If you crack open an herbal you'll find a lot of recipes for everything ranging from herbal teas to potions. Today's post is an attempt to clarify the differences between these different uses of herbs and note some safety protocol necessary in their uses. Before I move on to the details, I want to note something very important. If you are incorporating herbal medicine into your daily care regimen, keep your doctor and pharmacist apprised of the situation. Medicinal herbs and plants can have interactions with medications, some of them potentially lethal.
Now, preface made, let's get down to talking shop, shall we? Herbal teas are made with a base of black, white, or green tea. They contain a percentage of caffeine and other elements that can be good for your health. This is part of the reason why they're so popular. Herbal teas have set ratios of herbs to tea. Different brands of herbal teas will have different ratios and different herbs (even if they claim to be identical to other brands). Generally, commercial brands keep these ratios as trade secrets. After all, Bigelow doesn't want Celestial Seasonings to steal the recipes or vice versa.
When selecting a commercially prepared herbal tea, make a point of reading the ingredient list. There are herbs and spices that can evoke an allergic reaction despite the fact that you're not out in the wild sticking your face into the plant to smell the pretty scents. Chamomile, for example, is well known as a digestive aid but if you have hayfever, it is possible that you are going to have some stuffy sinuses after drinking a cup of chamomile tea because it is related to the plants commonly known for provoking hayfever allergies. In the case of teas for relaxation and rest, one must be careful because they can contain herbs such as valerian which can interact with cold medications and make you extra drowsy.
Tisanes are different from herbal teas. They are like teas and frequently marketed as herbal teas. The difference is a tisane does not have any tea leaf added to it. These have higher concentration of herbs and spices in them than herbal teas. This means that they can have a stronger effect on the body. The brewing process for a tisane is also different from the brewing process for most herbal teas.
Most herbal teas are brewed in the same manner of regular tea. Water is heated to near boiling (or boiling, depending on the tea used) and poured over the herbal tea before being allowed to steep for several minutes. Tisanes have a different process. Water is heated to near boiling and then poured over the herbs. At this point, the cup is covered to allow the steam to condense on the cover and drip back into the cup, thereby preserving the concentration of the active components of the tisane. The time to cover the cup varies between different tisanes and what is being used. They are, in general, steeped at least 10 minutes to get the maximum amount of the active components out of the herbs.
Potions are entirely different from herbal teas and tisanes. Most of the time, potions are not intended for consumption. They will use inorganic elements, such as crystals, and can prove highly toxic. (Point of reference: If you see a potion that calls for a combination of urine and bleach, don't use it. That produces dangerous amounts of chlorine gas and can kill you.) There are some potions that are made with edible ingredients and should still be treated with the same caution as herbal medicine because the herbs used in the potion will have an influence upon your body's ability to metabolize medications, vitamins, and even food.
In the end, the biggest thing I would like for you to take away from this post is that natural products are not always safe. Cyanide is natural and completely lethal. Be cautious in your approach to herbal medicine and consult with doctors and pharmacologists who have the training to tell you how your medicinal herbs will interact with your body. This is true for recreational herbal usage. If you're using herbs for fun and profit, make sure you do it safely and with consultation with the people who went to school to make sure you can survive the experience.
No comments:
Post a Comment