Jasmine tea

Jasmine is one of the most beloved of flowers for scenting and decorating teas. As a member of Oleaceae (the olive plant family), it has a sweet and aromatic essence that imparts a delicious and exotic element to a tea base.

Jasmine tea is green tea scented with jasmine flowers, though the base tea can also use black, white or oolong tea leaves. Its aroma is so strong that the tea leaves absorb its flavor overnight.

Jasmine (Jasminum officinale) is a seasonal bloomer, beginning in late winter and flowering until early autumn. Jasmine prefers full sun or partial shade, with well-drained and moist soil. It is a fairly tolerant and hardy plant. Jasmine is well known for its calming and soothing effects.

High-quality jasmine tea is usually scented using fresh jasmine flowers, while affordable options are flavored with jasmine oils or jasmine extract. The end result produces a clean and fragrant smell, with a sweet flavor.

Aroma is an important component in jasmine and jasmine tea. High-quality jasmine tea

has a refreshing jasmine aroma, and the aroma is pure, concentrated, and long-lasting

The main volatile compounds in jasmine were α-farnesene, (Z)-3-hexenyl benzoate, linalool, benzyl alcohol, benzyl acetate, methyl anthranilate, and indole.
Jasmine tea

Herbal drinks of chicory

Chicory root tea is made from chicory root, a distant cousin to the dandelion. It has a similar flavor profile as coffee with some additional hints of woodiness. Chicory root comes from a plant with bright blue flowers that belongs to the dandelion family.

The plant has small blue flowers, and can be found in woody areas. Growing up to 5’ in height with strong taproots, this weed thrives in light.

Chicory has a mildly taste and the root is much the same medicinally as the root of the dandelion, having a cleansing action in the liver, stomach and kidneys and the whole urinary tract.

As a treatment for gout, rheumatic conditions and general aches and pains of the joints, chicory was once considered to be a herb particularly appropriate for the elderly and was also used as a gentle laxative for children.

Chicory root extracts, according to science, has many health benefits as it is prebiotic in nature and protects the digestive system. It has anti-fungal, antioxidant and anti-cancer properties.

The fiber from this root is purported to have numerous health benefits and often extracted for use as a food additive or supplement.

One-half cup of 1-inch pieces of raw chicory root (45g) provides 32 calories, 0.6g of protein, 7.9g of carbohydrates, and 0.1g of fat. Chicory root is a good source of calcium, phosphorus, and folate. The leaves of this plant are similar to dandelion, therefore can be used in salads. The leaves are high in thiamin, niacin, and zinc. It’s also an excellent source of Vitamin A, C, E and K.

A tea of leaves and flowers – ¼ cup mixed leaves and flowers with 1 cup boiling water poured over it and left to stand for 5 minutes, sweetened with a touch of honey if desired – is the way to treat any of these ailments and usually no more than 1 cup a day needed.

The tea is slightly laxative and safe for children, made as a standard brew and ½ a cup given at a time to children under 10 years of age.

Mothers in medieval France and England grew chicory in their cottage gardens, which they used for purging and for flushing out of bladder and today’s research verifies these uses.

Chicory contains inulin which can help with digestion, inflammation, and lowering blood sugar. It literally washes out bladder and colon, clears infections, acts as a strong tonic and increases the flow of bile. Inulin is a type of fiber known as a fructan or fructooligosaccharide, a carbohydrate made from a short chain of fructose molecules that your body doesn’t digest.

Around AD 23-79, chicory juice mixed with strong vinegar and a little rose oil was used to treat headaches.
Herbal drinks of chicory

Chrysanthemum Tea as Traditional Medicine

Chrysanthemum Tea as Traditional Medicine
Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat normally use as an attractive flower for horticultural purpose in Europe, but in several Asian countries such as China, Korea and Japan it has been use as a traditional medicine. The flower of Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat, owing to its broad pharmaceutical effects as well as it fragrance, is also used as a beverage – chrysanthemum tea.
Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat is widely distributed in most habitats of China as well as Korea and Japan. In China, it is cultivated mainly in Zhejiang province along the Yangzi River. Ting Xiang City of this province, also refer to as the “City of Chrysanthemum,” produces about 4000-5000 tons of chrysanthemum flower each year, which accounts for more than 90% of the total Chrysanthemum production in China.

Chrysanthemum Tea is prepared in the same way as traditional tea. The dried flowers are infused with hot water for over 10 min. and the tea is ready to serve. For clinical usage, the chrysanthemum is boiled either alone or together with various herbs, according to the prescription to suit a specific clinical purpose.

Based on traditional usage, in addition to use as a tea Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat is used for common cold, fever, migraines, conjunctivitis, eye irritation, hypertension, ulcerative colitis, vertigo, ophthalmia with swelling and pain, etc. As a mixture with other herbs, it has been claimed to be able to relieve migraines and eye irritation, improve vision and cure keratitis.

Apart from the above traditional usage, there were also other usages, such as antitumor activities. Chrysanthemum water extract was found to significantly inhibit growth of transplanted tumor in mice, suggesting that the water soluble components of chrysanthemum may have potent chemopreventive effects.
Chrysanthemum Tea as Traditional Medicine