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A herbal tea, tisane, or ptisan is a herbal or plant infusion and usually not made from the leaves of the tea bush (Camellia sinensis). Typically, herbal tea is simply the combination of boiling water and dried fruits, flowers or herbs. Herbal tea has been imbibed for nearly as long as written history extends. Documents have been recovered dating back to as early as Ancient Egypt and Ancient China that discuss the enjoyment and uses of herbal tea. Among Chinese, herbal tea is commonly known as liong cha (Cantonese) or liang cha (Mandarin). Composition Herbal teas can be made with fresh or dried flowers, leaves, seeds or roots, generally by pouring boiling water over the plant parts and letting them steep for a few minutes. Seeds and roots can also be boiled on a stove. The tisane is then strained, sweetened if so desired, and served. Many companies produce herbal tea bags for such infusions. Flavored teas are prepared by adding other plants to an actual tea (black, oolong, green, yellow, or white tea); for example, the popular Earl Grey tea is black tea with bergamot, jasmine tea is Chinese tea with jasmine flowers, and genmaicha is a Japanese green tea with toasted rice. Medicinal concerns Herbal teas are often consumed for their physical or medicinal effects, especially for their stimulant, relaxant or sedative properties. The medicinal effects of certain herbs are discussed under herbalism. The medicinal benefits of specific herbs are often anecdotal or controversial, and in some countries (including the United States) makers of herbal teas are not allowed to make unsubstantiated claims about the medicinal effects of their products. While most herbal teas are safe for regular consumption, some herbs have toxic or allergenic effects. Among the greatest causes of concern are: Comfrey, which contains alkaloids that can cause permanent liver damage with chronic use. Lobelia, which contains toxins similar in effect to nicotine. Herbal teas can also have different effects from person to person, and this is further compounded by the problem of potential misidentification. The deadly foxglove, for example, can be mistaken for the much more benign (but still relatively toxic to the liver) comfrey. The UK does not require herb teas to have any evidence concerning their efficacy, but does treat them technically as food products and require that they are safe for consumption. Most of the ingredients used in Indian herbal teas are non-toxic in nature. However, according to Naithani & Kakkar (2004), "all herbal preparations should be checked for toxic chemical residues to allay consumer fears of exposure to known neuro-toxicant pesticides and to aid in promoting global acceptance of these products".[2] Depending on the source of the herbal ingredients, teas may be contaminated with pesticides or heavy metals. Antioxidant properties Available as pure or blended samples, herbal teas are popular because of their fragrance, antioxidant properties and therapeutic applications.[4][5] The antioxidant properties (AOP) of herbal teas from temperate plants of mainly Lamiaceae have been well-studied while those of tropical herbal teas are less well-studied. Recently, a comparative study showed that tropical herbal teas were more diverse in types and more variable in AOP values than temperate herbal teas.[6] Herbal teas generally had lower antioxidant values than teas of Camellia sinensis. Exceptions were lemon myrtle, guava, and oregano teas with AOP comparable to black teas. Mint and peppermint teas had significantly stronger ferrous ion chelating ability than teas of C. sinensis. Tea has been consumed for several thousand years. And more tea is consumed each year around the world than any other beverage. Since tea was first discovered in China, it has traveled the world conquering the thirsts of virtually every country on the planet. http://teaforyou.ecrater.com/
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