We all know it is a good idea to strengthen our immune systems. A strong immune system will help defend against pathogens and toxins that we don’t want to hang around.
Immunity tea is a great way to support our bodies during times of emotional, physical, or environmental stress. The problem is many specialty teas cost upwards of seven dollars a box (16 bags). If you want to drink a couple of cups a day, it can start to add up.
Growing your own tea blends is an empowering and exciting way to boost your self-sufficiency. In our previous post, Kick Start Your Food Security Garden with Foodscaping, we talked about how you can incorporate edibles into your landscaping. Sometimes you already have edible flowers or herbs in your landscaping that you didn’t even realize. It can be a lot of fun to try different combinations of flowers and herbs to create interesting new flavors!
Growing your own tea plants gives you control over several important things. You know about your plants’ growing conditions: use of chemicals, soil quality, and harvesting practices. Additionally, dried herbs will be effective for 6-12 months. How long has that box of tea been sitting on the store or warehouse shelf? Tea that you grow yourself will be fresh and full of life.
Bottom line is that growing and harvesting your own plants gives you the opportunity to create a superior quality immunity tea. The cost savings is a nice bonus too!
The flowering herbs I chose grow well in my region and pack in a lot of immune benefits. If any of these do not grow well in your area, you can omit them and substitute another immune booster.
As a word of caution when consuming floral and herbal teas in general, you need to know your body. If you are allergic to flowers in the daisy family, this tea is not for you. Pregnant women should not consume the tea and check with a pediatrician for use by children. If you have underlying health conditions, you should check with your doctor before consuming any herbals.
Tea Blend
Marigolds may seem like an odd choice for a tea, but they actually contain phytonutrients called carotenoids that promote increased antioxidant activity and lower inflammation.
Chamomile has a very pleasant scent and flavor. It is a mild sedative and has anti-inflammatory properties. It helps relieve anxiety and improve sleep, both of which will help immunity.
Echinacea is the immunity superstar we are used to hearing about. This amazing plant stimulates the immune system, reduces inflammation, and acts as a lymphatic tonic. The lymphatic system, as you may know, plays an important role in removing toxins and pathogens from our body.
Spearmint is known for its role in sinus health. More recent research has revealed a strong connection between immune health and sinus health. Keep that nose healthy and enjoy better health! Plus, spearmint tastes wonderful and makes a nice addition to tea blends.
5 Easy Steps
Wash the Herbs
Once you’ve collected your beautiful flowers, give them a good rinse and then soak them in water for a half hour.
Hang to Dry
Carefully, separate them into bunches that are a manageable size. Use twine to tie the bunches and then hang the flowers upside down to dry. Let them dry for 2-3 days in a room with a mild temperature, not too hot/cold, with low humidity.
After a few days the flowers will be dry enough to dehydrate. The reason we wait a couple of days is because soaking wet herbs will take a lot of energy to dehydrate. Letting them airdry upside down first will reduce the moisture content, particularly in between petals.
Spread on a Cookie Tray
On a cookie tray, separate the flower buds from the stems. Cut into smaller pieces and spread evenly across the tray for better air circulation.
Dehydrate the Petals
Remove the white part of the marigold petals, if you prefer, as they can be bitter (just keep the orange or yellow petals and the leaves). Keep the whole flower of the chamomile.
The center of the echinacea flower is prickly, so remove carefully. Primarily, the leaves have the immune boosting properties we seek. You can add the petals too. The entire spearmint stalk and leaves can be added to the mixture.
Use a dehydrator or place in the oven on 200 degrees for several hours, until completely dry. As a precaution, I leave the mixture out on the counter for another day or two to be sure it is completely dry before storing in an airtight container. This is to prevent mold from improperly dried tea.
Make the Tea
Add your freshly dried tea leaves to a pot and boil water. Strain off to remove the tea leaves if you like.
There you have it. The steps are simple and you get a tasty and nutritious tea blend for your efforts. Hope you try it out and let us know how you like it. Did you add or omit anything? What is your favorite herbal tea?
