Tisane is a drink made by steeping plant materials like herbs, fruits, flowers, grains, nuts, or seeds in hot water. It is commonly referred to as herbal tea and is an infusion or decoction of fragrant herbs, barks, spices, or flowers of a plant. Tisanes can be categorized into different types based on their ingredients, such as leaf tisanes, flower tisanes, and fruit/berry tisanes.
Leaf Tisanes - Peppermint, chamomile, Moringa leaves, and lemon verbena are some of the commonly used ingredients for leaf-based tisanes. Ancient Egyptians often used dill and chamomile tisane for their high effectiveness in treating various disorders. Mint tisane is also a popular leaf tisane known for its soothing properties.
Flower Tisanes - The flowers of hibiscus and lavender are the regularly used common ingredients for flower-based tisanes. The herbal tea blend made with flower tisanes has a herbaceous and vegetal taste and not like perfume. The fragrance and aroma tend to be familiar, which usually amplifies the taste of the tisane tea, allowing a relaxing tone to set in with the first sip itself.
Fruit/Berry Tisanes - Fruit tisanes contain natural sweetness and are always free of caffeine. They include a mixture of spices, fruits, as well as herbs, and since olden times, it is made with a hibiscus base. The usual fruit pieces used as ingredients in fruit tisanes are raspberry leaf, and natural flavoring of cocoa and vanilla are usually utilized in making fruit or berry tisanes.
Tisanes can have positive effects on health, but it is important to note that the compounds in herbal tea are not inert, and the medical benefits such herbs provide come from their powerful chemical impacts. It is essential to check for product testing to ensure that the herbal tea meets legal requirements and the brands claims.
Here are some examples of tisanes with their ingredients:
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Organic Positively Tea Company, Hibiscus Tisane, Herbal Tea, Loose Leaf, 16 Ounce - Ingredients: 100% organic hibiscus.
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Adonis - Tisane Herbal Tea (Zhourat Blend), 3.57oz / 100g - Ingredients: Damask Rose, Linden, Primrose, Hawthorn Flower, Hollyhock, White Vervain, Chamomile, Ash Flower.
Remember to never use an aluminum pot or vessel to prepare tisane tea as aluminum is a highly reactive metal that could react with the ingredient present in your tisane tea and end up becoming an extremely toxic beverage. Before including tisanes in your daily diet, make sure to consult your doctor.
