What Are Herbal Teas?
A wonderful and diverse world of refreshing, flavourful herbal teas and fruit tisanes are created by blending exciting combinations of herbal ingredients with loose leaf teas. Some of the more popular ingredients that might be blended with teas are rose, chamomile, peppermint, ginger and hibiscus, while various fruits, roots and spices are also regularly used to create delicious flavours.
There are three main tea-blending techniques that are used to create the desired flavours: blending herbs, inclusions and scenting.
Blending Herbs
The blending of herbs is usually done by hand or commercially in large mixing drums. To ensure consistency, the weight and percentage of each ingredient is recorded to ensure that the precise blend can be created again as required.
Inclusions
Inclusions are ingredients that add a health element or a visual, aesthetic element to the blend, but are not intended to affect the taste or aroma of the tea. For this reason, inclusions should be used with skill and care by the blenders.
Scenting
While teas can adopt distinct aromas from the environments in which they are grown, blenders can also add scents to teas at either the processing or blending stages. The most commonly used scents are jasmine, often used to scent white and green teas, and bergamot oil, used to scent Earl Grey teas.
Our Popular Herbal Teas
Ginger and Lemon Verbena Herbal Tea – From £11.99
This refreshing tea is made from the leaves of the lemon verbena plant (also known as Aloysia citrodora), native to South America. The lemon verbena plant has been used for centuries for its medicinal properties, and it is also believed to reduce inflammation and promote relaxation.
Chamomile Herbal Tea – From £12.99
Known as a traditional remedy for gastrointestinal complaints, this is a soothing and relaxing caffeine-free beverage, best served as it is or with a dash of honey.
Drinking chamomile tea is a great way to unwind after the stresses of the day, offering soothing properties that may promote relaxation and help induce sleep.
Dandelion Herbal Tea – From £9.99
A subtly flavoured, well-balanced tea that is perfect when enjoyed on a relaxing afternoon. There are properties in the roots and leaves of dandelions that can help to cleanse and detoxify the liver and support kidney function. Dandelions also have anti-inflammatory properties that may ease the pain of rheumatism, and studies have shown they can help with inflammation caused by eczema.
Peppermint Herbal Tea – From £10.99
This refreshing and soothing tea is caffeine-free and guaranteed to give you a great kick-start first thing in the day. Made from dried peppermint leaves, this offers a great aroma and a distinct minty taste.
Nettle Herbal Tea – From £9.99
High in vitamin A and vitamin C, as well as minerals such as iron, magnesium, and potassium, this is made from the leaves of the stinging nettle plant, also known as Urtica dioica and native to Europe, Asia, and North America. The leaves of the stinging nettle are rich in nutrients, are said to help cleanse the blood and improve liver function and kidney function, and have been used for centuries as a natural remedy for a variety of health conditions.