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If you’ve ever poured hot water over a tea bag, you’ve made an infusion. Prefer non-caffeinated teas? Those are usually herbal. Herbal infusions are everywhere in the world, widely considered a type of tea. Also known as a tisane in the UK and US, herbal infusions are most often enjoyed as a daily drink. Did you know herbs have also been infused to make medicine for thousands of years?
In this post, you’ll learn all about Herbal Infusions – how to make them, best practices of drinking them and a brief history of herbal infusions and tea.
First, what is an herbal infusion?
The simplest definition of an herbal infusion is hot water poured over dried herbs which is then consumed for pleasure or for specific purpose. Usually, the herbs are left to steep and infuse the water with their properties and volatile oils for several minutes, then enjoyed hot, room temperature or even over ice.
Culturally, this concept of herbal infusion is often paired with tea: brewing tea, steeping tea, herbal tea, caffeine-free tea. Herbal infusions do not usually contain the Camellia sinensis leaf, which is grown around the world and processed in different ways to create white, green, oolong, and black teas.
Herbal infusions can be made from single herbs or blends formulated for flavor, effect, or medicinal purposes like our Health Tonics. Infusions are one of the easiest and most accessible ways to take herbs, and often taste the best! This mild method extracts the properties and flavors of the herbs without strong solvents like oil or alcohol. Even children can enjoy herbal infusions!
How to make an herbal infusion?
1. Boil a pot of clean drinking water.- Purified water is the best choice for allowing the taste of the herbs to come through.
- Boil only as much water as you need to preserve time and energy.
- For a single serving, usually 1 teaspoon or so of herbs to one cup (8 oz) of water is the general recommendation.
- For a pot, a handful of herbs to a quart (32 oz) or more of water will suffice.
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Loose measurements are fine for most herbal infusion scenarios, but when working with strong medicinal herbs with side effects, it’s better to be more precise and follow the recommended dosage.
- For tea and infusion connoisseurs, Harney & Sons has specific temperature guidelines for herbal tea.
- For a more potent steep, keep your herbs covered during the duration of the infusion.
- For pungent herbs that bring a kick of spice – like cinnamon in the Liver Tonic and ginger in the Women’s Warming Tonic – be careful not to forget to take the herbs out! When your infusion is too spicy, you can cut it by adding sugar or jaggery.
5. Enjoy your herbal infusion!
- Make a pot and enjoy throughout the day
- Infuse and enjoy chilled or over ice – we love to do this with our cooling tonics like the Kidney Tonic, Women’s Cooling Tonic and the Nervous System Tonic.
How do I strain herbal tea without a tea strainer?
The strainer or french press allows for a clean cup of tea without any floating herb leaves and pieces. You can also infuse the herbs in a teapot and strain when pouring it into your cup. Paper tea bags are a much more convenient option when on the go - make sure to get non-bleached tea bags!
If you don’t have any of these items in your kitchen, don’t worry. There are many ways to infuse your herbs and your loose leaf tea without them!
- Use a paper coffee filter as a tea bag
- Make a folded paper towel strainer
- Using a kitchen sieve
- Pouring your infusion into a clean cup (using the cup or a spoon as a barrier)
- Using a slotted spoon or a fork
- Or simply letting all the tea leaves settle and enjoying it
Best Practices for Drinking Herbal Infusions
- Don’t let your infusion sit out at room temperature for more than a day - the taste will go stale.
- Re-use your herbs: Steep the herbs first for 5-7 minutes then when you’re ready for a second cup, pour more fresh boiling water over your herbs and let sit 15-20 minutes.
- If your infusion has cooling or warming properties, be mindful of when you’re drinking it. Don’t drink warming tea that is spicy during a hot afternoon! Take into consideration the purpose of the formula you’re drinking… Ayurveda teas are often formulated to balance the body not merely to taste good.
In short…
Medicinal herbal infusions are easy to make, pleasant to drink, and a gentle yet direct delivery of the properties of many different herbs. To make an herbal infusion, one simply pours hot water over herbs.
We prepare our Ayurveda herbal infusions to be easy and accessible for everyone looking to drink something to support their daily heath, habits and lifestyle. Each blend is formulated with purpose, balance and harmony in mind. Ready to make your own? Shop now.
Want to learn more about the ancient Indian medicine of Ayurveda? Read all about it in our introductory post to Ayurveda here.