Fresh Herbal Tea

This lovely herbal tea is perfect for using up fresh herbs you might have in your kitchen or garden. It's soothing and refreshing — and it tastes great, both hot and cold.

Fresh Herbal Tea (great hot or cold)

Info

Nutrition per serving
NutrientAmountRDA
Net Carbs2.5 g0.9%
of which Sugars0.7 g0.7%
Fibers1.2 g4.2%
Fats0.3 g0.4%
of which Saturates0.1 g0.5%
of which Omega 30 g2.1%
Proteins0.4 g0.9%
Calcium22 mg2.2%
Vitamin A5 mcg0.7%
Vitamin C13 mg17.3%
Iron0.5 mg3.5%
Potassium65 mg1.9%
Sodium2 mg0.1%
Cholesterol0 mg0%
Kcal14 0.7%
Macro split
  • net carbs 57%
  • sugars 15%
  • fats 6%
  • saturates 2%
  • proteins 10%
  • fibers 27%
*RDA based on a 2000 kcal diet;
**Nutritional data sources: USDA, food labels.
KCAL
14 per serving
TIME
15m
HEALTH

Today we want to show you how to make a soothing herbal tea using fresh herbs and simple ingredients you might already have in your kitchen or garden. It's a fragrant infusion that will help you feel at your best, thanks to its many health benefits.

Preparing tea from herbs is very easy and quite fun, as you can experiment with different flavour combinations every time.

For this recipe, we selected three herbs common in the Mediterranean diet: basil, rosemary, and mint. Then, we complemented the blend with fresh ginger root and lemon peel.

All you need to make this tea is a pan and strainer, but you could use a teapot with an incorporated infuser if you have it. Let the herbs simmer and infuse in hot water for at least 10 minutes before filtering them. You'll see the tea getting darker as more plant pigments leak from leaves into the water.

So by adjusting the infusion time, you can get a milder or stronger flavour to your liking.

This herbal tea has a lovely aroma that combines fresh, pungent, and peppery notes.

We chose mint, basil, and rosemary as they are some of the best herbs used to make herb tea. They're also very easy to find at the supermarket, to grow on a windowsill or in the back garden.

Moreover, we especially love them for their beneficial properties.

Mint is well known to aid digestion and ease irritable bowel syndrome symptoms[1], while basil and rosemary help control blood sugars [2].

Rosemary also has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial effects[3]. We paired these herbs with lemon peel for its high antioxidants and ginger root for its anti-nausea and powerful medicinal properties[4].

Basically, this tea is a great booster if you are feeling a bit down!

What we love about this recipe is that you can have the tea either hot or cold. So, brew a big batch of this herbal infusion and sip it throughout the day to stay hydrated and support your body.

It's also great as a soothing drink after lunch or dinner, maybe with an halva cube on the side.

And if you're looking for another healthful tea recipe, check out this caffeine-free Chinese tea with red dates and longans. It's sweet and delicate!

Ingredients

Adjustments
Serves
Measuring System
Fresh Rosemary Sprigs2
Fresh Basil Sprigs2
Fresh Ginger Root20 g
Lemon1
Fresh Mint Leaves4
Water1.3 L

Step 1

Pluck the rosemary and basil leaves off their sprigs.

Then, peel and chop the ginger. Peel the zest of the lemon as well, leaving behind the bitter white pith that's underneath.

Now, pour the given water into a pot and add the prepared rosemary, basil, ginger, and lemon, followed by the mint leaves.

fresh herbs in a pot of water with ginger and lemon peel

Step 2

Bring the water to a boil and then simmer the fresh herbs for 5 minutes over low heat.

Then, remove the pot from the hob and let the herbs infuse in the water for 5 more minutes.

If you want a stronger and darker infusion let the ingredients steep in water for an additional 5 minutes.

fresh herbs infusing in a pot of hot water

Step 3

Finally, pour the infusion into a teapot or serving cups filtering the herbs with a sieve.

You can enjoy this herbal tea either hot or cold.

filtered herbal tea in a cup

Tips

You can sweeten the tea with maple syrup or erythritol for a zero-calorie option.