By Lisa Maliga, copyright 2023
In late 2021, I wrote about a special blend of antioxidant-rich tea I drink every morning. Since then, I’ve changed the blend a bit with another healthy addition – cumin seeds. These small seeds contain all your basic vitamins along with calcium, magnesium, and zinc.
I’d been drinking jasmine green tea with a twist of fresh lemon for many years. I revised my morning beverage back in 2020 due to the scare of the spring cold and flu season. Determined not to get sick, I looked up the most nutritious and beneficial herbs that could enhance my daily dose of goodness.
Blue butterfly pea is a tropical flower from Southeast Asia and India. It’s caffeine-free. Due to its color, it contains loads of antioxidants. Many attributes are listed such as how it’s supposed to help blood flow to the eyes, lowers blood sugar, and helps rejuvenate skin. I make no claims and just love the fact that it’s a vivid shade of royal blue and turns to royal purple when a squeeze of fresh lemon is added to the tea. The taste is very mild.
For flavor, hibiscus is my favorite. The aroma and taste are reminiscent of cranberries. As with most plants, there are different varieties and colors, but the most common is the vibrant red flower [Hibiscus rosa-sinensis]. Drinking these petals lowers high blood pressure and may assist in weight loss. I’ve also seen well-steeped hibiscus flowers used to condition and color hair. Found in Asia and the Pacific Islands, Hawaii, Mexico, Africa, India, and the warm regions of the United States. Like any tea, it can be served hot or cold.
Along with the flowers, the other ingredient is pine needles. Yes, they smell like a Christmas tree. They have that distinctive herbal taste but since mixed with hibiscus, the taste is lighter. Pine needles are abundant in vitamin C, so they’re the perfect addition to this healthy combination which boosts your immune system. They are also rich in suramin, which may prevent blood clots. It might even help when being around those who’ve taken experimental injections and may be shedding spike proteins.
Another benefit from pine needle tea may be improved eyesight and intuition. Think of how the words pine needle and pineal are similar. The pineal gland is your third eye and when it’s open, your intuition and creativity flows.
Also, pine needles can be very easy to find if you have certain types of pine trees in your area. In America, the most common are the Eastern White Pine, the Scotch pine and red pine. Pine tree needles from tops of mountains and hills are considered better than those at lower altitudes. You shouldn’t gather the needles if near a road or street as they’ll contain pollution.
Yew, ponderosa, and Norfolk pine are NOT recommended for consumption. It’s also advisable to avoid drinking pine needle tea if pregnant. To find the right type of pine needles in your area, contact a botanist or consult with someone who knows how to identify edible plants. This is also helpful if you live in areas where blue butterfly pea flowers and hibiscus flowers grow. Both lovely flowers can be brewed in fresh or dried form.
For a sweetener, I use fresh lemons. As most of you know, lemons are renowned for their high concentration of vitamin C. The colors I drink every morning include bright red, forest green, jet black, royal blue and sunshine yellow.
Here’s a video showing the ingredients used in making my morning cuppa tea. It’s so simple to make that you don’t need to use a measuring spoon.
Product links:
Blue Butterfly Pea Tea [dried flowers] https://amzn.to/310BoAM
Blue Butterfly Pea Tea [powder] https://amzn.to/3CTrTQH
Hibiscus flowers, [dried] https://amzn.to/3DPe0nY
Hibiscus flowers, [tea bags] https://amzn.to/32yZNxQ
Pine needles [tea bags] https://amzn.to/3HTfWOC
Jasmine green tea bags https://amzn.to/310DzEs
Jasmine green tea bags [Twinings] https://amzn.to/3H7vFv9
Jasmine loose leaf tea https://amzn.to/3Xxor97
Black seed, [cumin] https://amzn.to/3GGbjrG
Electric kettle https://amzn.to/3iDpxkU
lisa maliga 