Recent Reads - Herbal Teas

Hi buds! 🌱 Which book is teaching you about food, foraging, or fun this week? Share your latest discoveries in the comments below—I’d love to hear from you!

This past week, we challenged ourselves to disconnect from our phones for a whole day. In the evening, I grabbed a little book called Herbal Teas for Health & Healing by Ceres*. I bought it from Strong Nations a few years ago, but while I’ve flipped through it as a reference, I’d never actually read it cover to cover. Without distractions, I breezed through the entire pocket-sized volume in one sitting!

While I read through I took a few notes to dive into later.  The book, originally printed in 1984, has some fascinating tidbits, but as always, cross-checking is essential!

• The author is somewhat surprisingly anti-tea - haha! They believe that Camellia sinensis (the plant that gives us white, green, yellow, pu'er, oolong and black teas) is “not a wholly beneficial drink” due to the caffeine and tannins. (As an RD, I feel like I should revisit the current science-based evidence on this topic!). The author does think highly of fresh Maté tea (Ilex paraguariensis) though.
• Young birch leaves: High in Vitamin C (useful knowledge for anyone dealing with scurvy in northern communities!).
• Nettle tea: Relieves nettle stings (like cures like!) and soothes burns.
• Dandelion tea: Suggested for headaches and urinary health.
• Nasturtium tea (Tropaeolum majus): Has been used in place of antibiotics. (I wouldn’t recommend this, but the connection to watercress (Nasturtium officinale) was new to me—they both produce similar oils!)
• Garlic tea: 1 crushed clove steeped in ½ pint of boiling water for 10-15 minutes. Thought to reduce stress, blood pressure, and sore throats. (Chew parsley afterward to counter the breath!)
• Burdock tea: Considered great for general health. (I’ve cooked burdock before but need to try the tea soon!)
• Corn silk & Joe Pye: Noted urinary soothers/stimulants.
• Plantain tea: May help with tooth pain or abscesses.
• Bath infusions: ¼ lb of pine or rosemary steeped for 30 minutes makes a refreshing bath, but avoid using it before bed. For bedtime, substitute lavender.
• Sleepy teas: Chamomile, lime/linden flowers, hops, oat, and sage teas help with sleep and soothe nerves. Oats are also noted for calming headaches and nervous exhaustion.
• Interesting Advice: A Dr. Dorothy Shepherd used to recommend sneaking primrose or violet flowers into snacks or sandwiches for veggie-resistant kids.
• Ground elder: Used in spring tonic (might try this with the backyard patch!).
• Couch grass (Agropyron repens): Historically used for urinary issues and to “help the weary sleep”. Harvest in Spring, boil, and bottle as an extract to be used in water (1/2 - 2 tsp doses).
  • I believe this refers to Quackgrass, which currently is a bit too plentiful in our yard! But it seems to go by Elymus repens these days.

"Quackgrass, introduced from Eurasia and formerly known as Agropyron repens or Elytrigia repens, is one of the most common in the state and considered one of the most common weeds on the planet."

Want to read it yourself?

If you’d like your own copy and want to support Deep Woods Dietitian projects, please use this affiliate link, or, if possible, grab a copy from your local bookstore.

And remember, public libraries are always a fantastic resource—borrow a book and take it for a test drive! 😄

Let’s keep learning and growing together, buds! See you next week! 🌱

*Note: Please remember, just because something is in a book doesn’t make it true. Always cross-check with reliable references and consider the author’s credentials. This is especially important today, with reports of AI-generated books leading to harmful misinformation.

Not every author’s views will align with best dietetic practices. Please don’t assume I endorse any author fully—but do keep learning with an open and questioning mind!