Alvita

Hibiscus (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) is a shrubby, flowering tropical plant native to parts of North Africa and Southeast Asia. The deep red tea produced by hibiscus comes from the vibrant red flower buds that are harvested just prior to blossoming.

Hibiscus leaves, seeds, flowers and calyces have all been used in folk traditions for their beneficial properties. The calyces in particular are often used in perfumes and sachets, as well as ingredients in jams and jellies. Perhaps the most well known use of the hibiscus’s flowers and ruby red calyces is to brew tea that is beautifully rich in color and refreshingly tart in taste.

The practice of drinking Green Tea (Camellia sinensis) was brought to Japan by monks returning from their studies at the Zen monasteries of 12th century China. For them, tea functioned as an aid to meditation, as a health aid, and as a tool to propagate Zen. As the years went by, tea and the reason for drinking it changed, but it never went out of fashion. Today, Green Tea is one of the three major non-alcoholic beverages in the world. Green Tea is a typical non-fermented tea that is enjoyed by many and is immensely popular in Japan. It is utilized as both a daily beverage and as a healthful drink. Green Tea contains a rich natural source of polyphenols and bioflavonoids. Recent studies have identified the valuable active constituents of Green Tea and continue to review its historical uses.

Burdock (Arctium lappa) is native to Europe and Asia, and if allowed, can grow in almost any uncultivated space. It was used by India’s traditional Ayurvedics and by the early Chinese for its very valuable health properties. In addition to its healthful effects, the stalks make a delicate vegetable, similar in flavor to asparagus when boiled, and a pleasant salad when eaten raw with vinegar. Burdock is greatly cherished in the Orient, especially in Japan, where it is known as “Gobo”, and the root is used in everyday cooking. The name is a combination of bur, from the tenacious burrs, and dock, Old English referring to its large leaves. And, as its name suggests, it is a plant which bears seeds in big round bristly cones that stick to clothing and animal fur. Many modern-day herbalists continue to use Burdock for its health benefits.

A native of the coastal dunes of Florida and Texas, Saw Palmetto (Serenoa repens) has been an important food source for the local Indian populations. Native Americans have long consumed the fruit of this tree, harvested honey from its flowers, and the fanlike branches of this palm also made serviceable brooms. The palm-heart or terminal bud of the Saw Palmetto makes an excellent salad or cooked vegetable. In addition, all parts of the plant are known for their health properties, some of which were borrowed by European settlers. A number of recent studies suggest that extracts of the plant may be beneficial in the management of specific health concerns.

It would be hard to guess how long cats have known about Catnip (Nepeta cataria) but people have appreciated it for at least 2000 years. The plant was familiar to early Roman cooks and physicians and has long been part of people’s gardens and health repertoires. The plant was introduced to North America from Europe, where it quickly escaped from gardens and spread across the continent, to be used as native Indians and included in their inventory of useful plants. There is a good reason for its common name. The bruised foliage, whose odor has a strong mint-like aroma, stimulates cats and makes them “full of life”. It is often enjoyed as a tea for its soothing, relaxing benefits.

Spearmint (Mentha spicata) is one of the most common edible plants of the mint family. Spearmint is often used in cold drinks and juleps and to impart a delicate aroma to fruit salads, meats, new potatoes, peas, jelly, vinegar and sauces. In addition to the many traditional culinary uses for Spearmint, ingenious cooks have created some unusual delicacies. For example, Native Americans in New England would roast mint leaves then salt and eat them. They would also dry their meats in layers with mint leaves in between. Cosmetically, Spearmint can be used as a soothing bath herb, an ingredient for facial seams, and as an astringent for gently cleaning oily skin. Spearmint possesses properties similar to Peppermint, but is milder and more fragrant and is usually preferred over Peppermint by children.