Herbal Beverages in America

Herbal Beverages in America
Drinking herbal beverage is popular in America for several reasons. Herbal teas provide opportunities to have a low calories beverage or a healthy caffeine-free alternative to coffee. Other tea may provide a medicinal affect. These herbal beverages may contain extracts from the bark, roots, seeds, flowers, leaves or fruits or trees and shrubs. Today, the herbal tea industry has become a multimillion-dollar business.

It was common for American Indians to use herbal preparations to treat various ailments and illness. For example, a tea made from Yarrow leaves was used to cure stomach disorders, to treat hemorrhaging, and break a fever. Bee balm was prepared as a tea by the Oswego Indians to treat colic, colds, fevers, stomachaches, nosebleeds, and insomnia. Witch hazel was used to treat rheumatism, hemorrhoids, backaches, cuts, insect bites and bruises. Wild yam was used to treat gastrointestinal (GI) problem and relieve labor pains, and slippery elm was used as a soothing laxative. Various Native American tribes used motherwort to treat gynecologic disorders, whereas a tea made from goldenseal root was used as a general tonic.

After Europeans came to America, other herbal teas were used for various purposes. For example, hop tea was useful to induce sleep, passionflower was used to treat insomnia and peppermint tea was successfully used to relieve nausea and indigestion. In addition willow bark was used for muscle aches and pains and to treat fevers, and white oak bark was used as a gargle for sore throats and to relieve skin problems.

To avoid consuming caffeine-containing beverages, some people choose cereal-based beverages. These originally develop from roasted cereals and molasses. Years ago, these coffee substitutes were popular. Because these beverages stimulate gastric acid secretion, person who develop peptic ulcer should not consumes the roasted cereal beverages in an empty stomach.
Herbal Beverages in America