I'm up late, I'm tired, and I still have shit to do before class tomorrow. However can I stay up late enough to finish this term paper without crashing on caffeine mere hours later?
I know! Devil's Brew™!
Here's the plan: come spring time, I'm going to go out and harvest some tender Devil's Club (Oplopanax horridus) shoots and possibly roots, dry them, mix with yerba mate (I know I just published a post on the horrors of it but I'm still doing it) and dried blueberries (also harvested locally), and then enjoy.
But why Devil's Club, you ask? Why sir, let me enlighten you! Devil's Club is also sometimes called "Alaska Ginseng." You see where this is going. Devil's Club is related to the American Ginseng plant and has been used medicinally by Native Americans for quite some time. Supposedly it enhances mental clarity/ability and acts as a stimulant like ginseng is supposed to, though in reality Devil's Club hasn't been proven to do so. Still, there's no harm in trying, and it HAS been show to be effective in treating diabetes.
And why blueberries? Because Devil's Club tastes like shit.
I hope to post on a variety of local infusions and concoctions this summer, as I intend to harvest everything from nagoonberries to fireweed leaves. Being able to go out and harvest uniquely Alaskan (or west coast) plants and fruits is pretty neat—I'm able to create many things you could never find in a store. The above idea I've had milling around in my head for a while, but you can't use the Devil's Club shoots after that initial tender stage where the spines aren't hard yet, and I dropped the ball on getting them last spring. This spring will be different, but for now I need to sleep. No Devil's Brew for me (or term paper, thank goodness).
Showing posts with label Tisanes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tisanes. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
All About Mate (Yerba)
Man, I haven't posted in nearly 6 months. Kinda pathetic, eh? I'd make up some excuse about school and work keeping me too busy, but honestly it's just that I'm lazy. And maybe a little busy with work and school. I'm going to try to post semi-regularly again, but no guarantees (and CERTAINLY no set schedule!).
Anyway, a few years ago a drink called "yerba mate" burst into the mainstream and was touted as a miracle drink, with people claiming it provided a super-duper energy burst (with no ill effects) and that it was better for you than even green tea. I haven't seen it around so much lately, but many are still a little confused about how it stacks up to tea. I'll attempt to illuminate the world (or at least my readers--if any of you are left) below.
Yerba mate is a plant that grows in South America and is drunk in most of the countries there. I personally don't like it, as it tastes very vegetable-like and sort of grassy like green tea, but some people like that kind of thing. It's actually pretty nutritious and contains a lot of vitamins and minerals, as well as antioxidants and such (though just about EVERY plant contains antioxidants--antioxidants serve to protect the plant from the sun's rays). And because the people in South America are clearly still alive, mate can't be poisonous or toxic or anything.
Even more compelling is the fact that while yerba mate does contain a form of caffeine, it acts differently in the human body. It stimulates without making you jittery, as it affects muscle tissue moreso than the nervous system (which is what coffee and tea affects).
However, as far as containing more antioxidants than green tea (or more effective ones), mate falls short. It's good for you, but it's not green tea. I don't know how it stacks up to rooibos or black tea (there doesn't seem to be any literature), but green tea still reigns in that department. Also, yerba mate has been connected with several forms of cancer, including oral, esophageal, stomach, bladder, and lung cancers. There isn't any conclusive evidence to show that it actually causes these cancers, but I'd recommend enjoying it in moderation or abstaining completely from it until there's more data.
Other resources:
http://pixiemate.com/mate-studies.html
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/yerba-mate/AN01774
Anyway, a few years ago a drink called "yerba mate" burst into the mainstream and was touted as a miracle drink, with people claiming it provided a super-duper energy burst (with no ill effects) and that it was better for you than even green tea. I haven't seen it around so much lately, but many are still a little confused about how it stacks up to tea. I'll attempt to illuminate the world (or at least my readers--if any of you are left) below.
Yerba mate is a plant that grows in South America and is drunk in most of the countries there. I personally don't like it, as it tastes very vegetable-like and sort of grassy like green tea, but some people like that kind of thing. It's actually pretty nutritious and contains a lot of vitamins and minerals, as well as antioxidants and such (though just about EVERY plant contains antioxidants--antioxidants serve to protect the plant from the sun's rays). And because the people in South America are clearly still alive, mate can't be poisonous or toxic or anything.
Even more compelling is the fact that while yerba mate does contain a form of caffeine, it acts differently in the human body. It stimulates without making you jittery, as it affects muscle tissue moreso than the nervous system (which is what coffee and tea affects).
However, as far as containing more antioxidants than green tea (or more effective ones), mate falls short. It's good for you, but it's not green tea. I don't know how it stacks up to rooibos or black tea (there doesn't seem to be any literature), but green tea still reigns in that department. Also, yerba mate has been connected with several forms of cancer, including oral, esophageal, stomach, bladder, and lung cancers. There isn't any conclusive evidence to show that it actually causes these cancers, but I'd recommend enjoying it in moderation or abstaining completely from it until there's more data.
Other resources:
http://pixiemate.com/mate-studies.html
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/yerba-mate/AN01774
Monday, August 11, 2008
Herbals Teas & Tisanes
Many people enjoy "herbal tea," though this is a bit of a misnomer, as tea is a specific plant, Camellia sinensis. Herbal teas, more accurately, are called "tisanes," which is any kind of non-tea infusion of dried plant matter. Most do not confer the same health benefits as tea, although many have benefits of their own.
Many, such as peppermint, are often added to tea. Others such as rooibos and chamomile are typically made on their own. But like tea, care should be taken not to steep tisanes for too short or too long a time. Mint tisanes will become bitter and astringent like tea if oversteeped, while others like chamomile can become too strongly flavored to be pleasant.
One of the more popular ones, Rooibos, is often referred to as "red tea." Again, this is a misnomer, as Rooibos is an entirely different plant. As far as tisanes go, however, it's one of the more healthy ones. Rooibos has many of the same antioxidants as tea, as well as a few that tea doesn't have, although few studies have been performed on the efficacy of them.
If you drink tea for its health benefits, then you should stick to actual teas. There's nothing wrong with a good tisane, however, and if you enjoy the taste there's no reason not to have one.
Many, such as peppermint, are often added to tea. Others such as rooibos and chamomile are typically made on their own. But like tea, care should be taken not to steep tisanes for too short or too long a time. Mint tisanes will become bitter and astringent like tea if oversteeped, while others like chamomile can become too strongly flavored to be pleasant.
One of the more popular ones, Rooibos, is often referred to as "red tea." Again, this is a misnomer, as Rooibos is an entirely different plant. As far as tisanes go, however, it's one of the more healthy ones. Rooibos has many of the same antioxidants as tea, as well as a few that tea doesn't have, although few studies have been performed on the efficacy of them.
If you drink tea for its health benefits, then you should stick to actual teas. There's nothing wrong with a good tisane, however, and if you enjoy the taste there's no reason not to have one.
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