DIY Spice Tea Blend
October is here and that means it’s time for warming spices. Think the ubiquitous pumpkin spice mix cinnamon, cloves, ginger. I love pumpkin spice as much as the next gal, but I think you can level it up notch by making your own tea blend.
As the days get shorter an the earth cools as humans we have to adjust and acclimate to the change in temperature. That means our blood volume increase and we tend to put on a little “protective padding” to keep us warmer. However that transition can leave certain people feeling a little cold and spice tea is a great way to help a cold constitution warm up.
Why do warming spices make you feel warm? Spices like cinnamon and ginger, have a stimulating effect on blood flow. Ginger in particular increase blood circulation by inhibiting platelet aggregation, meaning it reduces the potential for blog clots that might slow down your circulation. Warming spices open up capillaries and bring blood into the surface of your skin like when you blush.
What are other reasons to drink a warming tea? Besides getting warm, this tea is also great for boosting digestion, reducing gas and is adaptogenic. The ginger aids in digestion, cinnamon is antimicrobial, cloves are a carminative along with cardamom. I’ve also added astralagus, which is an adapotengic herb that aids in supporting the immune system in times of stress or illness.
In my tea blend I don’t include any sweetening spices like fennel or anise because those are cooling herbs and I find if you need more sweetness than the cinnamon provides you can add a little raw honey.
Ingredients:
1 part dried ginger pieces
1 part cinnamon bark
1/2 part whole cloves
1/2 part cardamom pods
1/4 part black peppercorns
1 part rooibos tea
1/2 part astralugus root pieces (optional)
1 airtight container (such as a mason jar with a tight fitting lid)
Directions for Mixing
You’ll notice I did not include exact measurements, but parts. The reason for this is that you may wish to increase the size of your batch and using parts is a very easy way to do that. You simply pick a measuring device, like a tablespoon or 1/2 cup measuring cup and then use that to measure out the ingredients. For example I typically use a 1/4 cup measure and ignore the 1/4 part.
Start by gathering all your tools and ingredients. In a medium size bowl add all of the ingredients. Mix well to combine and then carefully poor into your airtight container and label.
Brewing it Up
So you want to drink the tea you just mixed up? It’s super easy. Whole spice, roots and barks are best prepared as a decoction as they take a while to release all their medicinal constituents. Unlike leafy herbaceous teas that need only a short infusion time.
If you would like to make just a cup of tea simply put a bit more than 8 oz of water in small pan (to allow for some evaporation) and bring to a boil. Add a tablespoon of the tea and lower to a simmer and simmer for at least 10-15 minutes. After that time, turn off the heat and let it cool for a few minutes before straining and serving. Drink it straight or add the milk of your choice.
If you try this recipe please let me know how you liked it down in the comments.
