Juice isn’t the only way to get nutrients without taking in lots of calories. Herbal teas are a great way to get some of the trace minerals and other nutrients too, and there are so many that you can try. We did a post a while back containing some yummy herbal tea ideas, but that was some time ago, so here are some new ones to try. Let us know which are you favourite!
Homemade Lemon Balm Tea
Makes around 4 cups
* around 200-250g fresh lemon balm
* boiling water
The quick way to make this lush tea is to rinse the leaves of any soil and bugs. Pull the leaves from the stems and then using paper towel, pat them dry. Grab a tea pot and place the dry leaves inside before pouring boiling water over them. Steep for about 20 minutes, pour and enjoy (this tastes so amazing with honey in it!).
The more patient and proper way to make the tea is to dry the lemon balm first. One way is to hang the leaves out to dr for about 4-5 days until they are crispy.
Again you can cheat and use your oven (heat to 200C). Just lay a paper towel on a baking tray and lay the leaves in a single layer. If you still have more leaves to place out, add another layer of paper towel and then keep layering like this until all your leaves are on.
Bake for 20 minutes then turn the oven off and leave the leaves in the oven overnight (or just for the rest of the day if you do this in the morning). They will come out nice and crisp. Crumble up the dry leaves into a mason jar and store away until you’re ready to steep and make your tea. Et voila!
Lemon balm’s health benefits are vast, but it is most known for its calming effects making it a great drink before bed. It also contains lots of antioxidants and boosts the immune system.
The Best Homemade Ginger Tea
Makes 1-2 cups
* 1 tbsp fresh grated ginger
* 100ml filtered water
* 1 tbsp raw honey
* ½ of a juiced lemon
To make, peel the ginger root so you’re left with the softer centre.
Grate the ginger and place to one side. Bring the water to boiling point in a pan, then add the ginger and turn off the hob.
Put the lid on the pan and let the ginger steep for 10 minutes before draining and removing the ginger.
You can do this part in a teapot by placing the ginger in the teapot and pouring boiling water over.
Let it steep for about 10 minutes. Add the fresh lemon juice and honey. Stir and enjoy!
You can turn it into iced tea by letting the tea cool, storing in the fridge then adding crushed ice to the tea before serving. You can make a really yummy slush by adding the tea and ice to a blender.
