Contents
- Properties of currant tea
- What is useful tea with currant leaves
- Is it possible to tea with currant leaf during pregnancy and breastfeeding
- When to collect currant leaves for tea
- Rules for harvesting currant leaves for tea
- How to brew currant leaves
- Currant Leaf Tea Recipes
- How to drink tea with blackcurrant leaves
- Harm of tea from currant leaves
- Conclusion
Currant leaf tea is a very tasty and healthy drink. Due to the presence of many vitamins in the composition, tea helps to improve well-being, but in order to benefit from it, you need to know more about the properties of currant leaves.
Properties of currant tea
The benefits and harms of currant tea are very diverse due to the rich chemical composition of currant leaves. Leaf tea contains:
- essential oils;
- vitamins C and B;
- carotene and vitamin E;
- vitamin K1 and nicotinic acid PP;
- a large amount of potassium, iron, manganese;
- fluorine and zinc;
- sodium;
- tannins;
- antioxidants and phytoncides;
- fiber and organic acids;
- pectins and natural sugars.
Due to this composition, currant leaf tea has pronounced anti-inflammatory properties. It helps fight infectious processes in the body, relieves irritation of the mucous membranes and allows you to quickly deal with viruses.
Tea has strong anti-aging properties. It is useful to use it to preserve youth and vigor, the drink increases endurance and has a beneficial effect on the condition of the skin and hair. The anti-cancer properties of currant tea are known, the drink promotes cell renewal and prevents the development of oncological tumors.
What is useful tea with currant leaves
The beneficial properties of blackcurrant tea can be listed for quite some time, but the main positive effect is that the drink:
- helps to quickly cope with viral infections and colds, bronchitis and tonsillitis, flu;
- increases immune resistance and generally reduces susceptibility to colds;
- helps to cope with beriberi and anemia, is of great benefit as a restorative drink after serious illnesses;
- improves the condition of blood vessels and protects the heart system from the development of diseases;
- helps lower blood pressure in hypertension and lowers the risk of strokes;
- protects against atherosclerosis and lowers cholesterol;
- relieves inflammation of the genitourinary system, drinking currant tea is useful for nephritis, cystitis, sand in the kidneys, with frequent edema;
- eliminates discomfort with gout and rheumatism, as it removes deposits of uric acid from the joints;
- improves digestion and helps regulate appetite.
Taking tea on currant leaves is useful for those prone to diabetes. It is also recommended to drink a medicinal drink for nervous disorders – currant herbal brew helps to normalize sleep and even out the emotional background.
Is it possible to tea with currant leaf during pregnancy and breastfeeding
Currant tea during pregnancy is not prohibited for use, you can still drink it, it will be beneficial. The drink will help get rid of edema, often occurring in pregnant women, and reduce nausea in the early stages of bearing a child. In addition, the vitamins contained in the tea will be valuable both for the woman and for the fetus developing in the womb.
As for the period of breastfeeding, currant tea should be introduced into the diet only a couple of months after childbirth. When using currant tea, a nursing mother needs to carefully monitor the reaction of the baby, if the baby has allergy symptoms, the drink will have to be abandoned.
When to collect currant leaves for tea
For medicinal purposes, currant leaves are harvested in late spring during the flowering period of the shrub. Usually it takes place in May, but in different regions the timing may vary. During flowering, the green parts of the currant contain the maximum amount of useful components, respectively, the leaves have the strongest healing properties.
It is important to remember that raw materials must be completely clean from an environmental point of view. Only shrubs that have grown far from roads and industrial enterprises are suitable for collection. Leaves should be plucked for tea brewing at least a month after the last insecticide treatment, immediately after spraying currants retain too many toxic chemicals.
Rules for harvesting currant leaves for tea
In order for the benefits of blackcurrant leaf tea to be fully manifested, the raw materials must be properly prepared. It is necessary to carry out the collection in dry and clear weather, and only whole and clean leaves without damage and suspicious spots should be plucked from the branches, the leaves must be completely healthy.
Currant leaves are dried in the fresh air in a natural way. Raw materials are laid out on a baking sheet or other surface and placed in a dry, shaded place. Leaves should not be exposed to the open sun, and leaves should not be dried in a draft.
Dried currant leaves retain their flavor best when subjected to home fermentation. This requires:
- fold the dried leaves into small piles of 5 leaves each;
- put the stacks in an enamel pan and cover it with a damp cloth;
- put the pan in a warm place for 12 hours.
After this time, the leaves are again transferred to a baking sheet and placed in a warm oven, heated to 100 ° C, until they dry completely.
How to brew currant leaves
There are a lot of recipes for brewing tea with currant leaves. But the basic and easiest recipe is as follows:
- dry leaves are crushed in the amount of 2 large spoons;
- raw materials are mixed with a large spoonful of black or green tea leaves;
- pour 200 ml of boiling water over the mixture and close the lid.
You need to insist the drink for at least 25 minutes so that the currant leaves have time to give off the maximum aroma and nutrients.
Currant Leaf Tea Recipes
On the basis of currant leaves, many options for healthy fragrant tea are prepared. Depending on the method of preparation and various additives, tea can have all sorts of healing properties and have a beneficial effect on the nervous, digestive and immune systems.
Classic currant tea
The simplest version of the drink is tea on currant leaves without additional ingredients. They do it like this:
- crush 1 large spoon of dried leaves;
- douse raw materials with boiling water;
- put currant tea in a small teapot and pour 500 ml of hot, freshly boiled water;
- cover with a lid and infuse for 15 minutes.
The finished drink is filtered through a strainer or folded gauze and drunk in the same way as ordinary tea, adding honey or sugar if desired.
Cold tea
In autumn and winter, tea from currant leaves with the addition of raspberries will be of great benefit. The drink will strengthen the immune resistance and relieve the symptoms of a cold. Tea is prepared as follows:
- dried currant and raspberry leaves are mixed in equal amounts, 1 small spoonful of raw materials each;
- the ingredients are poured with hot water and the container is closed with a lid;
- tea insist for 20 minutes, and then filtered.
Vitamins and organic acids in the composition of the leaves will help to quickly cope with the first signs of the disease or even prevent its occurrence. The healing properties of tea can enhance natural honey if you add it to the drink in the amount of 1 small spoon.
Soothing mint and lemon balm tea
Currant leaf tea has a beneficial effect on the nervous system and helps to improve sleep, as well as normalize the emotional background and cope with stress. During a period of strong psychological and mental stress, it is recommended to brew the following leaf-based drink:
- 2 small spoons of currant leaves are mixed with mint and lemon balm, they need to be taken 1 small spoon each;
- only half a teaspoon of ordinary black tea is added to the collection;
- useful mixture is poured with 2 cups of hot water and covered with a lid.
You need to insist the drink for 15 minutes. After that, the tea is filtered, optionally sugar or natural honey is added to it and drunk warm. The drink will bring special benefits if you take it a couple of hours before bedtime, currants in this case will help you relax, tune in to a relaxing holiday and fall asleep quickly.
How to drink tea with blackcurrant leaves
Currant leaves are quite safe for consumption. You can take drinks based on them in the same way as regular teas, in similar quantities and with the same frequency. It is best to drink tea warm some time after eating – the beneficial substances in it will be absorbed better.
Harm of tea from currant leaves
The benefits and harms of currant leaf tea are not always clear. Herbal raw materials have some contraindications, in the presence of which it is better to refrain from drinking tea. Contraindications include:
- individual allergy to blackcurrant or any substances present in the composition of the leaves;
- pancreatitis or gastric ulcer in the acute stage of the disease;
- gastritis with increased production of gastric juice, natural acids in herbal tea will irritate the mucous membranes;
- hepatitis and other severe liver diseases;
- tendency to varicose veins of the legs and thrombophlebitis;
- large stones in the kidneys – a diuretic drink can move the stones from their place and cause severe pain.
Currant tea is not recommended for young children, it is better to wait until the child reaches at least 3 years.
Conclusion
Currant leaf tea, when used correctly, has a beneficial effect on the body and improves health. But it is necessary to remember the daily norms of the drink and not to abuse the healing tea, otherwise its effect may be the opposite, and the currant leaves will be harmful.
