r/Herbaltea

I've been realizing just how different tea feels compared to coffee and I wish I'd made the switch sooner. Coffee always gave me that instant boost but looking back it also made me feel rushed and low key anxious without me even connecting the dots at first. My stomach was constantly irritated and bloated which I just accepted as normal for way too long because I didn't know any different. Has anyone else gone from being a heavy coffee drinker and ended up preferring tea? Since switching to lighter oolong teas especially the honey scented one, everything just feels steadier. My stomach is way calmer, the bloating has settled down, my energy through the day is more consistent rather than that spike and crash cycle and I've even started losing some weight. I've also been eating more protein and taking better care of myself overall so I know it's not one single thing  but cutting back on coffee was definitely a big part of it. It's one of those changes that felt small at the time but the difference has been pretty hard to ignore.

Not rhetorical, I actually want to understand this. I brewed a Dan Cong oolong this weekend and did 8 infusions off the same leaves. The first two were floral and almost sharp. By the fourth it had gone honey-sweet. The sixth tasted faintly like roasted something. The eighth was barely tea but also kind of beautiful.

The leaves were just… sitting there. In water. How is this happening chemically?

Maybe the ingredients can help to answer better so sharing this info: (I’ve been using Dofotea teas for this kind of experimenting. Their Phoenix Dancong range is quite dramatic for multi-infusion tasting.)

I’ve read vague stuff about “different compounds extracting at different rates” but if anyone has an actual explanation or a resource that goes deeper, I genuinely want to know. This is now the question my brain won’t let go of.

Hi there, my name is James. I am a massage therapist and currently in school for acupuncture and traditional Chinese herbal medicine. I have been using herbs and tea since I was a little kid at any time anybody got sick, I would say “you need some tea.”

Chinese medicine uses a wide variety of ingredients to make tangs or decoctions in English. It’s basically a broth. The formulas a get from school and make up myself have helped a lot through the rigors of grad school and work. So I use herbs as medicine and that knowledge informs what I drink for a morning and afternoon tea.

Chamomile is one of my favorite teas. It’s cool and slightly sweet, bitter (draining in TCM) and aromatic. In western herbal medicine it’s considered a nerve tonic and in Chinese herbal medicine it clears heat, moves qi and blood which alleviates pain and it also strengthens the liver and stomach and calms the shen (spirit/mind).

I have also recently been enjoying a blend of green tea with black tea for a relaxed but sustained boost of energy throughout the day. The flavors are slightly grassy from the green tea and malty from the back tea and I don’t feel like it needs any sweetener.

I’m excited to share what I’ve been learning in school and if I don’t know the something I’m more than willing to do some research to find some answers.

Mine is .... oh, come on, I don't have such! I've got a whole list of blends I love, love, love:

- Black tea with abundant thyme almost every morning

- Mountain tea with linden and a pinch of mint when I feel romantic and thoughtful

- Mint with mullein with ginger and long pepper when I have sore throat or simply want a warming effect

- Lavender with valerian root and mint when I need to calm dow

- Cardamom with lemongrass and some cinnamon and clove as a mood improver

- Rose petals in chamomile + lemon verbena before meditation

- Fenugreek + oatstraw + calendula (sometimes with turmeric) in the evening for overnight body detox

Etc, etc, etc 🪻🌸🏵🌿🍃☕️☕️☕️

Please share your tea secrets with the community

☕️🍃🤓

I like playing with words ;) But even more than that I like playing with different recipes, ingredients and infusion techniques. So that we could make a good teaM here, let's exchange some recipes, favorite or wish list ingredients, and ofc - infusion techniques.

I'll start:

I love lemon balm, linden, thyme, cinnamon, cardamom, long pepper, lavender, mint, fenugreek, lemongrass in my tea. Not only, but these are the most heavily consumed ingredients in my home and lab/office

As for the infusion techniques, I'm usually doing it a lazy way: hot water in French press pot, wait for about 10 mins and go. I know this is not the best one, but I am willing to learn!

I encourage you to share your gems and treasures with all comuunity members for they make more people happy! 🫶🍃☕️

I'm planning to create a tea blend for regular use. I am planning to use spearmint & raspberry leaf to support women's hormone health. I'd like to incorporate Linden for calm & anti-inflammatory.

Specifically I'd like to manage hormone dysregulation (pcos-like symptoms, not quite peri menopause), anxiety, stress, & inflammation (roseacea symptoms, acne). I'm also considering nettle, for my allergies.

Broadly I'd like things that can support overall sense of well being, without a high risk of negative side effects (e.g. st John's wort, Ashwaganda or something that you have to be cautious of toxicity with dosing).

Any other favorites for overall health, wellness, mental calm?

Hey everyone! I'm u/migraint, a new moderator of r/Herbaltea.

This is our new home for all things related to herbal tea, herbs for tea, techniques, rituals, etc. We're excited to have you join us!

What to Post

Post anything that you think the community would find interesting, helpful, or inspiring. Feel free to share your thoughts, photos, or questions about herbal tea in all its possible variations and versions.

Community Vibe

We're all about being friendly, constructive, and inclusive. Let's build a space where everyone feels comfortable sharing and connecting.

How to Get Started

1. Introduce yourself in the comments below or better in a post.

2. Post something TODAY! Even a simple question can spark a great conversation.

3. If you know someone who would love this community, invite them to join.

Thanks for being part of the very first rejuvenation wave. Together, let's make r/Herbaltea a comfort and knowledge space 🍃🫶.