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What
other teas are healthful to drink in addition to green tea?
There
are many other healthful drinks made from herbs that contribute healthful
phytochemicals along with the simple pleasure of their consumption.
Some of my favorites come from recipes developed by Carol Coughlin,
RD, and are reprinted by permission from her and Food
and Health Communication, Inc.
Rosemary
Sprigs of rosemary were considered a love charm, a sign of remembrance,
and a way to ward off the plague. Now rosemary is valued for its phytochemical
rosmarinic acid that is a potent antioxidant.
Rosemary
Lemon Tea
1 tsp. rosemary
1 cup water
1 slice lemon
Add the rosemary to 1 cup of boiling water; add the lemon slice and
allowing it to steep in a covered container for ten minutes.
Basil
This popular member of the mint family is generally found tossed into
tomato sauce or pounded into pesto. Basil contains some antimicrobial
compounds that may help inhibit the growth of disease causing bacteria.
As a tea it is best combined with tomato. Try this soothing drink on
a cold winter's day.
Basil
Tomato Tea
1/4 tsp. basil
Dash garlic powder
1/2 cup low sodium tomato juice
1/2 cup vegetable broth
Heat the basil and garlic in the vegetable broth until boiling. This
can be done in one minute in the microwave. Add tomato juice.
Cloves
The clove is the unopened bud of the clove tree. The word clove is derived
from the Latin clavus, for nail. Oil from cloves has many medicinal
uses from an antibacterial mouthwash to a treatment for toothaches.
They may even have an additional role in glucose metabolism. Cloves
are strong; a little goes a very long way. Try this spicy tea to relax
after a long day or as a mid afternoon savory way to get some calcium!
Spiced
Tea Latte
1 cup skim or calcium-fortified soy milk
Pinch each: cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves
1/2 tsp. sugar
1 tea bag
Place milk, spices and sugar together in a coffee mug and stir well.
Add the tea bag and microwave on medium power until hot, about 2 minutes.
Allow to steep for a few minutes, discard tea bag and serve.
Bay
Leaves
While the champions of the first Olympic games were awarded garlands
made of bay leaves you may wish to reward your family with a hot broth
made with bay after your Family Winter Olympic events such as sledding.
Broth
Bay Drink
To make a broth drink with bay, you need to cook it a while because
it takes time for the flavor to permeate the food. Bay leaves should
be removed before serving as several cases of bay leaves causing internal
damage to people who swallowed them have been reported.
Vegetable
Broth
OK, most of us don't think of broth as tea but really it is in the sense
that herbal tea is simply herbs steeped or boiled in water. A savory
broth is a version of tea and is a warming, soothing drink. A cup of
broth served with warm bread or crackers makes a great snack. Try it
as a beverage for lunch with a sandwich.
3
quarts water
2 onions, sliced
2 cloves garlic
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp. thyme
1/4 tsp. rosemary
1 stalk celery
Combine all ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer
and cook for 1 hour. Remove bay leaf and celery stalk before serving.
You can make a batch of stock and freeze in one cup containers. Simply
microwave and drink!
By
Carol M. Coughlin, RD, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Dietetic
Association.
Reference:
Herbal information and Spiced Tea Latte recipe from Eat Your Herbs by
Carol M. Coughlin, RD 1999 Copyright Food & Health Communications Inc.
http://www.foodandhealth.com/herb.htm.
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These questions and answers
are intended to be of a general informative nature. Please consult with
the Registered Dietitian in your cancer center or your health care provider
for nutritional advice that can be individualized to your specific medical
condition.
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