How to Make Herbal Tea
Herbal teas are organoleptic, which is to say they stimulate our senses of taste, smell, sight, and touch all at the same time.
Knowing the art of brewing herbal medicine and how to make an herbal tea is a simple art and an effective approach to dealing with acute and chronic health issues.
A daily ritual of brewing medicinal, herbal tea is more than just steeping a cup of leaves. It becomes a promise to ourselves to take a moment to focus inward. To brew a cup of tea is to invite the four elements—fire, water, earth, and air—into our bodies.
The Art of How to Make Herbal Tea
It is much easier to make your therapeutic-quality herbal tea by the quart jar than to brew multiple cups a day. You’ll find several recipes for medicinal teas in my Herbs for Kids eBook, but just to start, here’s my simple guide to making your own teas:
- To make a cup of herbal tea, use 1 tablespoon dried herbs or 2 tablespoons fresh herbs per 8 ounces of water. Add the herbs to the cup and pour boiling water over them. Cover and let steep 5-10 minutes. Strain and enjoy!
- To make a quart of tea to enjoy throughout the day, place 4-6 tablespoons dried herbs (8-12 tablespoons fresh herbs) in a quart jar or teapot. Fill with boiling water, seal, and let steep at least 10-20 minutes. Strain, pressing to squeeze all the tea out, and enjoy!
The important thing is to not over-brew the tea. You want to get the medicinal compounds into the water but not "burn" it out.
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Herbal Tea Dosing
How much tea should your child drink? Well, that all depends on the health condition you are trying to change.
If it is an acute condition, like a fever, have your child drink small, frequent amounts until symptoms subside. In acute situations, it is much more effective to drink the age-appropriate amount of tea every 1/2 hour instead of 3 times daily.
For chronic or long-term conditions, drink the suggested amount of tea daily for a few weeks to see results. Allow your child’s body a few days of rest each week from your herbal routine.
Average Dosing by Weight
- Up to 5 lbs. 1 tablespoon, 3 times daily
- 5-15 lbs. 2 tablespoons, 3 times daily
- 16-35 lbs. 1/4 cup, 3 times daily
- 36-65 lbs. 1/2 cup, 3 times daily
- 66-80 lbs. 3/4 cup, 3 times daily
- 81-110 lbs. 1 cup, 3 times daily
- Adult 1 cup, 3 times daily
You can find recipes and more tips in my new eBook, Herbs for Kids.
And you can visit our apothecary for wonderful medicinal teas that we created!
