
Common Decoction
Use to prepare a tea from tougher parts of the plant such as seeds, root, and bark.
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Place herbs and water in a pan on the stove.
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Turn heat up to medium low and wait for the water to simmer.
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Cover and simmer for 20-40 minutes. For a more concentrated tea, leave the cover off.
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Strain
Note: Some tougher parts lose potency when heated (ex. cherry bark) so check how each herb needs to be prepared.
Solar/Lunar Infusions
Use the energy of the sun (solar) or moon (lunar) to infuse the herbs. Traditionally sun teas were thought to bring an added measure of vitality, energy, clarity, and positivity while moon teas brought calm, reflection, intuition, restoration, and emotional balance. I personally just love to make solar tea during the summer months due to the ease and I do feel a different energy using the sun instead of heated water.
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Place herbs in a glass jar and fill the top with water.
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Cover with a lid and set in direct sunlight for a few hours. For a moon tea I just set it outside overnight and strain in the morning.
Cold Infusion
Prepare like a solar/lunar infusion then sit on a counter top for a few hours or overnight. I use this method when I am drinking a quart of tea a day for acute conditions or daily tonics such as raspberry leaf tea since it is ready to go each morning, all I need to do is strain it.
Note: Certain herbs need cool water to extract properties and some need heat so check how each herb needs to be prepared.
Tea Pot/French Press Infuser
A French press is traditionally used to manually make coffee. It consists of a pot with a lid that has a built in mesh filter that presses down the plant material, leaving the tea ready to pour and use. There are also a variety of tea pots that come with a mesh basket that sits in the center to hold the herbs while steeping (called the infuser). This can be removed after the steeping time and the tea is ready to pour and use. I have used both but prefer the French Press as my favorite way to make tea!
Tea Bags
Tea bags are the classic way of making a tea. Simply place your tea bag in a cup of hot water to steep, then pull out, squeeze the bag to extract all the herbal goodies (unless you are going to use the bag as an herbal compress) and discard.
The best way to use this method is with loose herbs, filled into an empty tea bag, muslin spice bags/sachets, or making your own from a coffee filter, cheesecloth or muslin. Premade store-bought herbal teas aren't as effective due to processing and many have added "natural flavors" that aren't so natural.
Tea Making Tools & Supplies
There are a variety of tea supplies and tools available online and in local stores that can be fun to use such as tea wands and infusion balls that come in many shapes and fit different interests. There are mug infusers, baskets, cup strainers, fun tea pots, tea cups, and many other fun ways to make and enjoy your tea!
