Dandelion Root Tea

Dandelion root tea, also known as dandelion coffee, is a drink made by infusing prepared roots of Dandelion plant.

The flowering plant known for its bright butter-colored flowers on long stems. It is native in Europe, Asia and Americas, and it's often considered as a weed because of its hardiness. But parts of the plant, like leaves and its long taproot, are actually edible and are included in the cuisine in some parts of Europe and Asia.

Young dandelion leaves and buds, after blanching and cooking, can be eaten as a leaf vegetable while the taproots of more mature plants, (which can tend to look like pale carrots), can be used to make tea, or coffee substitute.

Benefits of Dandelion Root Tea

The tea has many medicinal uses.

It has high potassium content and offers a benefit to people suffering from diarrhea with vomiting. It's also good for dyspepsia, heartburn and can help improve the appetite. Diabetics can also benefit from blood sugar-lowering effects of dandelion root tea.

People with hypertension may benefit from the tea because it promotes urination that reduces salt and water levels in the blood, lowering excessive pressure.
People with problems in the liver, gall bladder and spleen may benefit from dandelion root tea because it has compounds that protect liver from stress and promotes good bile flow.

Take one cup of dandelion root tea daily to help alleviate stress and reduce inflammation from viral diseases like colds, flu and fever.

Preparation

Dandelion root tea is very easy to prepare. It is commercially available in powder form, which can be purchased in health stores and online tea stores. It is made from freshly harvested mature roots of dandelion plants that are cleaned, dried then ground into powder.

To make a tea, mix 1 tbsp of powder to 8 oz. water then boil for 5 minutes. You can flavor it with cinnamon, or add honey.

Contraindications

Like all herbal plants, some people may not take dandelion root tea. The effects of compounds found in it on unborn, or newborn babies is not known, so it's not recommended for pregnant and nursing mothers.

People taking potassium-sparing diuretics, such as Spironolactone and Amiloride, are not allowed to drink it because it may cause Hyperkalemia (too much potassium in the blood).

People with dealing with hemophilia, or people undergoing chemotherapy or aspirin therapy, should note that drinking it may impair blood clotting.

The Amazing Benefits of Green Tea Antioxidants

Right now as you sit and read this you are at risk.

You may not know it but silent killers called free radicals have infiltrated your body and they're trying to harm your cells and DNA. These molecules cause all sorts of problems like heart disease, cancer, strokes, and skin damage.

Luckily, you can fight back. You can protect yourself against the harmful effects of free radicals. And it's easier than you think.

Do you want to learn how? Read on for all the details.

How To Protect Yourself

The secret weapon in your fight against free radicals are antioxidants.

Antioxidants are molecules that prevent the oxidation of other molecules.

Now, oxidization isn't bad in and of itself. When you breathe in oxygen your body turns it into energy through oxidation. That's good! In fact, without oxidization you would die. The problem is that oxidization often causes free radicals.

That's bad news.

As I mentioned above, free radicals are highly reactive, harmful molecules that wreak havoc on your body. Antioxidants grab these dangerous molecules and neutralize them. Without a doubt, antioxidants are one of the best ways to guarantee your long-term health and well-being.

So you need plenty of antioxidants in your life. Your body produces antioxidants on its own but as you age the process becomes less and less efficient. You need to get the antioxidants your body needs from other sources. And green tea is one of the best sources of antioxidants available.

Green Tea Antioxidants

Green tea is jam-packed with antioxidants, particularly epigallocatechin gallate which studies have shown to be 200 times better than Vitamin E at protecting you against free radicals.

As a matter of fact, the October 2004 issued of Harvard Women's Health Watch reported that green tea is the top food source for the group of antioxidants called catechins, which have proven to have impressive disease-fighting properties.

Antioxidants need to be your body's first line of defense against the terrible effects of free radicals.

When I discovered and experienced for myself what the antioxidants in green tea can do for overall body health I was surprised more people aren't talking about them.

After just a few days of drinking green tea I had more energy, enjoyed better digestion, and my skin looked young and fresh.

Truly, this is one of nature's miracle drugs.

If you're not regularly drinking green tea, what are you waiting for? Free radicals will continue their fight against your body and you need to do everything you can to protect yourself.

Green tea antioxidants are a great place to start.

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Lapsang Souchong Smoked Black Tea

Lapsang Souchong is a black tea by nature and comes in three forms; black tea leaves, black tea bags and black tea powder. Originating from the Wuyi region of Chinese the leaves of the tea plant is harvested and then smoke-dried over open pine wood fires. The process gives the tea a smoky flavor; hence the name "smoked tea." The tea has very unique scent, reminding a smoked bacon, therefore not everybody likes it at the first moment, sometimes not even the second. However, there is a large group of Lapsang devotees, who consider it the best black tea of all.

The Lapsang Souchong tea goes through the following process

• Harvesting - In the second week of May is the harvesting process begins and the mature leaves from the plants are picked.
• The leaves are then placed in bamboo trays over pine, oak or cypress wood fire.
• They are pan-fried, rolled and put in wooden barrels to activate the oxidation process which produces a sweet fragrance and color.
• Finally, they are then placed over pine, oak, or cypress smoke to complete the drying process. This final process gives the tea a distinctive flavor and color.

Similar to all teas, the Lapsang Souchong tea is said to offer health benefits such as:

• Promoting healthy weight loss-the combination of the antioxidant properties with the caffeine content will act as a boost to your metabolism. The caffeine also helps to burn fats quickly and helps muscle building too; it acts as a constant energizer throughout the day.
• Fighting cancer cells- the combination of polyphenols, vitamins and catechins will help to stop free radicals from destroying your DNA and reduce the growth of cancer cells.
• Heart - it protects your heart because it lowers your blood pressure and sustains your sugar levels.
• Substitute for Coffee - it can be used as an alternative for caffeine. Rather than drinking strong coffee which has a higher caffeine level to stay awake, you can brew a cup of Lapsang Souchong tea. Although the caffeine content is low, it is enough to energize and keep you alert throughout the day.

Making your own Lapsang Souchong tea will most likely be the best black tea you have ever had. The blend of taste, the aroma and the health benefits attributed to this tea will definitely make this tea one which you will crave to have.

For those of you, who love legends, there is an interesting story behind the origin of the Lapsang Tea.

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The Important Things to Look for When Buying Chinese Tea Online

There are so many tea vendors out there that I guess it can be a bit daunting when you want to buy Chinese tea online. I have put together a few tip and tricks to get you started!

1. Sourcing

This is for the utmost importance when buying your Chinese tea. You need to see how the tea is sourced and where it is sourced from. I would go as far as saying that if you are looking for high quality loose leaf tea do not buy from vendors who do not clearly specify this information.

Different teas come from different areas from China. A prime example of this is Puerh tea. Puerh tea is a type of Chinese tea that only comes from Yunnan. If this is not specified in the product description, don't bother with it!

Another good thing to look for is photographs of your tea vendor in tea farms, this at least shows that they have been to the farm and that they must know a little about tea (because believe you me, they will be tested on their knowledge by the farmer!).

You want to find out what the vendors ethical values are, I am dubious about the use of terms such as Fair Trade but if a vendor can verify their visits to farms, etc then I do feel that you can trust their ethical values. If they weren't bothered about checking farms out when sourcing their tea they wouldn't waste time and money visiting them!

2. What do they know about tea

You wouldn't use the services of a lawyer who hadn't gone to law school, or a hire a plumber who couldn't tell the difference between a tap and a sink would you? So why would you buy tea from someone who knows nothing about the stuff! Check their website for tea information pages and/or a blog that is regularly updated. I personally like my tea vendor to be as passionate about tea as I am - more so in fact! The world of Chinese tea is insanely in depth and varied so it helps to know a little bit about tea before you make your purchase.

3. Variety

OK so this one is tricky, you don't want too much variety because then how on earth are you ever going to make your decision but you do want enough variety because well isn't variety the spice of life? I often find that tea vendors will offer sample boxes containing a few different teas that you can try before committing to a larger purchase.

4. What does everyone else say

Does the website allow customer reviews? You should definitely check this out and see what other people have said about the tea you are thinking of getting. They might offer handy tips on how they brewed their tea and the tastes that could be different to what the vendor has said. Are there any bad reviews? Check these out too but don't let them scare you, learn from that customers experiences! We all have different tastes so you can't let reviews dictate your choices but they can be a helpful tool in decided which Chinese tea is right for you!

You should also check out what people say about the company on social media sites such as Facebook and twitter and while you are there check out the companys profile too. You might benefit from exclusive offers and information by following/liking the company.

5. Price

An obviously important one! I can gather that as you are looking for loose leaf Chinese tea online, you are interested in more than the meagre teabag. Well I will let you into a little secret: that means you have to be willing to part with a little more cash. The thing is, when offered a Single Estate Chinese tea over a blended, low quality teabag, which are you going to choose and how much more are you willing to pay for it? Have an idea of how much money you want to spend and shop around. Price isn't everything but I do think that in general in the world of Chinese tea, you get what you pay for! If you want artisanal hand crafted teas, they will cost a little bit more but that is why the sample packs/exploration boxes are so valuable to you as a consumer so use them to your best advantage!

Sign up to the company's newsletter too as often they will offer exclusive deals for newsletter subscribers!

6. Delivery

Some would say this is a minor point but I am a lover of instant gratification so if I have to wait a week for my new tea to arrive chances are you have lost me as a consumer. Some companies will offer free shipping when you spend a certain amount.

One thing you need to remember before you gasp at the price of shipping is that the price will include all packaging for postage and is often subsidised by the tea company.

What you need to take from this is, when you are delving into the world of loose leaf Chinese tea you need to do some research and most importantly you need to make sure the tea company you choose has a wide knowledge base of your own! You could even try contacting the company for a recommendation based on your tastes and needs!

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15 Alternate Uses of Green Tea

Think out of the cup! There's so much more that you can do with green tea than just drink it. Think of it as recycling, cutting down on expenditure of resources, or just making the most out of your tea, but there are a variety of uses that go beyond the traditional.

Here's our list of 15 alternate uses of green tea that will guarantee that no used tea leaf ever goes to the waste bin again.

Anti-Bacterial Face Spray:

Steep a few tea bags in a bottle of hot water for an hour. Strain and store in a spray bottle. This spray will freshen up your tired, end-of-day face instantly.

Mouth Wash:

Add some baking soda to a quarter cup of tea and swish it in your mouth for a few seconds, just like a mouthwash. Research has proven that it helps prevent dental cavities.

Eye Cooler:

Reuse a used tea bag as a natural eye cooler after refrigerating it for a few minutes. Close your eyes and place the tea bags on your eye lids for a few minutes and feel that exhaustion lift.

Anti-Inflammatory Compress:

Cool a used tea bag and use it as a compress to treat sun-burnt, irritated skin. Use a warm tea bag to soothe a sty or a mosquito-bite.

Tea Bath:

Fill up a cotton sock with tea leaves or bags and allow it to steep in a bucketful of hot water. When the water is cool enough for you to bathe in, remove the sock and use it as a body loofah. Wash off in your deliciously infused bath water.

Incense:

Green tea is known for its deodorizing property. Add dried leaves to your incense pot and burn it like your regular incense.

Dye:

Dye your clothes or linen in tea leaves to get a natural light green tint on the fabric. Just boil it in water and strain. Soak the fabric for 30 minutes and hang to dry. If the desired shade is not achieved, dip once again in the same water to get a darker shade.

Refrigerator Deodorizer:

Reuse tea bags by drying them in sun and placing a couple of bags inside your refrigerator. This works just as well as baking soda in eliminating bad odours from your fridge. You can also use it to deodorize your cat's litter box.

Foot Bath:

Boil some used tea bags or loose tea leaves in water. Allow the water to cool a bit and soak a tired, smelly pair of feet in this aromatic foot bath for a few minutes.

Insecticide:

Burn dried tea leaves in a pot to get rid of mosquitoes and other flying insects. It is cheap, environment-friendly, and also works as a deodorizer.

Acne Scrub:

Soak a teaspoon of tea in water and use it to scrub your face. Not only will it bring a glow to your face, it will also help in minimizing acne and other skin infections.

Potpourri:

Reuse green tea leaves as an ingredient in your DIY potpourri along with other flowers and herbs. Or simply put some dried tea leaves on a ceramic plate and place in the smelly corners of your room.

Face Pack:

Add half a teaspoon of green tea powder to one teaspoon of honey and apply on your face. Leave it on for ten minutes and wash off with warm water.

Fertilizer:

Soak used tea leaves in water for a couple of days. Strain it and pour it in a spray bottle. Use this tea water as a fertilizer.

Pillow stuffing:

Stuff some dried leaves into your pillow to get a soothing fragrant sleep time. Sun your pillow frequently because green tea has a tendency to absorb moisture.

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How Is Green Tea Produced

This is an overview of the production of green tea, specifics may vary across each type of green tea but by and large the process is can be summed as the following main stages:

i) 'Shaqing'

ii) Rolling

iii) Drying

i) 'Shaqing'

'Shaqing'- which is translated literally from Chinese as 'killing of the green' is a crucial step in the production of green tea as it stops the oxidization of the tea leaves, preserving the characteristics of green tea including its appearance, aroma and taste. 'Shaqing' also dispels part of the grass smell and develops the aroma of green tea. Lastly, through the partial evaporation of moisture in green tea, the leaves are more pliable and easier to roll.

This process involves quickly heating the tea leaves to about 75°C-80°C (167°F-176°F) which destroys the active enzymes.

This is done either manually where the tea master heats the tea leaves with a wok while stirring and manipulating the tea leaves by hand or through a 'shaqing' machine which uses steam to produce the required heat.

Usually ~30%-40% of the moisture of the leaves is lost through the process of 'shaqing'.

ii) Rolling

Rolling of the tea leaves is a common step in the production of most categories of tea. It helps the tea leaves take on the shape that we see the 'final' dry leaves be it twisted, curled into beads or flattened.

It is not mere aesthetics though- rolling also destroys the cell structure of the tea leaves and extracts the juices of the raw leaves which help in releasing the flavor of the tea when infused as well as improving the number of times the tea can be steeped. Also the rolled leaves are smaller in volume and hence can be packed or stored more efficiently.

Rolling of green tea can either be done hot or cold. 'Hot rolling' is rolling of the tea leaves when it is still hot from the 'shaqing' process. The heat causes the leaves to be more pliable and easier to be rolled or twisted to its desired shape.

For more tender leaves, the leaves are left to settle until the leaves cool significantly. As tender leaves contain less cellulose and hence are more pliable in nature, they can be rolled when they are cool. This better preserves the chlorophyll of the leaves and hence the natural green color of the leaves.

Rolling can be done by hand on a wok but apart from some of the most expensive green teas in China such as West Lake Dragon Well, it is largely mechanized. Some small farms have semi-automatic machines which are operated by hand but in larger factories, there are huge machineries to accomplish this process.

In general, the standard for higher grade green tea is that above 80% of the leaves must be twisted successful while the floor is 60% for lower grades

iii) Drying

Drying is the final stage of the production of green tea and there are 4 main ways of doing so, namely steaming, baking, roasting and sun-drying.

This process sets out to improve the taste and nature of the tea leaves as well as reducing the moisture further to prevent 'molding' and prolong the shelf life of the tea.

a) Steaming

Steaming is one of the oldest methods of producing green tea which has spread to Japan during the Tang Dynasty where the fundamental principles unchanged in the production of matcha today.

Steaming though usually does not produce the same full flavor as roasting and often the grassy smell is more prevalent and the tea itself is more astringent. As a result, steaming has largely been abandoned since the Ming Dynasty.

However ever since 1972, China has imported modern steaming machines from Japan and this method has made a comeback, predominantly for exports such as China produced Sencha.

Among the higher grades of green teas produced using steaming include Enshi Yulu from Hubei and Yangixan tea from Jiangsu.

b) Baking

Another method of drying green tea leaves involves baking. The leaves are placed into a 'baking cage' and baked until it is dry.

This method is also used for processing of scented tea such as jasmine tea.

Some famous varietals that are processed with this method include Huangshan Furry Peak, Taiping Houkui and Huading Yunwu.

c) Roasting

Green tea leaves can also be dried by roasting or 'frying' them on a wok. This can be used for a varieties of teas including pearls and higher grade varietals like the famous Dragon Well, Bilochun and Liu An Gua Pian.

d) Sun-drying

The final method is quite straight forward, is to arrange the tea leaves under the sun and let nature do its work.

This is common in Yunnan, Sichuan and Guangxi and generally is not used for higher grade green tea.

This is just a general guide on how green tea is processed as specifics differ across varietals and even among producers for the same type of tea.

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Buying the Best Chamomile Tea - How To Locate the Best Brands to Buy This Herbal Tea From

Chamomile, also spelled camomile, is a popular herb for use either on its own in herbal teas or in blends. When buying chamomile tea, there are a number of questions and factors to consider.

Tea company or bulk herb company?

Chamomile is sold both by tea companies and bulk herb companies. Tea companies tend to have higher prices, but, in some cases, have selected high-quality batches that are better for brewing as herbal tea. Check the company though: some of the better herb companies have extraordinary

Blend or pure chamomile?

Not all teas labeled as "chamomile" are made exclusively from the chamomile plant; many of these herbal teas are actually blends which contain mostly chamomile, but also contain other herbs or flavorings.

Some people actually prefer these blends, because the pure herb can have a rather bitter aftertaste. These sorts of blends are typically sold by tea companies, and less commonly by bulk herb companies.

Loose-leaf herb, or tea bags?

Another major distinction when buying any type of tea or herbal tea is the question of whether to buy loose-leaf or tea bags. Tea bags offer the primary advantage of convenience. However, when buying tea bags, a large portion of what you are paying goes to the industrial packing process and the packing materials themselves. When buying loose-leaf herbs or tea, you are paying primarily for the product you wish to buy, with only a small amount of packaging. Loose-leaf or bulk herbs are also more sustainable, in that they use fewer resources to obtain the same end result, and they result in less waste. Lastly, loose-leaf tea and bulk herbs often offer superior quality.

For this reason, if you are cost-conscious and concerned with quality, I would recommend buying loose-leaf or bulk chamomile from a tea company or herb company, rather than buying the standard tea bags available in supermarkets. When buying in bulk, I recommend the whole dried flowers, rather than powdered herb. For brewing, if you do not have one, purchase a strainer or tea filter. My favorites are basket infusers with a stainless steel mesh that sit inside a mug or teapot. Tea balls also work but are less optimal.

Look for whole, intact flowers:

Freshness is of prime importance when buying any sort of tea, herbs, or spice, and chamomile is no exception. The best sources of chamomile usually show whole, intact flowerheads attached to small stems. If the flowerheads are crushed up into finer pieces, this does not necessary mean that the batch you are looking at is necessarily lower quality, but keep in mind that finely broken herbs lose their flavor more quickly, so such batches are less likely to be fresh or stay fresh than batches consisting mostly of whole chamomile flowerheads.

Conutry of origin?

Chamomile is produced in a number of different countries. Much of the commercially available herb originates in Egypt, but it is also relatively common for it to be grown in Europe, such as in Germany and France. Country of origin does influence flavor, and is worth looking at if you have nuanced tastes. And In general, companies selling higher-quality herbs will identify the country of origin of each herb.

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