Introduction:

The term of "herbal tea" is somewhat of a misnomer, since these products are not really tea at all. Herbal beverages or infusions can be derived from a single ingredient or a blend of flowers, green herbs, spices, fruits, berries and other plants. Herbal teas have soothing, uplifting and medicinal qualities.

Herbal teas are a combination of herbs, fruits, flowers, roots, bark or seeds that are infused in water to make a delicious beverage. Herbal tea exists in a kaleidoscope of distinctively different flavors, colors and aromas. Although they contain no tea at all, they are often termed "herbal tea" because of the similar brewing process.

Herbal teas are gaining popularity due to the many and varied health benefits and delicious flavors, which make them a healthy alternative to the more caffeinated beverages.

Blending the flavors of different herbs results in an infinite variety of healthful taste sensations, and in fact, this kind of exploration is one of the most delightful pleasures to be found in the making of herbal green tea. Herb teas contain no caffeine at all. This lack of caffeine has helped to account for its mellow, soothing personality and thus its growing popularity in today's hectic, high-pressured world. As a cultural entity, herbal tea is surrounded by more myth, legend and folklore than its Chinese cousin, black tea. The history of herbs is as old as mankind.

Archaeologists believe that prehistoric people used herbal concoctions to treat physical complaints long before the dawn of written history. Throughout history, herbs have had their place in every civilisation in the world, with their usage changing very little as the centuries passed. Ancient cultures wrote of the lavish use of herbs for medicine, food, beverages and dyes. Many European villages had resident herbalists; and many of these traditional remedies were brought to America. Today modern Americans are using more and more herbs in foods, beverages and the treatment of physical ailments.

One of the most popular and enduring uses for herbs, of course, is the making of herb tea. The drinking of herb teas was widespread in Europe long before the arrival of black tea; and some of the perennial favourite such as chamomile, peppermint and rose hips have long been well known standards.

Health Benefits of Mint Tea:

For centuries, mint has been enjoyed for its wonderful aroma, its great taste, and its healing power. Long known for its ability to settle a nervous stomach, mint has a great many other health benefits as well. Whether as a soothing mint tea or part of a recipe, mint has long been part of both the cuisine and the medicinal cultures of societies as diverse as the Middle East, India and Europe.

Mint is well known for its ability to sooth the digestive tract and reduce the severity and length of stomach aches. In addition, mint teas and other herbal preparations have shown great promise at easing the discomfort associated with irritable bowel syndrome, and even at slowing the growth of many of the most harmful bacteria and fungi. The well-documented antifungal properties of mint are thought to play a role in the treatment of asthma and many allergy conditions as well.

It is even thought that mint may have benefits as an anticancer food. Mint is known to contain a phytonutrient called perillyl alcohol, which has been shown in studies on animals to prevent the formation of colon, skin and lung cancer. Further study is needed to see if this important benefit extends to the human world.

Mint is used in a variety of ways, but the most common is through the brewing of mint tea. There are many excellent mint teas on the market, and fresh mint tea can be made by pouring hot, but not boiling, water over fresh leaves of mint. When preparing mint tea, it is important that the preparation be covered while it is steeping to prevent the valuable volatile oils from evaporating.

For those who prefer their mint in pill form, there are a number of preparations on the market that make it easy to enjoy the many health benefits of mint. Supplements containing mint are widely available at health food stores, at supermarkets and of course on the internet.

Health Benefits of Goji berry Tea:

Goji berries grow on an evergreen shrub found in temperate and subtropical regions in China, Mongolia and in the Himalayas in Tibet. They are in the nightshade (Solonaceae) family. Goji berries are usually found dried. They are shriveled red berries that look like red raisins.

Goji berry is a fruit popular in Tibet and the goji plant also grows in Mongolia and China, and probably in India and Thailand. The goji plant is known in China as wolfberry (Lycium berry). My understanding thus far is that goji berry and wolfberry are the same or similar, it's just that they grow in different parts of Asia. However, there seems to be confusion and disagreement on this matter. I have spoken to different raw material suppliers, and some say goji berry and wolfberry are the same fruit with different names, while others claim goji berry and wolfberry are slightly different since they grow in different parts of Asia.

Goji berries, also called wolfberries, have been grown in the Himalayan valley for hundreds of years. Traditional Chinese folk medicine uses them to cure a variety of ailments. Goji berries have also long been used in various Asian dishes as an ingredient or a garnish. Goji berry bushes grow to be one to three meters high . Because the berries are very delicate when on the plant, they cannot be picked by hand. Instead they are gently shaken from the vine.

Goji comes in many forms these days, including juice, goji bars, goji cream and goji capsules. An excellent tea can be made from goji leaves and goji flowers are decorative and beautiful. Through the internet or in stores, you can find the best goji products for you. Most people prefer to drink goji juice to get the benefits of goji in a delicious and a convenient form. But apparently goji is more than just a refreshing beverage. According to one website it is the "number one-rated, third party tested and validated, patent-pending, single focus functional health tonic designed to deliver you incredible health benefits." The very name of the website, www.beyoungnow.com, gives some idea of the extravagant benefits they are talking about.

Look & Feel Younger— Goji stimulates the release by the pituitary gland of human growth hormone (hGH), the youth hormone. The benefits of hGH are extensive and include reduction of body fat, better sleep, improved memory, accelerated healing, restored libido and a more youthful appearance.

Among Goji berry’s beneficial compounds is a category called phytochemicals. Flavonoids belong to this category of nutrients that are extremely high in antioxidants including quercetin, anthocyanadins and antocyanins. Bioflavonoids are essential to the absorption and utilization of other nutrients, especially vitamin C.

Get Better Sleep— Goji has been historically used in Asia for the natural treatment of insomnia. In several medical study groups with elderly people, nearly all patients taking goji reported better quality of sleep.

Goji berries nutrition benefits add a double bonus to goji berries diabetes control benefits and make goji berries diabetes control far superior to diabetes control through medications which can have dangerous side effects and lack all of the Tibetan goji berries nutrition benefits such as goji berries antioxidants and vitamins, fiber and the like.

Improvement of the quality of sleep. Goji has long been used throughout Asia by people with occasional sleep disturbance. In several medical study groups with elderly people, nearly all individuals taking Goji Berries reported better quality of sleep.