Loose Herb Tea is so much better than tea from a bag!
Do you have a loved one who enjoys a good cup of tea? Here is a great gift idea that is easy to make. Create a lovely loose herb tea gift set. You just need the dried herbs, a sealing glass container, and some creative packaging!
First, buy your dried herbs from quality online companies like: Bulk Apothecary, Mountain Rose Herbs, Jedwards Intl, or the Apothecary Shoppe. Or, you may have a local company you know of that offers quality dried herbs. Dried spices like cinnamon sticks, cloves, or star anise can more easily be found at the grocery store. Buy organic!
Here are some dried herbs and spices that make great tea.
- Lavender
- Hops
- Yarrow
- Calendula
- Chamomile
- St. John’s Wort
- Spearmint
- Peppermint
- Rose Buds
- Juniper Berry
- Ginger
- Cinnamon
- Clove
- Peppercorn
- Cardamom
- Fennel
- Star Anise
- Lemongrass
- Coriander
- Citrus Peel
Combine your herbs into a delicious blend!
It creates a more complex symphony of flavor. Here are some blend ideas.
- Lavender, calendula, and chamomile for a relaxation tea (steep 8 minutes in boiled water)
- Hops, yarrow, & St. John’s wort to calm the mind (steep 7 minutes in boiled water)
- Cinnamon, ginger, orange peel, and peppercorn to get warmed up (simmer on stove top 15 minutes)
- Peppermint, ginger, & fennel to soothe digestive complaints (steep 8 minutes in boiled water)
- Lemongrass, clove, and citrus peel to get awoken (simmer on stove top 15 minutes)
- Juniper berry & peppermint to help with respiratory congestion (steep 10 minutes in boiled water)
Once you have your herbs, mix them together, and package them up air tight. Stick a bow on, and your done! Below are step by step instructions.
Here is what you will need to make a loose herb tea gift set.
- 3 ounces of dried herbs (see list above)
- 1 air tight 4 ounce glass container
- Label
- Optional items: ribbon & bow, tea cup, tea ball or French press
Loose Herb Tea Gift Set Instructions
- First, mix your dried herbs together and place them in a clean air tight container, such as a mason jar or spice jar.
- Then, label the container with the ingredients and date made.
- Also include instructions. For example, the instructions for making hops, yarrow, and St. John’s wort is to steep in water that had been boiled for 7 minutes. Typically, more delicate herbs take a shorter time to brew with less than boiling water. For example, Rose petals can brew in 4 minutes in water not too hot that you can stick your finger in it. On the other end of the spectrum, woody herbs like cinnamon, clove, or coriander, can be brewed much longer in boiled water. Click here for basic loose herb brewing instructions: How to Brew Loose Herbs to Make Tea.
- Package your gift. It is nice to include a tea ball or French press for steeping the herbs. Fancy tea cups are also a delight. In the present I made (pictured above), I included: 1 jar with herbs, 1 tea cup, 1 French press, instructions, and packaged in a cute wooden box with ribbon and bow.
Safety Note
Some herbs may come with contraindications for those with medical conditions. One should look up possible contraindications of unfamiliar spices and herbs before ingesting. In addition, herbs and spices taken in high amounts, beyond normal food amounts, can be unsafe.
“Take some more tea,” the March Hare said to Alice, very earnestly.
“I’ve had nothing yet,” Alice replied in an offended tone, “so I can’t take more.”
“You mean you can’t take less,” said the Hatter: “it’s very easy to take more than nothing.”
“Nobody asked your opinion,” said Alice.”
― Alice in Wonderland
Post by: Kathy Sadowski, MS in Aromatherapy, RA (ARC), Professional NAHA and AIA Member, LMT
Posted: 12/5/18
