WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TO PREPARE LOOSE HERBAL TEA

Very often, people who are used to preparing herbal teas and tea with tea bags are reluctant to try loose products, often due to time constraints, or perhaps because they are not sure about getting the timing and infusion methods right. In this article, we want to give you some tips and share simple precautions to help you become expert tasters.
First of all, let's clarify the difference between herbal tea, infusion, and decoction.

"Herbal tea" is a generic term that refers to a beverage with beneficial effects on the body (Ti- Sana). It is prepared with hot water that extracts the beneficial substances from dried plants left to infuse. The herbal tea can then be distinguished as a decoction or an infusion.

The "decoction" is a mixture of particularly hard or woody parts of plants that need to be brought to a boil and then left to infuse off the heat for the necessary time. To prepare it, you can use a teapot or a saucepan with a lid. The important thing is to always add twice the desired amount of water, as much will be lost during boiling. The filtered decoction can be kept for up to 12 hours, so we can prepare it in the morning for the day.

The "infusion" is prepared by immersing the dried plant in hot water, making sure it all comes into good contact with the water (you can use a teaspoon to stir). Cover, and let it infuse for the necessary time. An infusion is a mix of herbs or tender flowers, not too robust, that do not need boiling to release their substances.

Once you understand the difference between infusion and decoction, it will be easier to determine the infusion times for your mix. Often, we find barks, seeds, and fruits mixed with flowers and leaves; in this case, we need to see which component is predominant and find a compromise, perhaps bringing to a boil and filtering without leaving it to infuse further; or perhaps prolonging the infusion time in boiling water; for teas, however, it is good to know that just 2 minutes in hot water is enough to have the infusion ready. The beauty is experimenting and finding the right combination based on your own tastes!

To give you some guidelines, all our herbal teas include instructions for preparing them at home with a simple saucepan and a lid, also indicating the infusion times.
For enthusiasts, there are also many tools that accompany the ritual of herbal tea: teapots, cups with filters and lids, herbal tea mugs: Erbe Cilento offers a simple and practical portable SHERPA herbal tea mug that, in just a few simple steps, prepares a herbal tea ready to drink or take wherever you want. If you want to know more, visit our shop at the following link http://www.erbecilento.it/store/product/tisaniera-portatile-sherpa



Eleonora Zini
Pharmacist
Co-founder of Erbe Cilento