Juniper berries are often used in the culinary world as a spice to enhance meat, stuffings, sausages, stews, and soups and marinades. As an herbal remedy juniper berries are used in an herbal infusion by herbalists for urinary tract and bladder infections and inflammations and to to reduce water retention.

You can make juniper tea by adding 1 cup of boiling water to 1 tablespoon of juniper berries, covering, and allowing the berries to steep for 20 minutes. The usual dosage is 1 cup twice a day.

At Starwest Botanicals, we enjoy making herbal teas and infusions and wanted to share this video on making your own Juniper Berry Infusion. We stock high quality wild-crafted juniper berries and organic juniper berries for use in your own remedies and preparations.

Juniper should not be taken internally by pregnant women or by individuals with kidney problems. Juniper contains a potent volatile essential oil, oil of sabinal. Not for use exceeding four to six weeks in succession; contraindicated in inflammatory kidney disease. Before taking for a medical condition, it is best to consult with a physician.

Essiac herbal tea is thought by practitioners of alternative medicine to be a potent natural herbal formula used to fight cancer. Well-known for over 90 years, the proponents and critics of Essiac herbs are constantly going back and forth about the true efficacy towards our health. Essiac tea is recommended by herbalists as an alternative healthcare means of treatment for various forms of cancer and is used to alleviate symptoms and side effects of conventional cancer therapy, such as chemotherapy.

Buy Essiac Tea »
All natural Essiac tea offered by the pound in certified organic and conventional blends. Blended according to Rene Caisse’s recipe using only the finest quality ingredients.

Essiac Herbs Help to Fight Free Radicals

Essiac tea is made from a combination of four herbs: burdock, slippery elm inner bark, sheep sorrel, and Indian rhubarb root. Many believe that this unique formula stimulates immunity, alleviates pain, boosts overall energy, and curbs inflammation. While Essiac herbal tea may not benefit all people suffering from cancer, early studies show that the herb burdock can potentially improve wellness by fighting free radicals, strengthening liver health, and triggering the growth of probiotics. However, there is minimal scientific evidence to support such claims.

The actual tea itself was named after Rene Caisse who was a Canadian nurse. Essiac is her last name spelled backwards. During the early 1920s, Rene Caisse began treating cancer patients with an herbal formula she discovered and claimed it could help fight the disease. While medical authorities put down the herbal treatment as ineffective and unproven, Essiac herbs has continuously gained popularity among those looking for new and more natural ways of beating cancer.

One of the wide ranges of benefits of why people buy Essiac tea is how well it cleanses red blood corpuscles. This is where it gets its medicinal value from and why more and more doctors have begun recommending Essiac tea. Cleaning the blood is not any easy process to attempt; Essiac herbs are thought to be specially prepared for this process.

So while health professionals argue for and against Essiac tea, it is worthwhile to note that both sides have compelling points. However, further study is needed regarding Essiac tea’s effectiveness towards cancer and other conditions.

If you are interested in the history and use of teas you may enjoy our other explorations in discovering teas from around the world. Be sure to see our previous posts on Hibiscus tea for your health, an overview of Japanese green teas our tasty Chai tea recipe and our insights into making therapeutic herbal teas.

For tea afficianados, it is a thrill to take part in the amazing cultural event known as the Japanese tea ceremony. At the basis of the ceremony, certain types of green tea are prepared and served to guests in a highly ceremonial fashion. With Starwest loose green teas, you can enjoy the comforts of Japanese green tea easily in your home.

A little background is in order at this point. Green tea comes from the Camellia sinensis plant, the leaves of which are used in the production of Green tea. The leaves are processed using minimal oxidation in order to provide the unique flavor that has come to be expected from green tea.

You can find Japanese Green Tea in bagged and loose varieties. Loose green tea offers you the opportunity to make your own custom blends, and is a popular choice with fans of Japanese green tea.

There are several different types of Japanese Green Tea available on the market today. This allows you to try several, and then select the ones you prefer. Three popular varieties are Bancha Tea, Sencha Leaf Tea and Kukicha Twig Tea.

Bancha Tea

This is a common variety of Japanese Green Tea. The Camellia leaves, which in this type of tea are the third or fourth harvest of leaves from the plant, are allowed to be exposed to sunlight in order to produce its distinctive flavor. Although the leaves for this tea are usually harvested between the summer and fall months, there is a special type of Bancha tea known as Aki-Bancha, or autumn Bancha, that is created from twigs of the Camellia plant rather than leaves.

Sencha Leaf Tea

Sencha Leaf tea comes from early-growth leaves of the Camellia plant that have been exposed to sunlight. Sencha is also known as broiled tea.

Kukicha Twig Tea

Kukicha, which also goes by the name of stalk tea, is another variety of Japanese Green Tea. It is a specially crafted tea that is derived from one bud and three leaves that are carefully harvested to create a stalk. Made up of the twigs from the actual branches from the last plucking of the season, the flavor of kukicha has earthen and woodsy overtones.

Japanese Green Tea can be enjoyed plain or with the sweetener and cream of your choice. Although Green Tea does contain caffeine, it has also been potentially linked to health benefits and offers a great antioxidant potential as well.

New studies are following the use of Hibiscus in the fight to lower high blood pressure

Hibiscus tea is the infusion made from Hibiscus sabdariffa flower, an herbal tea drink consumed both hot and cold by people around the world. Hibiscus tea has a tart, cranberry-like flavor. It contains vitamin C and minerals and is used traditionally as a mild medicine, as it’s believed to reduce cholesterol. Certain health authorities have been working to build awareness around the diuretic properties of the tea, and its effectiveness in the treatment of urinary tract infections.New studies are following the use of Hibiscus in the fight to lower high blood pressure.

Chronic high blood pressure, or hypertension, currently affects 1/3 of the adult population in the United States. While weight reduction and aerobic exercise are recommended as the first steps when dealing with this medical condition, Hibiscus tea is making great strides in drug-free treatment programs.

Hibiscus tea has actually been used for centuries as an herbal remedy for high blood pressure. Now, recent research has been conducted to prove its effectiveness. In a recent study, 65 volunteers were split into two groups. One group drank Hibiscus tea, the others were given a flavored beverage that tasted like Hibiscus, but contained none of the actual herb. Those who drank the real tea had a 7.2% drop in their systolic blood pressure, while the other group had only a 1.3% drop.

Also, those with higher blood pressure (129 and up) showed greater improvement, seeing their systolic blood pressure drop 13.2% during the study, which was funded by Hain Celestial Group and the Agricultural Research Service, a scientific research agency of the United States Department of Agriculture. Further research will determine the significance of Hibiscus Tea in the reduction of blood pressure over the long-term.

The European Observatory On Fair Trade Procurement defines “fair trade” as:

“…a trading partnership, based on dialogue, transparency and
respect, that seeks greater equity in international trade…[contributing]
to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to,
and securing the rights of, marginalised producers and workers”
(www.eftafairtrade.org, 2006).

Such produce (not limited to loose teas) is purchased either directly from those who raise it or from community co-ops in Africa, Asia and Latin America. The result is an improved standard of living for those who would otherwise be forced to deal with a number of intermediaries, each of which would be taking a cut – and typically, leaving the actual producer with little or nothing. Fair trade teas are brought to you directly from the families who actually work the land and process the goods – your assurance of a healthier, higher quality product raised in a sustainable and environmentally-friendly fashion.

The use of tea goes back almost 5,000 years; it has had great symbolic significance in many Asian cultures. For example, legend tells us that the day Buddha was born, it rained tea from the heavens; children of Buddhist families still sprinkle tea atop a statue of the Buddha on the day commemorating his birth. The Japanese tea ceremony or chanoyu is still practiced today; it is a highly formalized and elaborate occasion that may last an entire afternoon.

As you might expect, fair-trade teas are more expensive than mass-produced commercial brands – but the price difference is not great. It might be as much as a dime per teabag extra, but it makes a tremendous difference in the lives of those who actually do the work of raising, harvesting and processing the tea you enjoy.

Much fair-trade tea does not come in bags, incidentally; it is often in the form of loose teas sold by the ounce or by the pound. In this case, you’ll want to invest in some reliable tea accessories such as a tea ball infuser and a tea strainer.

Such tea accessories are a bit of a bother, but once you taste the difference of organic fair trade teas, you’ll find the extra trouble well worth it – and you’ll be doing some good for the planet and its people as well.

Tropical Herb Tea
A fruit and herb tea that you will need to let steep in the fridge overnight, so prepare to make this recipe the day before you want to enjoy this exotic and tropical drink.

INGREDIENTS:
3 tbs hibiscus flowers (c/s)
3 tbs mint leaves (c/s)
3 tbs lemongrass (c/s)
1/2 cup chopped pineapple
2 oranges, sliced
1 papaya, sliced
1 mango, sliced

PREPARATION:
In 2 quarts water, bring herbs to a boil and let steep for 20 minutes. Strain out herbs. In a large jar or bowl, mix the fruit and pour the tea over top. Let refrigerate overnight. Serve chilled, with or without the fruit.
From Guest Writer: Sean Paajanen