Unlike other kinds of tea, herbal tea does not contain caffeine. It’s also produced in a different process and method. Do you know how herbal tea is made and which ingredients are often used to produce this kind of healthy tea? Learn some tips to make herbal tea at home here. 

I. How Herbal Tea Is Made
II. Easy Herbal Tea Ingredients

• Peppermint
• Chamomile
• Ginger
• Lemongrass
• Fennel Seeds

I. How Herbal Tea Is Made

Herbal tea is made from flowers, leaves, buds, branches, fruits, or roots of natural herbs. It was invented over four thousand years ago. According to the earliest record of herbal tea, this drink was consumed in China in the year of 2737 BC. Some archaeological evidence also showed that Ancient Egyptians also consume some types of herbal tea, such as peppermint tea. 

For a long time, the production process has been improved and ingredients are more varied. But these basic steps in the procedure of how herbal tea is made are retained. 

• Pick up the strong and fresh herb’s leaves, flowers, branches, or roots.
• Rinse herbs to remove contaminations and shake off excess water.  
• Dehydrate fresh herbs under the sunlight and wind or in a dehydrator.
• Make sure all tea leaves are totally dried and ready for storage or they will get moldy.
• Keep dried tea in dry, clean, labeled, tightly closed glass jars. 
• Steep dried herbal tea leaves in hot water or boil some tea and enjoy.

It’s easy to make herbal tea at home. But you should grow herbs with seeds, such as peppermint seeds, or buy fresh herbs from reliable suppliers to avoid unknown chemicals and pesticides. Then, you also have to rinse herbs carefully to remove dirt and other contaminations before drying them.

II. Easy Herbal Tea Ingredients

Choosing the proper ingredients is an important step in the process of how herbal tea is made. If you want to make your DIY herbal tea at home, you should choose the following ingredients to grow and process at home.

• Peppermint

Peppermint is a popular ingredient in herb recipes. This plant has many health benefits for your mind and body. Moreover, it’s very easy to grow this plant at home. A cup of warm mint tea helps you boost your energy in the morning and improve your sleep at night. But don’t drink tea after half past eight because drinking tea too late can make you wake up at midnight. 

• Chamomile

Chamomile is the most liked herbal tea for its calming and sleep-improving effects. Besides, you can grow and take care of this plant easily if you have a small garden or some small plant pots with fertile soil, chamomile seeds, and enough care for it. Moreover, Chamomile is very good for women’s skin, fitness, insomnia, etc. 

• Ginger

The best remedy for a cold or flu in the winter is a cup of warm ginger tea. If you want to practice the process of how herbal tea is made, take some ginger from your kitchen, slice it, and place sliced ginger on a plate or board next to a window under the wind and sunlight. A quicker way to make it dry is using a dehydrator or oven to dehydrate ginger slices at 150 F for 90 to 180 minutes. 

• Lemongrass

Like ginger, lemongrass is a familiar cooking ingredient in Asian kitchens with warming effects and a pleasing citrusy scent. Due to its warming effect, lemongrass tea can soothe cold symptoms. Besides, its lemony aroma can help you reduce anxiety. Fresh lemongrass tastes a little lemon and a little mint without bitterness. 

• Fennel Seeds

Fennel tea is made from fennel seeds. Grow some fennel in your garden and collect its seeds. Then, level them on a plate and put the plate next to a sunny and windy window for dehydration slowly. It helps the seed retain its scent. Finally, you store them in a dry and clean glass jar. When you want to make a cup of fennel tea, boil some crushed seeds with a little honey, mint, and ginger. 

III. Easy Herbal Tea Blend Recipes

Many types of herbal tea are very beneficial for your health, but they don’t taste delicious. You should mix them with some other tasty herbs and ingredients. It’s essential to understand some principles to blend herbs and spices. 

Check out some formulas and tips on how herbal tea is made with good taste and flavor at home. A mix of herbal tea should include 3 parts of base tea, 1 to 2 parts of supporting tea, and a fourth to 1 part of herbs for the accent flavor.  

Mild herbs as a base flavor

The first ingredient for a tasty herbal blend should be a mellow tea. You can choose herbs with mild and comfortable flavors, such as

• Peppermint/mint;
• Chamomile;
• Yerba mater;
• Holy basil;
• Sage;
• Oatstraw;
• Linden flowers.

Floral tea, such as hibiscus, chamomile, rosehip, and linden, have a gentle and pleasing aroma. You can use them as a base for stronger tastes in other herbs.

Strong herbs as the star taste 

Some herbs have strong scents and tastes. Sometimes, they do not smell and taste good when going alone. But they can play as the star taste or supporting tea in a delicious herbal blend, such as:

• Valerian;
• Rosemary;
• Thyme;
• Lemon balm;
• Licorice. 

As these herbs have a stronger taste, don’t take too much tea for supporting taste than tea for the base taste or it will overwhelm the base tea. 

Very strong herbs add an accent flavor

Finally, you need a small number of herbs with super strong tastes or scents to provide your herbal tea an accent flavor, such as:

• Cardamom;
• Cinnamon;
• Citrus peel;
• Lavender;
• Ginger.

These strong-taste herbs have a spicy or citrus taste, warm flavor, or strong floral flavor. Therefore, you only need very few accent herbs or other flavors of the base and supporting herbs can be hidden. It’s an important rule on how herbal tea is made properly. 

Bonus Formula

Blending herbal tea based on flavor groups is also a good idea, such as floral mixes, citrusy mixes, minty mixes, and warm and spicy mixes. A teaspoon of honey or some milk can also make your herbal tea taste better. 

IV. Conclusion

It’s not hard to make DIY herbal tea at home. You can buy seeds of your favorite herbs to grow in your garden, or buy some fresh and clean herbs for your homemade herbal tea. Herbs can be mixed together for the best flavor. Honey and milk can also help the beverage taste better in some recipes. 

Don’t forget to note down your successful and delicious herbal tea recipes in your personal menu or for sharing with herbal tea lovers. If you are too busy to dehydrate and make DIY herbal tea at home, trust The Rike where reliable products are produced in the standard processes of how herbal tea is made safely and correctly.