Flowers and plants also have magical power.
Ma Jianing is the general manager of a company that imports herbal tea as an agent in Beijing. According to him, herbal tea originated in Europe and has been recorded since ancient Egypt and Rome, and it has been integrated into the daily life of Europeans for a long time. Flowers and plants can be found in drinks, cakes, cooking, bath products, cosmetics or aromatherapy. Ma Jianing said that coffee and black tea once accounted for more than 70% of global beverage sales, but now the proportion of these two mainstream beverages is declining year by year, and many of them are divided between mineral water and herbal tea.
What magic does herbal tea have to make Americans who are used to drinking coffee and Britons who drink black tea change their habits and drink herbal tea instead? Ma Jianing introduced that caffeine-free, vitamin C-rich and health-care effects are the three major factors that attract Europeans and Americans. For example, mint leaves and chamomile have the effects of strengthening stomach and sleeping respectively, and are regarded as a medicine. Therefore, only pharmacies existed in Germany a few decades ago, and then it was opened in supermarkets and other general markets, and the market for herbal tea was officially opened. Orientals have studied the curative effect of plants since ancient times, so it is easier to accept herbal tea. For example, herbal tea is quite popular in Japan, and lavender grown in Hokkaido is also famous internationally, which can be compared with lavender grown in Provence, France and Australia.
However, herbal tea originated in Germany. At present, the quality and quantity of herbal tea in the world are also the first in Germany and France. There are strict legal restrictions on the planting and harvesting of flowers. No matter the use of pesticides, genetic improvement, metal residue inspection and harvesting specifications, they must meet the requirements before they can be sold abroad. Therefore, consumers can find that the price gap of herbal tea is very large, and the origin and organic cultivation are the key factors. Ma Jianing suggested that consumers should go to pharmacies, tea shops and shopping malls to buy herbal tea.
Herbal tea needs a unique tea ceremony.
Herbal tea, half for tasting and half for appreciation, can't be put in a crock. When making tea, it is best to choose a transparent glass pot. It is also a pleasure to watch the crystal-clear tea leaves dyed red and discolored by petals. In the process of brewing herbal tea, the temperature should be slightly higher than that of ordinary tea. Because tea leaves are generally kneaded during processing, herbal tea is generally dried first and then dried, but crystal utensils should be carefully selected. In addition, in autumn and winter, adding one or two slices of ginger and some honey at the same time is not only delicious, but also beneficial to the body.
It should be noted that under the premise of brewing the flavor of tea soup, the brewing temperature should not be high as far as possible, because some effective active substances in tea, such as polyphenols and flavonoids, will decompose at high temperature and destroy the efficacy. Generally speaking, the higher the brewing temperature, the heavier the bitterness in tea, and a little orange juice and honey can be added to alleviate the bitterness. Of course, if you like something heavy, you can also cook it.
If you want to drink herbal tea with compound flavor, don't put too many varieties at a time, usually three or four kinds are enough. Don't put it too much and too messy, which will affect the appearance and taste.
Herbal tea formula is open.
Lose weight: roses, chamomile and mint can make you look great.
Eliminate feces: roses, lemongrass
Decomposition of body fat, beauty, menstruation: oolong tea, roses.
Body shaping and lipid lowering: lemon grass and bodhi.
Runchang laxative, improve endocrine disorders: rose, jasmine, oolong tea.
Promote blood circulation, eliminate water retention in muscle tissue and remove oil: rose.
Treatment of acne and dark spots: roses and jasmine can make skin smooth.
Whitening: rose, mint
Have a good sleep and cure a headache: chamomile, lavender and rose.
Good complexion, eliminate intraocular pressure: rose, chamomile
Hangover: lavender, violet and mint.
Headache: chamomile, rosemary, lavender, rose.
Stomach ache: chamomile, mint, jasmine
Cough: violet, mint, Ophiopogon japonicus, boat-fruited Sterculia.
Rosemary, chamomile and mint.
Strengthening the liver and relieving fatigue: rose, osmanthus and jasmine
Relieve stress: rose, bodhi, lavender, mint
Increase renal function: jasmine, rose, mint, medlar.
Improve constipation symptoms, detoxify and whiten: chamomile, violet and cassia seed.
Flowers and plants drink healthy.
The most important thing of herbal tea is collocation. Mastering the characteristics of flowers and plants combined with creativity can not only preserve health, but also give people a good mood.
Liu, a pharmacist in charge of the project in Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, said that compound herbal tea is basically a combination of a single flower and plants with different functions, and there is no specific proportion. Mainly based on personal preference for various flowers and plants, as long as flowers and plants with conflicting functions are not put together.
For example, chrysanthemum can nourish liver and kidney and improve eyesight; Chrysanthemum indicum has the best effect of clearing away heat and toxic materials; Peppermint leaves have the effects of dispelling wind and clearing heat, diuresis and waking up, but pregnant women can't take them; Roses can clear away heat and relieve summer heat, harmonize the stomach and lower blood pressure; Osmanthus fragrans can warm the stomach and can be drunk when the stomach is cold and bloating; Lemon slices can soothe the liver and remove blood stasis; Lotus seed core can clear the heart; The effective components of Flos Lonicerae are chlorogenic acid and isochlorogenic acid, which have the functions of clearing away heat and toxic materials, enhancing immunity and resisting fatigue. Jasmine is warm, and can regulate qi and neutralize it; Violet can relieve hangover, clear liver, eliminate halitosis, cough, headache, tonsillitis and bronchitis.
At the same time, Liu Ye reminded consumers who love to drink herbal tea that Ginkgo biloba leaves should not be eaten raw or drunk, because raw Ginkgo biloba leaves contain other ingredients and have side effects on the human body.
How to distinguish the quality of herbal tea, Liu introduced: the fresh color and complete particles indicate that the product is fresh, the factory quality is not bad, the taste is top-grade, there is no sour taste, and it is easy to enter the throat without adding sugar. It is suggested that novices can add some rock sugar. If they get used to it, they don't need to add sugar. They can directly taste the rich and multi-layered taste of herbal tea, which is also the healthiest and natural way to drink.
How to be a flower protector
The fresher the herbal tea, the better. In addition to the shelf life at the time of purchase, special attention should be paid to the preservation method after purchase to avoid expiration or moisture deterioration. The following points are what you must pay attention to as a "flower protector":
First, make sure it is sealed. Whether you put it in a bag or a sealed jar, remember to seal the mouth of the bag or jar to avoid getting wet.
Second, put it in a cool and dry place. Light, moisture and temperature can easily deteriorate herbal tea, so it should be stored in a dry and cool place.
Third, when eating slowly, be sure to put it in the refrigerator. If a purchase takes a long time to run out, it is best to put it in the refrigerator to extend the shelf life.
Fourth, pay attention to the invasion of insects. Some herbal teas will appear bugs if they are kept for a long time. They are eggs attached to herbal tea and will hatch automatically. These bugs don't interfere with drinking tea. On the contrary, because of the appearance of insects, it is proved that herbal tea is more comfortable to drink without spraying pesticides.