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10/30/11 11:00 A

I like a tea that I get in the ethnic-polish section of my supermarket. It is sometimes called fruits of the forest or multi-fruit tea. It has ingredients like rose hips, hibisis flowers, blackthorn. It has a strong fruity flavor but not sweet.

You may also like raspberry leat tea, which is very good for bladder control problems.

Edited by: NIAGCHRIS246 at: 10/30/2011 (11:01)

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10/27/11 11:25 A

I have a pepermint plant, I have been pinching leaves, and drying them for tea. They are very minty! I love it, plus it is good for hormonal balance.

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10/19/11 12:22 A

I don't know if you missed my opening post, but I have a local source for some pretty esoteric herbs. www.pennherb.com/index I was looking for some ideas for stuff I could get there. They even sell reusable muslin teabags.

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10/18/11 4:19 P

I'm not a tea drinker myself, but if you are near a natural foods store or even a bigger Whole Foods store, you can buy herbs "in bulk" to make your own teas there. The great thing is that you can buy as little as you want to experiment with different flavors, and then steep them and brew them with less waste than all the tea bags you buy pre-packaged, which it seems like you're trying to avoid anyway. They often sell various mixtures made just for teas in the "bulk" bins, too. I like to bring my own reused bags when shopping in the bulk aisle, and you can get a lot of dried herbs for very little $ this way. Good luck!

Nicole

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10/17/11 12:34 A

@BIZZMCKILL: Apparently I missed your post and got unsubbed from the thread. l don't actually have a back yard as such and would have to grow any herbs in pots. I doubt I could keep up with my normal rate of consumption. Pity that. I'd love to be able to.

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10/11/11 9:47 A

How about Amazon? I've recently become obsessed with tea and have bought from them a few times. Last thing I ordered was a box of 100 Stash Premium mango passionfruit herbal tea bags for I think $11 or $12 something. I believe it was a little bit cheaper by using the 'subscribe and save' option (which you can cancel right away).

They are individually wrapped though.

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2/28/11 7:16 A

That's also a good idea.
Just thought I'd share the general guideline for plant parts and when to pick them for medicinal/tisane use:

You pick that part of the plant you want, when it is it's most active:

Leaves - generally before the plant has flowered, while still young (there are exceptions of course)
Flowers - when they open that day or the day after (as soon as possible in other words)
Roots - spring before the plant comes up, or fall after plant has died back.

Love herbology!

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2/27/11 7:52 P

Have you looked for ways to make your own tea? There are quite a few plants probably growing in your own backyard that you can pick, dry and steep yourself. Here, we have mint, raspberry leaves, dandelions and many more. I pick lots in the early fall, before the leaves are going to fall off anyway and keep a stash for the year.

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2/23/11 8:52 A

Have you tried this: http://www.stashtea.com/
(It's local to me when I live at home)

Stash has all kinds of amazing herbal teas. (If you don't want crazy amounts of packaging, look for the loose-leaf stuff) :)

I'm not certain if it's de-caf or not, but I got an amazing almond cream tea from them.

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2/21/11 8:15 A

ooo ginger and cinnamon! Great idea. have to try that one myself!
I have an infusion of stinging nettle and ginger root sitting on my stove right now cooling off and steeping or rather infusing!!!

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2/20/11 11:30 P

if you add some cinnamon to your ginger tea it will help with energy.

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2/20/11 6:51 P

It's not an herbal, but if you liked black tea Rooibos teas (red bush) are naturally caffeine free, and have similar body. They frequently come flavored. There are some chocolate blends and citrus blends that I really like. Any bulk tea shop should have them.

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2/20/11 5:18 P

I guess it depends on who know what and where they are lurking! lol.
Good luck!!!

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2/20/11 5:05 P

Obviously, I should've posted here first. It looks like I should be able to get both the stinging nettle and the oat straw from Penn Herb. I'd've been shocked if Penn Herb didn't have stinging nettle, but I wasn't so sure about the oat straw. There's a couple of Asian markets around here where I should be able to get ginger cheap.

Thank you very much.

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2/20/11 12:47 P

I totally get what you are talking about:

I suggest the same thing I use:

Stinging Nettle Tea - you can get it in bulk at most health food stores - have to ask them for it that way though... I get mine this way and buy 1kg at a time. And it does not contain caffeine.

If you let 1oz dried weight (about 1/2 cup of stinging nettle) infuse in 1L of boiling water (bring kettle to boil, pour over loose leaves and cover and let sit ) for an hour or so to make it more of an infusion, you get better health benefits from it, and a stronger green flavour, which is not unpleasant in the slightest, can be gently reheated, (do not microwave please) or drunk warm or even cold!

Susun Weed highly recommends this infusion, and she herself uses it daily for energy and vitality! Also it's very nourishing.

Or order it on line: www.richters.com/Web_store/web_store.cgi?s
earchterm=stinging+nettle&search_catal
ogue_button=Go I have been shopping at this place, which is only 30 min from my home, for years now.

Other herbal teas that have a stronger flavour, ginger root - use fresh grated ginger - 1 -2 tsp per 1cup boiling water.. also a great anti-inflamatory ( I use it for this purpose)... combine that with oat STRAW (again most health food stores carry it in bulk or can get it that way)
Richters sells that also: www.richters.com/Web_store/web_store.cgi?p
roduct=X4285&show=all&prodclass=&cart_
id=6353170.17462

Hope this helps!

And the site you put in your post carries both oat straw and stinging nettle!

Edited by: LADY_TAHENA at: 2/20/2011 (12:49)

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2/19/11 11:59 P

Maybe I can get better results here. I tried posting this on the main diet and nutrition board and most of the people who replied completely missed the point.

I've been told by my doctor that I need to give up caffeine, but I need strongly flavored beverages to cover the taste of a supplement I'm taking. Herbal teas seems to work well, but the ones available in the supermarket come in boxes of 18-20 bags each, usually costing $3.49 plus. And that's before considering the waste involved in all of those tea bags and the paper or foil wrappers that everyone but Celestial Seasonings seems to put the tea bags in.

There's a local supplier where I can buy bulk herbs (pennherb.com/index.html) , and I'd like some ideas for herbal teas that I can get there other than the obvious mint and chamomile. In particular, I'd be interested in a caffeine free morning pick-me-up.