Can lavender be brewed into tea? Lavender tea drinking: benefits and recipes of lavender tea

30.04.2022

Lavender is native to Spain and France. Scientists distinguish 25 species of this plant. But only a few of them are used. Basically, it is broad-leaved and narrow-leaved lavender. Angustifolia is also sometimes called medicinal. It is this species that can be found in the middle part of Russia, since it is less thermophilic.

How to grow lavender

Growing lavender on your own is not difficult. It will grow in any soil, will not disappear during drought, but is very thermophilic. This plant will grow best in loose soil. Make sure that the place where the lavender grows is well lit by the sun. The soil should contain earth, sand and humus. The distance between individual seedlings should be about 40 cm. It is necessary to lower the seedlings into the soil to a depth of no more than 30 cm. Lavender is propagated mainly by cuttings. But sometimes seeds.

It is best to sow lavender seeds in early spring. If you want to plant seedlings, then the ideal time for this would be mid-summer. Cuttings must be cut in the fall before the onset of frost. You can also do this in early spring. In order for the plant to survive the winter period, be sure to cover the cuttings. In the spring they should be cut off so that the bushes are updated. Lavender is a perennial plant. With proper care, it will grow for about 15-20 years. The best harvest falls on the 5-6th year of the plant's life.

Harvesting

It is very important to properly harvest and dry the lavender, otherwise it will lose its aromatic properties. It must be cut along with the stem. Do this as close to the end of the flowering period as possible. The stem contains lavender essential oil, so it must also be cut off. When harvesting, it is very important to catch the moment when the plant has almost faded. The calyxes of the flowers should have already withered, but the seeds should not begin to ripen. Collection is better to start in the morning or after noon, when the heat has passed.

It is recommended to dry together with the stems. Drying time - 14-30 days. Lavender must be connected in bunches and hung from top to bottom with flowers. The room must be clean and dry. Humidity in it should be low. The room must be well ventilated. Dried lavender is stored in linen bags in the form of bouquets. Individual flowers can be folded into a paper bag or glass container. Flowers can also be dried in the sun. Although they will become paler, they will not lose this usefulness.

How to purchase?

Dried lavender in the form of flowers and bouquets is sold at any time of the year. You can buy it at a pharmacy. There are also shops and websites that sell medicinal plants. A live plant can be bought from April to July.

Adding to tea

Is it possible to put the dried flowers of this plant in regular tea? Yes. They can be added to any tea. Mix lavender flowers in a separate jar with ordinary store-bought tea to be able to brew a drink at any time. You can add a few flowers just in a cup or in a teapot when brewing tea.

It is believed that lavender is best suited to taste with black tea. When brewing, all the beneficial properties that lavender carries in itself are preserved. The taste and aroma of such a drink will be very original.

This plant contains tannins and essential oils that have a calming effect on the nervous system. In addition, lavender can speed up wound healing.
The ancient Egyptians knew about the benefits of the plant and appreciated it. Nowadays, many use it in the fight against depression and stress.
Bath or tea with this plant relieves symptoms such as headache and nausea.
The person becomes calmer, sleeps better. To combat insomnia, a decoction of the flowers of the plant is well suited. Herbal tea will promote better bowel function, remove bile, activate the production of juice by the stomach.
With regular intake of infusion, the stool returns to normal and nausea disappears.
If you constantly drink tea with lavender, you can get rid of many health problems. At the same time, the work of the heart is normalized, menstrual pains go away, the immune system is strengthened, toothache is dulled. In addition, this drink is able to prevent the development of cancer, and relieve inflammation.

This is not the whole list of beneficial effects of tea. It is better to drink the drink warm before going to bed, especially if you suffer from insomnia and you need to calm your nerves. Tea should be drunk slowly. To properly prepare tea from lavender, you need to take 2 teaspoons of a dry plant in a glass of boiling water. Leave for at least 10 minutes. If you suffer from a cold, you can add a little honey to this drink. But, if you want to get rid of problems with the digestive system, then you should not add sweeteners. A glass of drink is divided into three parts and drunk throughout the day.

Lavender + Ivan tea

A field dotted with blooming lavender is an unforgettable sight. Also unforgettable is the taste of tea, which combines lavender and Ivan-tea. This drink not only has an excellent taste, but is also able to invigorate, and at the same time gives peace and satisfaction. By combining these two plants, as a result, you will get a fairly strong sedative effect.

This tea does not have any aggressive effect on the body. The components act gently without causing harm. It seems that nature created these plants precisely in order to calm the nerves.

It is not difficult to prepare a drink from these plants. Combine equal parts lavender and Ivan tea. Brew two tablespoons of the collection in a glass of water. Let the drink brew a little, after which you need to drink it in small sips.

Contraindications

Despite all the useful properties, be careful with this tea. Although lavender is a medicinal plant, its abuse can be harmful to health.

Irritation of the gastric mucosa may develop.
Allergic reactions in the form of headaches and nausea.
At low pressure, tea should be drunk with caution.
Pregnant women should not drink this tea as it may cause miscarriage or bleeding.
The drink is also contraindicated during chemotherapy.

But, if there are no contraindications, you can drink the drink regularly. It normalizes bowel function and perfectly calms the nerves.

How else is it used?

What other ways are there to use this plant?

Lavender flowers are used not only by traditional healers, but also by cosmetologists. Alcohol tinctures are prepared from them, which help to relieve inflammation of the mucous membranes.
It also treats snake bites.
If you have varicose veins, baths from a decoction of flowers will help. The broth is prepared in different ways. There are both simple and complex recipes. You can simply pour boiling water over the flowers and insist, or you can boil a little.
In aromatherapy, lavender is a popular stress reliever. Some people keep bags of grass in the closet to get rid of moths.
And superstitious people are sure that lavender is able to scare away evil spirits from them, and they carry it with them.

Video: 10 main properties of lavender oil

Maksimenko Tamara and Novikova Natalia, 4897

The homeland of lavender is the Mediterranean region of France and Spain.

About 25 plant species are known to science, but mainly two of them are cultivated: broad-leaved and narrow-leaved, which is also called medicinal. It is she, as less thermophilic, that is widespread in central Russia.

broad-leaved
dried lavender
Angustifolia Lavender Seeds

Can you grow your own

Growing your own lavender is easy.: it is absolutely undemanding to the soil, drought-resistant, loves warmth. Feels best in a well-lit area, in loose, well-draining soil. Such soil is prepared from earth, humus and sand. Seedlings are placed at a distance of forty centimeters from each other, lowering into the soil no deeper than thirty centimeters.

The plant is propagated by cuttings, less often by seeds. The best time for sowing seeds is considered early spring, and for planting seedlings in open ground - mid-summer. Cuttings are cut in early spring or autumn before the first frost. For the winter, lavender sprouts must be covered, otherwise the plant will freeze, and in the spring - carefully cut off to renew the bushes.

Lavender lives 15-20 years, but brings the best harvest in the fifth or sixth year of flowering.

Harvesting

In order for lavender not to lose its odor, you need to know how to properly collect and dry it. The plant is cut off towards the end of flowering along with the stem, in which essential oils are also present. It is important that it almost completely fades, at least half, or even three-quarters, and the cups wilted, but the seeds have not yet begun to ripen in them. It is better to harvest in the morning, when the dew has just subsided, or after the midday heat on a warm, sunny day.

Lavender is dried for two to four weeks along with the stems, collected in small bouquets and hung down with flowers. It is better to choose dry, clean and dark places for drying with good ventilation and low humidity. After the bouquets are packed in linen bags, and the flowers - in paper bags or glass jars, and stored away from light.

If you dry the flowers in the sun, they will fade, but they will not lose their medicinal properties.

How to purchase

Dried lavender flowers are sold all year round. You can buy them in specialized stores of medicinal herbs, in pharmacies, order on Internet sites. If we are talking about a living plant, then its season is short - from April to July-August.

Adding to tea

Can dried lavender flowers be added to store-bought tea? The answer to this question is yes, they can be added to any type of tea.

To do this, green or black tea leaves are mixed with flowers in a separate container and brewed as needed. Or add them directly at the time of brewing. However, it is believed that lavender sets off the taste of black tea most harmoniously. Such a drink retains all the medicinal properties of the flower itself. Herbal teas, which add lavender, have an interesting taste and aroma.

Benefits of lavender tea

Due to the fact that lavender contains essential oils with tannins, lavender tea perfectly soothes.
The healing properties of lavender are also known.
In ancient Egypt, this flower was highly valued. Its unique properties even now help to cope with severe stressful situations, depression. It is enough to take a bath with lavender flowers or drink tea, and nervous irritability, nausea.
A decoction of flowers.
Herbal tea with lavender, increases the production of gastric juice. If you regularly take such an infusion, then the stool normalizes and nausea disappears.

Regular intake of this tea:

reduces toothache
helps with acute inflammatory processes and does much more.

Lavender tea should be taken at night and warm if a sedative effect is needed. Drink slowly, in small sips.

lavender tea recipe

2 tsp dry crushed lavender pour a glass of boiling water, cover and leave for 10 minutes. Strain. With colds, you can sweeten with honey (but if you take it for digestive disorders, then you need to drink unsweetened tea). Drink three times a day for a third of a glass.

Lavender + Ivan tea

A beautiful flowering field of lavender is impossible to forget seeing at least once. Ivan-tea with lavender also has an unforgettably wonderful taste. On the one hand, it gives strength and vigor, and on the other hand, it fills the soul with calmness and benevolence.

The effect of combining two plants - Koporsky Ivan-tea (angut-leaved fireweed) and lavender - is to create a powerful sedative. The components of this drink gently affect the human body, while not causing him any harm. This is a gift from nature itself.

Koporye Ivan-tea with lavender is also very easy to brew:

1-2 tsp is taken. collection, pour a glass of boiling water. Infuse - 15-20 minutes or longer for greater saturation and aroma. Drink this tea slowly, enjoying, calming down and enjoying.

Contraindications

Use lavender tea with caution. Lavender is a medicinal plant with many beneficial properties, but its excessive use can do a lot of harm:

cause irritation of the gastric mucosa and even colic,
cause allergic reactions: nausea, vomiting, headache.
With caution, you need to drink tea with lavender at reduced pressure, and during pregnancy (in the first four months) and lactation, it is completely contraindicated.
There are also contraindications for those who take chemotherapy in the treatment of cancer.
In the first trimester of pregnancy, lavender can cause uterine contractions, bleeding, or miscarriage.

However, in the absence of pronounced contraindications, lavender tea can be drunk daily to normalize the work of the gastrointestinal tract or relieve tension before bedtime.

Other ways to use flowers

What else can dried lavender do for you? Its flowers have many uses in medicine and cosmetology.

Alcohol tinctures from lavender flowers are used to relieve external inflammation, with snake bites, and with redness of the mucous membranes.
Baths with decoction help with varicose veins and to relieve tension.

How to make such a decoction? There are many recipes, from the simplest to the most complex. You can simply pour the flowers with water and let it brew, or you can first stew on the fire.

Lavender is also used in aromatherapy to relieve tension.
Bags of dried flowers repel moths and give clothes a pleasant smell.
And superstitious people wear its inflorescences to scare away evil spirits.

If you are looking at lavender tea as a stress reliever, then you should watch this 16-minute video in which Elena Malysheva talks about other, unusual, ways to deal with stress.

With bright purple flowers and a characteristic aroma of summer, it is grown in various parts of the world: in the USA, Australia and the Mediterranean region of Europe. The plant has countless beneficial properties that are not lost in the case of making lavender tea.

From stress. With increased nervous excitability, tea with lavender helps well. It will calm and give strength to deal with stress, protect against depression and anxiety, and increase the cognitive abilities of the brain.
From a headache. Along with inhalations of essential oils, lavender drink is suitable for the treatment of headaches, especially those caused by nervous exhaustion, and premenstrual migraines. This is described in detail in Maud Grieve's book Modern Herbal Healing. The natural anti-spasmodic substances in tea relax the blood vessels and small muscles in the neck, head and around the eyes. A good way to get rid of eyelid twitching.
From insomnia. American and German scientists agree that lavender tea can improve the quality of sleep, relax and save you from insomnia.
For muscle spasms Lois White, author of Fundamentals of General Nursing, recommends using lavender tea. This property of the drink allows it to be used in the treatment of menstrual pain.
From digestive disorders. Discomfort in the stomach and intestines caused by the accumulation of gases responds well to treatment with lavender tea, as the drink has carminative properties. Italian scientists from Parma found that the active substances of the plant protect against stomach ulcers.
From nausea. Like ginger, lavender can relieve nausea associated with severe headaches. Have a cup of aromatic tea. It will reduce inflammation of the vagus nerve, which is responsible for migraines, nausea, and vomiting.

tea recipes

Classic lavender tea is prepared based on the ratio: 1-2 tbsp. l. dried flowers in a glass of boiling water. Brewing time is 10 to 15 minutes.
Concentrated lavender tea for topical use is made a little differently. You will need 5 tbsp. l. dried flowers in a glass of boiling water. Compresses soaked in this decoction are used to disinfect wounds and sores on the skin.

Harm and side effects

Any herbal tea can cause side effects.
An allergic reaction to lavender tea is manifested in the form of a rash, headaches, nausea, vomiting, and chills.
Pregnant and lactating women, as well as children, is contraindicated.
In large quantities, lavender tea can cause indigestion, most often abdominal cramps or colic.
There is a possibility of a negative interaction of the active substances in the composition of lavender with other herbs, medicines and nutritional supplements. Remember this!

Lavender is a fragrant, lilac-colored flowering plant that is widely used for perfumery and medicinal purposes. In addition to aesthetic and aromatic properties, this flower is used in many traditional medicine recipes. Also, on its basis, a delicious and healthy lavender tea is prepared. What are the benefits and harms of lavender tea? How to cook it properly?

Positive properties

The benefits of lavender tea are obvious, it has a calming and relaxing effect, so it is used in such cases:

With frequent stress, a fragrant drink is able to calm the nervous system, relieves excessive aggression and irritability. Effective as a prevention of depression and increased anxiety.
For any type of headache. In addition, lavender contains substances that relieve spasms, so this drink will be useful for nervous tics.
With insomnia, which can be caused by both nervous disorders and simple anxiety during a hard day.
With premenstrual syndrome, hormonal changes in the body and weight loss.
For problems with the digestive system as an effective carminative.
With problems with high blood pressure, which can be caused by stressful situations or diseases of the heart and blood vessels of the body.
With colds and flu, tea has an immunomodulatory property, which is important for a speedy recovery.

Such tea has a calming effect not only due to the chemical composition, but also because of the aroma, which sets a person to a calm rhythm.

Negative sides

Lavender is considered a medicinal plant, and therefore, in addition to useful properties, it also has contraindications:

can not be used with low blood pressure;
during pregnancy, lavender tea is also not recommended;
lactation period;
age up to 10 years;
in a volume of more than 0.5 liters per day, as it can cause severe abdominal pain.

In addition, it is important not to drink tea with individual intolerance.

Collection and preparation of raw materials

The plant grows well in warm climates that are not subject to sudden changes in air temperature. Lavender for tea can be prepared independently if it is available in the region of residence. To do this, remember some points:

the collection of raw materials is carried out in July or August, always in the morning, when the flowers bloom;
drying is done naturally, by hanging small bunches of lavender. It is strictly forbidden to use thermal methods of drying, as the plant loses all useful properties;
carefully dried inflorescences are packed in hermetically sealed storage containers.

No need to be upset if there is nowhere to harvest lavender. You can buy ready-made lavender tea in Moscow or any other region. Or you can buy dried flowers in a pharmacy and prepare a fragrant drink yourself.

Black tea with hibiscus and lavender

Lilac flowers can be brewed both as an independent drink and in combination with other components. For one serving of tea you will need:

300 ml of liquid;
brewing black tea, the amount of which depends on personal preferences regarding the strength of the drink;
1 tsp without a hibiscus slide;
a pinch of lavender flowers.

In a teapot, you need to brew black tea and hibiscus for several minutes. Then lavender flowers are added. Ready lavender tea can be consumed with both sugar and honey.

Lavender and fennel drink

Recipes for lavender tea are multifaceted. One of the most popular weight loss remedies is fennel tea. For its preparation you need:

1 tsp fennel;
0.3 tsp lavender flowers;
0.5 l of liquid.

The ingredients must be poured with boiling water and infused for several minutes. It is recommended to consume without adding sugar or honey in small sips.

Chamomile tea with lavender

350 ml liquid;
1 tsp lavender;
1 tsp dried flowers of medicinal chamomile.

The herbal mixture should be brewed in a teapot for about 7 minutes. Then it is consumed in small sips. To improve the taste, you can add a spoonful of flower honey.

lavender syrup

This product has all the beneficial properties of a dried medicinal plant, but is quite multifunctional, as it can be added to various teas, cold drinks, pastries, ice cream. The following ingredients are required for its preparation:

180 ml of liquid;
250 grams of sugar;
3 art. l. lavender.

Cooking method:

In a small iron container, it is necessary to heat water.
Dissolve sugar in hot water while stirring the mixture with a spoon.
Then add lavender flowers.
Bring to a boil and cook for 7-10 minutes over low heat.

After cooling naturally, the flavoring has a shelf life of 1 month if refrigerated.

Tea with valerian

Such a drink will be useful for people who suffer from sleep disorders. The mild sedative effect of valerian and lavender will actively contribute to the normalization of sleep. To prepare a drink, the following components are needed:

1 st. l. dried lavender;
1 st. l. dried valerian;
700 ml liquid.

It is recommended to use a thermos for brewing this tea, since in this way you can extract all the beneficial substances from medicinal herbs. With the regular use of such a sedative drink, migraine is cured, neuroses and depressive states are eliminated.

Ivan tea and lavender

Cooking method:

1 tsp dried herb Ivan-tea;
1 tsp dried lavender flowers;
500 ml of water.

To obtain fragrant lavender tea, you need to mix the components and pour them with hot water. After 10 minutes, the infusion is ready for use. It is recommended to drink the drink slowly, enjoying the mild taste and relaxing.

lavender sugar

The purple plant has a rather bright aroma, so some flavoring additives can be prepared on its basis, which can then be used to make tea and various dishes. One such supplement is lavender sugar.

The cooking method is simple: you need 500 grams of granulated sugar and 4 tbsp. l. dried lavender. The components must be mixed and infused in an airtight container for 1 week. During this time, the plant will completely give up its flavor to the sugar. After that, the sand can be sifted and eaten.

Iced tea with lavender and peach

Such a drink is able not only to refresh in the summer heat, but also to calm the naughty nerves. For cooking, the following components are needed:

1.5 liters of water;
400 ml of ready-made lavender tea, pre-cooled;
4 sweet peaches;
70 g sugar syrup (you can use the lavender syrup from the recipe above).

The preparation of the drink is quite simple: you need to add syrup, ready-made tea and sliced \u200b\u200bpeaches to cold water. Then let the tea brew in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

Conclusion

The benefits of lavender tea are undeniable, but it should be treated with caution, as there are contraindications. However, even with excellent health, a fragrant and tasty drink can be consumed for your own pleasure.

To date, on the shelves of supermarkets you can observe a variety of different tea compositions: with different properties, taste, aroma. However, not all of them have the range of useful properties that lavender tea has.

Even the ancient healers noticed the healing effect of this drink, they often recommended it to patients as an additional help during therapy for most diseases. In ancient Rome, lavender flowers were also used in bathing - they were thrown into the font to rejuvenate the kodi and aromatize the baths.

In nature, the plant reaches a height of eighty centimeters, has medium-sized flower stalks, it is from them that lavender tea or decoction can be brewed. The natural habitat for culture is the Mediterranean of Spain and France.

Over time, the culture took root in North America, Africa, and in most parts of Europe. As a tea, lavender is used quite often, however, due to the fact that the plant contains tannin, bitterness, minerals, essential oil, the culture is popular in cosmetology. Lavender oil is part of most cosmetic products, perfumes. Lavender is also used to make medicines, for example, to treat gynecological problems.

Beneficial features

In addition to the fact that lavender tea is a fragrant and tasty drink, the plant is often used as an additional remedy in the treatment of diseases. The healing properties of tea or a decoction of lavender are manifested in such pathologies:

chronic stress;
migraine;
insomnia;
pain during menstruation;
indigestion;
arterial hypertension;
respiratory diseases;
body hyperthermia;
aggressive states.

Lavender flowers are used for chronic stress, anxiety, irritability. Also, a herbal drink is drunk in depressive states - it helps to improve overall well-being, reduces aggressiveness, and helps to concentrate. Traditional medicine uses a decoction to eliminate headaches - both a one-time case and migraine. At the same time, the decoction helps with headaches caused by nervous disorders. The plant has a calming effect on manifestations of a nervous tic.

Insomnia is a sign of a pathological nervous disorder, and not only sleep is disturbed, but also the general condition of a sick person. Doctors recommend drinking lavender tea every day, the benefits of which have been proven and there will be no harm from daily tea drinking. Arterial hypertension in some way is also one of the side symptoms of nervous strain or stress. In such cases, the use of decoctions in the morning and evening is recommended.

Lavender helps to cure respiratory diseases. In such cases, it increases immunity, reduces hyperthermia of the body. Herbal tea contributes to a general improvement in the condition, if aches, muscle pains are noted. Often, such a remedy is used to stabilize the hormonal background during puberty. However, in this case, the use should be strictly regulated in order to avoid overdose, which can lead to new hormonal disorders.

Contraindications and harm

The main circumstance implying a ban on the use of drinks, or any other drugs and products that contain a plant, is individual sensitivity. This may be intolerance to the essential oil or any other component that the culture contains. Signs that accompany allergies are nausea, rash, vomiting, headache, chills. Also, you should not use lavender tea in the following cases:

during pregnancy;
arterial hypotension;
when breastfeeding;
children under the age of ten;
in large quantities.

During pregnancy, the use of lavender for food or as a cosmetic product can cause side effects in the form of progressive toxicosis - up to loss of consciousness. In addition, tannin can provoke an abortion. When breastfeeding, lavender decoction will give mother's milk bitterness, which will provoke an allergic reaction in the child. In the best case, the refusal of the child from the breast.

Collection and storage

The plant should be cut only during flowering, while it is important that more than half of the opened peduncles are recorded on the inflorescence in full disclosure. This is not only a condition for obtaining the maximum amount of useful substances, but it will also allow you to subsequently receive a new flowering for the next harvest. The optimal time for collection is spring, when the flowering period has just begun.

Next, the lavender is collected from bunches. The size of one bunch should be such that the stems fit as freely as possible in the palm of your hand. When cutting a plant, an important rule must be observed - cut only green shoots, do not touch the woody part. For collection, you can use a pruner or garden knife. Do not harvest lavender before the dew has fallen - the stems must be slightly damp to preserve the oils.

When forming a bundle for further storage, it is necessary to remove all damaged or diseased parts of the plant. You can also dry lavender in bunches - hang it in a semi-dark, dry room or you can spread it out on a net in the open sun. Drying in the open sun will cause the flowers to fade, but this will not affect the quality. After drying the flowers, store the lavender inside a dark, ventilated room.

Lavender Tea Recipes

You can brew lavender as a tea by combining it with other tea varieties or adding medicinal plants to it. Based on the composition of the raw materials used, the positive effect of such herbal tea will also differ.

The first recipe is to combine. To do this, take water (250 ml), classic black tea (1 tsp), hibiscus color (0.5 tsp), three lavender branches, two teaspoons of sugar. Brewed for 15 minutes.
The second method involves the addition of fennel. This requires water (600 ml), fennel seeds - 0.5 teaspoon, half a teaspoon of a lavender flower. The seeds are fried in a dry frying pan, mixed with peduncles, poured with boiling water, left for 10 minutes.
The third method of brewing is the most versatile, as it involves the addition of chamomile as an auxiliary medicine. You should take one teaspoon of chamomile, one teaspoon of lavender flowers, pour boiling water (250 ml), leave for 10 minutes.

In conclusion, we suggest you watch an interesting video about the beneficial properties of lavender: