Ivan-tea angustifolia (Chamerion angustifolium lat.) herbaceous perennial plant. Among the people, fireweed fireweed is known as: lurker, weeping tea, Koporsky tea, miller's tea, breadbox, queen cell or napkin.
- Family: fireweed (lat. Onagraceae).
- Homeland: are the expanses of Russia
- Stem: mostly erect, simple, round, often densely leafy.
- Leaves: simple, pointed towards the base with a wedge-shaped narrowing, sessile, alternate, with very short petioles. The edges of the leaves are glandular-toothed entire, have a shiny dark green hue above, and purple-red, bluish-green or pale pink below.
- Fetus: is formed in the form of a fluffy, slightly curved box that ripens during August-September.
- Reproductive capacity: A large number of additional buds develop at the base of the roots, thanks to which rapid vegetative propagation of the plant becomes possible.
- Illumination: light-loving plant.
- Watering: It is enough to water and weed once a month so as not to choke out the weed.
- Content temperature: The higher the temperature, the faster the plant ripens.
- Flowering duration: begins in the second half of summer and lasts a little more than a month. Then the Ivan-tea seeds ripen.
Where does Ivan-Chai grow?
This plant is distributed throughout the entire Northern Hemisphere, but its most favorite habitats are the taiga regions of Siberia and the European part, which is where Ivan tea grows. He loves light forests and can often be found in clearings or near railway embankments. It prefers dry sandy soil, but as trees or shrubs appear around it, it gradually dies out. But it grows next to raspberries for many years.
Medicinal and beneficial properties of Ivan tea
To begin with, it is worth saying that this fireweed (see photo below) is an herb that contains a huge range of various substances that can have a beneficial effect on absolutely the entire human body.
Ivan-Chai in the photo
Undoubtedly, under the influence of such factors as place of growth, time of harvest, technology for preparing the final product, shelf life, as well as conditions for preparing the tea leaves, the content of some useful substances changes to some extent.
After the brew is made, not the entire composition of Ivan tea leaves is transferred to the infusion (water), but only the soluble (extractive) part of it. In addition, over time, this indicator also decreases; older leaves already contain significantly less soluble substances, since complex beneficial substances are decomposed into simpler ones.
However, one thing is clear: due to the presence of tranquilizing and anti-inflammatory properties, fireweed is a medicinal plant and has a significant superiority over other medicinal herbs.
Substances that make up fireweed fireweed
Mucus - thanks to them, an enveloping and softening effect occurs, which makes it easier to relieve inflammation, pain, as well as calm and relieve cramps.
Flavonoids – the presence of quercetin and kaemferol, can have choleretic, antispasmodic, and diuretic effects.
Chlorophyll is a green pigment that, due to its ability to absorb light energy, can stimulate the healing process of wounds and significantly improve metabolism in the body.
The presence of a substance such as pectin allows you to increase the shelf life of fireweed tea.
Tannins of the pyrogall group provide hemostatic, anti-inflammatory and astringent properties of the medicinal plant.
The presence of all essential vitamins: bioflavonoids - have the properties of vitamins P and C2, which help accumulate and retain vitamin C in the human body, which in turn strengthens the walls of blood vessels and stabilizes their membranes. A wide range of B vitamins are present, which help determine the normal functioning of the nervous system, and at the same time the functions of the endocrine glands, which can provide a beneficial effect on patients with ulcers, diabetes, gout, significantly improves the structure of the skin and provides invaluable assistance in the treatment of liver diseases (in particular hepatitis and cirrhosis).
It is also worth noting that one fresh leaf of Ivan tea contains a lot of ascorbic acid (vitamin C), three times more than oranges. During processing, some of it is lost, but still the level necessary for a person remains.
At the same time, Ivan-tea can offer vitamins A, B, E, K in the required quantities; it is enough to add its leaves little by little when preparing various dishes or simply eat the tea leaves.
The main advantage of Ivan tea is that it contains substances such as caffeine, puric, oxalic and uric acids, which are the causes of disruptions in metabolic processes. Ivan-tea is a plant that does not become addictive (as happens when drinking coffee or tea) - it is, by its nature, simply tasty and healthy, herbal tea with a medicinal effect.
I would like to emphasize that it is simply impossible to express any specific formula for the beneficial properties of this herbal collection, since all of the above substances have a beneficial effect on the human body only in the aggregate. A significant role is played by the fact of the general mood and various technologies for preparing tea leaves, as well as the material and quality of the utensils have their effect, all these are factors that need to be taken into account in order to implement a favorable treatment. That is why important criteria for preparing the “right” tea will be the quality of water, brewing methods (it is important to consider the quality of the utensils) and the general mood of the brewer and drinker.
Ivan-tea plant benefits and harm
It is able to have a preventive effect on neoplasms of a malignant and benign nature.
Effective in the treatment of diseases of the genitourinary system and as a prophylactic for prostatitis.
Significantly increases potency.
Helps in scarring duodenal and stomach ulcers.
Capable of increasing immunity and the body’s overall resistance to various types of infections.
Has a beneficial effect on the endocrine and immune systems.
Used for caries prevention.
Remarkably improves blood composition and cleanses it.
Taking Ivan tea helps strengthen blood vessels.
Benefits of fireweed: it has a beneficial effect in the treatment of neurosis-like conditions and neuroses, as well as post-traumatic disorders caused by severe stress.
Helps reduce the level of intoxication in the body, even with radiation contamination.
Can be used as an antipyretic.
Able to bind and remove heavy metals from the human body.
Has a unique anti-inflammatory effect.
Good for relieving food and alcohol poisoning.
Perfectly restores strength in case of fatigue, exhaustion and general fatigue of the body.
It is effective for kidney or liver stones, as well as for diseases of the spleen.
Provides strengthening of hair roots.
Helps in relieving headaches.
Helps restore blood pressure.
It has the excellent taste of herbal tea. But, in general, the benefits and harms of Ivan tea do not end there.
How to dry Ivan-tea herb correctly
From ancient times to the present day, people have knowledge that fireweed has beneficial properties. Apitherapists and herbal healers have long used this herb in their practice.
In this state they should lie overnight, covered with a damp piece of burlap. The next morning, unfold and spread again so that the flowers partially dry. And finally, such dried raw materials need to be dried, preferably in an oven, but also in an oven, and then manually ground. Regardless of how the herb was dried, the prepared tea should be green.
Ivan tea prepared in this way should be stored exclusively in thick paper bags and for no more than two years. Why was it called Ivan-tea, because it makes excellent tea.
Useful properties of Ivan-Tea
Ivan-tea flowers for use against excess weight
You need to add a pinch of salt to the brewed tea. You need to drink 150 grams half an hour before meals. Using this method, you can significantly lose extra pounds and even get rid of a double chin, the formation of which is caused by a malfunction of the salivary glands.
Drinking this salted tea allows you to stop the processes that contribute to the growth of a double chin, and it gradually begins to disappear.
Ivan tea for alcohol addiction
To achieve a reduction in cravings for alcoholic beverages, as well as to help the patient get rid of hangover psychoses, dry thyme herb (5:1 by weight) should be added to the Ivan tea plant. Then you need to brew it and drink it by adding honey when there is a strong need to drink alcohol. Throughout the day you need to drink 5-7 cups of this tea.
Ivan tea benefits in the fight against smoking
It is no secret that when a person gives up cigarettes, he becomes very irritable and often suffers from insomnia. In the fight against these symptoms, an infusion of fireweed tea will help, which is not at all difficult to prepare.
It is enough to take a dessert spoon of fireweed tea and peppermint. Pour the resulting mixture with half a liter of boiling water and leave for 15 minutes in a water bath. Then cool, strain and take half a glass five times a day.
Drinking this tea will significantly speed up the elimination of toxins, help normalize sleep and have a calming effect on the nervous system. To remove all negative phenomena, it is enough to drink such tea for 2-3 weeks.
Ivan tea does not cause harm in the treatment of bronchitis
The brew of fireweed tea should be mixed with tangerine peels crushed to a powder (5:1). Then brew and drink like regular tea, to which you can add a little honey for greater effect. Drinking this tea will have an antiviral and antimicrobial effect, including it can be used to prevent various types of colds.
Ivan tea for prostatitis and adenoma
In the treatment of these diseases, fireweed tea helps on its own, but the effect of the drink can be significantly enhanced if you add dried hazel leaves (hazelnuts) to it in a ratio of 1:3. This tea should be drunk without adding sugar or honey. But adding a small pinch of sea salt is welcome.
Ivan tea for the treatment of the spine and joints
To prepare this miraculous tea, you need to collect 300 yellow leaves of Norway maple. Then these leaves must be crushed in a meat grinder or by hand and half a kilogram of fireweed tea added to them. Pour a tablespoon of the resulting mixture into half a liter of water and leave in a thermos overnight. Then drink 150 grams 15 minutes before meals, 3 times a day. The course of treatment lasts for one month. A total of three such courses must be completed, with a break of ten days between them. The result is relief from joint pain of various origins.
Ivan tea to restore vision
Dry and crushed eyebright herb should be added to fireweed tea in a 1:2 ratio. It is best to brew this tea in a half-liter thermos (daily requirement). And drink 150 grams throughout the day, preferably an hour after meals; for greater effect, you can add a teaspoon of honey. Ivan tea does virtually no harm.
One of the most unusual, but at the same time useful plants on our planet is narrow-leaved fireweed, which is popularly called Ivan tea. Even in ancient times, people knew about its exceptional medicinal properties, but even today the herb is widely used to heal from various ailments and to give strength and energy to the entire body.
Description and area
People began to drink the aromatic drink made from fireweed tea back in the 12th century. Due to its availability, it was mainly consumed by the poor, however, even representatives of the rich classes did not disdain a cup or two of delicious tea. In the 13th century, St. Petersburg monks began to grow fireweed tea, dry it, and make raw materials for brewing from it. Reviews of this unique drink quickly reached Europe. Until the 19th century, this product occupied one of the first places in Russian foreign trade, but after the Revolution it was undeservedly forgotten, and only recently they started talking about the drink again.
What does it look like and why was it called that?
Ivan tea has a straightened stem of a rounded shape, its foliage is dense, the leaf blades are quite long, their size varies from 4 to 12 cm, the shape is pointed, lanceolate. The leaf blades on top are painted a rich dark green color, and the lower surface usually has a bluish tint, less often reddish and less often pink.
The flowers are large and reach 3-4 cm in diameter, colored white-pink or violet-red. Quite rare, but nevertheless, you can find plants with milky white blooms. Flowers are collected together in inflorescences in the form of brushes, reaching a length of 40 cm. Flowering begins in the second half of summer and lasts about a month. The fruits look like small pod-like boxes, they contain seeds that can be easily transported by wind and rain.
The legend associated with this beautiful flower is very interesting. They say that in one small village near St. Petersburg there lived just a guy Ivan, who always wore a red shirt. He spent a lot of time in the forest and was known as a good herbalist. Local residents more than once found him collecting berries, herbs and medicinal roots, and every time they met the young man, they shouted “Ivan, tea is fermenting.”
One day the boy disappeared and no one knows how or why this happened, but immediately after his disappearance, unprecedented flowers of an amazingly beautiful bright scarlet color bloomed on the outskirts of the village. People mistook them for a herbalist’s shirt and, out of habit, said, “Ivan, the tea is fermenting.” This is where the name of the herb came from - fireweed.
However, the plant has many other names:
- "willow-grass"– due to the similarity of the leaves with the leaves of a weeping willow;
- "firefighter"– the flower received this name because it is the very first to appear on the ashes;
- "weeper"– whenever you try to pull a plant with its roots out of the ground, it makes a creaking sound that looks like a sob;
- "wild flax"– this name is explained by the good bast characteristics of the stems;
- "breadbox"- the poor dried the grass, ground it and added it to flour, such an additive significantly saved, and even completely replaced sweet sugar;
- "down jacket"– when fireweed blooms, a large amount of fluff is released, which in ancient times was collected and filled with mattresses and pillows.
Where does it grow in Russia?
Ivan tea is distinguished by a truly extensive habitat; it grows in the central zone of Russia, and in addition, it can often be found in the Caucasus, as well as the Far East and Siberia. It is found everywhere in areas with sandy loam soil, in forest clearings and even near the railway track. It is this grass that grows first in forests where a fire has occurred, although as young trees and shrubs grow, the plantings become thinner.
In most cases, it chooses the wet banks of small rivers and streams. This is explained by the special moisture-loving nature of fireweed; it is in such places that it grows as wildly as possible.
Quite often, fireweed is found in forests, both coniferous and deciduous. At the same time, the seeds are carried by the wind over quite long distances, which is why the grass can be found anywhere, even in a suburban area far from wild meadows and forests. However, fireweed does not grow in swampy areas; the seeds do not fully ripen in conditions of strong shading.
When collecting fireweed, try to give preference to places far from busy highways and railways - such plants absorb all harmful exhaust gases and can pose a danger to human health.
Varieties
Ivan tea has approximately 14 varieties, the most common are the following.
- Narrow-leaved is a perennial herbaceous plant. Its height is usually 1-1.5 m, but sometimes it can even reach two meters. It has a dense, strong root system, strong, erect stems and abundant foliage. The leaf blades are rich green, darker on top, and fade to bluish below. Flowering is pink-purple, in rare cases white. A drink made from narrow-leaved fireweed tea is characterized by powerful medicinal properties, therefore it is widely used in herbal medicine.
- broadleaf distributed in the North and Far East, it has rather elongated leaves, the size of which reaches 10 cm, the shape is spear-shaped, the ends are narrowed. There may be hairs on the leaf blades. Flowers are dark pink, brush-shaped inflorescences. The plant is very popular among the indigenous population; Eskimos eat it raw and also brew it as regular tea.
- Caucasian- lives in the lower reaches of rivers in the Caucasus, as well as in the Stavropol Territory and Adygea. This is a small plant, the height of which does not exceed 50 cm, the size of the leaves is 1-3 cm, the inflorescences are pink, round, and the flower racemes are shortened. This plant is primarily grown as an ornamental.
- Dodonei– reaches a meter in height, characterized by single, weakly branched stems. The flowering is milky white or light pink, the leaves are even linear-lanceolate in shape, the edges of the leaf blades are without jagged edges. Most often it grows in the middle zone and subalpine zone.
- Stephen- another small plant with bare and very narrow leaves, their width rarely exceeds 3 mm, the leaf blades have hairs.
- Fleicher– a perennial herb up to 45 cm high. The plant has quite powerful roots and thick stems with a large number of shoots, which are densely covered with leaves of a linear configuration with pointed ends. The leaf length reaches 4 mm. It blooms with rich, bright pink flowers from June to August. It is resistant to low temperatures and is widespread here and in European countries.
- Colchis- common in the Caucasian regions, where it grows at significant altitudes, forming entire alpine meadows of incredible beauty. The plant is low-growing, the flowers are bright pink.
Low-growing plants are considered decorative, therefore they are widely used in landscape design. The greatest benefits are provided by narrow-leaved and, to a slightly lesser extent, broad-leaved varieties of fireweed.
What does the herb contain?
Fireweed grows throughout almost the entire territory of our vast country and is absolutely adapted to any weather conditions. Its ground part is collected from July to September (at the time of flowering), the root part - in spring or autumn. Flowers, as well as leaves, stems, and roots contain:
- tanning components– mostly of the pyrrogal group, they have a strong astringent, antimicrobial and hemostatic effect;
- flavonoids– these are quarcetin and kaempferol, they have a diuretic and mild antispasmodic effect;
- ascorbic acid– helps increase immunity, resistance to colds and fungal infections;
- mucous components– characterized by the property of enveloping, relieving cramps, inflammation and pain;
- alkaloids– are considered good analgesics and in small concentrations stimulate metabolism and normalize blood circulation;
- pectin– beneficial for the digestive system;
- chlorophyll– exhibits a strong wound-healing effect, normalizes metabolic processes in the human body;
- polysaccharides– are an active participant in all immune processes;
- organic acids– necessary to maintain the balance of acids and alkalis in a normal state;
- mineral elements– manganese + iron, necessary to improve the quality of blood, and nickel + molybdenum, which create conditions for maintaining strong immunity.
Beneficial properties of angustifolia fireweed
Due to the presence of a huge amount of nutritional components, fireweed has a strong healing and immunostimulating effect. One of the most pronounced are antimicrobial and antispasmodic properties, due to which the herb is widely used for the treatment of enteritis, gastritis, and, in addition, pathologies of the prostate and urinary system.
The plant has a calming effect, helps reduce nervous tension, improve psycho-emotional state and improve sleep.
Drinking tea can increase hemoglobin, restore electrolyte balance in blood vessels and relieve migraines.
Fireweed is very useful for the gastrointestinal tract and normalization of metabolic processes, thanks to it you can forget about constipation, heartburn and such unpleasant problems as diarrhea and dysbiosis for a long time.
The plant is widely used to relieve inflammatory processes and effectively prevent infectious diseases - with systematic consumption of tea, pathological processes slow down and even stop. It should be noted that such a useful chemical composition is not even found in oak bark.
Ivan tea is characterized by a powerful diuretic and choleretic effect; it significantly improves water-salt metabolism, fights various viruses and allergies.
The herbal drink is extremely useful for young mothers while breastfeeding, as it has the ability to increase lactation. The result of including it in the diet of a nursing woman is to maintain the production of the required volume of breast milk, thanks to which women are able to feed their children for as long as possible, which is extremely useful for newborn babies.
Fireweed is widely prescribed for comprehensive cleansing of the body; it helps eliminate all unnecessary waste and toxins, and also regulates the functioning of endocrine organs.
Herbal tea has a pronounced rejuvenating effect, helps slow down age-related changes, improves skin condition, makes it fresh, very radiant and smooth.
Ivan tea is necessary not only for the fairer sex, but also for men, since it can have a beneficial effect on prostate adenoma, and also normalizes potency and supports erectile function. As a result, men, even at an advanced age, retain the ability to have a sexual life and even conceive.
As for the fairer sex, fireweed is considered one of the most powerful remedies in the fight against cystitis, thrush and other diseases of the pelvic organs. This drink is also often consumed for weight loss.
Contraindications and harm to health
There are few contraindications to taking fireweed, but nevertheless they exist. The most important thing is to keep in mind that with constant continuous consumption of the drink for more than a month, there is a high risk of dysfunction of the digestive organs.
It is not recommended to drink herbal infusions for varicose veins, as well as for thrombosis and thrombophlebitis.
Some pediatricians believe that tea should not be included in the diet of children under 2 years of age, but official medicine is well aware of cases where herbal decoctions helped even the smallest babies.
The list of contraindications also includes an allergic reaction and severe individual intolerance to the components of the herb.
Rules of application
The scope of application of fireweed is wide and is by no means limited to tea brewing. Young green leaves are often used to prepare vitamin-rich salads and soups - to do this, you just need to cut them without any preliminary heat treatment. However, this plant does not have a pronounced independent taste, like, for example, wild garlic. However, in hiking conditions, grass is indispensable.
The leaves can also be added to first courses; young succulent parts of the plant are also used for this. The leaves can also be brewed into tea, but most often the flowers of the plant are used to prepare the drink; to do this, they are boiled in water for 5-7 minutes, after which they are either used as tea leaves or added to jelly with rhubarb or berries.
The proportions for preparing this tea are the same as for regular black tea - to make a cup of aromatic drink, take half a teaspoon of herbs and pour a glass of boiling water. If desired, you can add sage, oregano or mint. This combination significantly improves the taste and nutritional value of the infusion.
Ivan tea is recommended to be consumed up to 5-6 times a day, while the tea leaves can be used up to 3 times by adding a little boiling water to it. The beneficial properties of such a drink are preserved, although the taste is slightly weakened.
The brewed drink can be stored for up to 3 days, after discarding the grass.
Tea is drunk hot or cold, preferably without sugar. If desired, you can add honey and drink it with halva or dried fruits.
Features of growing a plant
Fireweed seeds are formed quite abundantly and are carried along with the fluff by wind and rain, so it would be fair to assume that fireweed should grow everywhere, but this does not happen at all. The reason is that the grass is very demanding of light, and its seedlings are very weak and cannot tolerate the slightest competition from other weeds.
To enjoy the taste and healing properties of fireweed, some try to grow it themselves on their own plot. In this case, you should know that the plant will develop well in areas exposed to sunlight and in nutritious, mineral-filled soils. In addition, the plant responds well to high humidity in the evening and at night. These requirements are best met by areas near lakes, rivers, streams and forest plantations.
When sowing such “fluff” on your own plot, you need to resort to little tricks so that it does not fly away in different directions.
To begin with, at home, you need to prepare the seeds for planting - to do this, cut narrow strips from ordinary toilet paper and apply paste to them in a dropwise manner in increments of 8-9 cm.
Using tweezers, you should grab small pieces of fluff with seeds and attach them to the drops. When the glue dries, the paper should be rolled into a tube and secured with a thin rubber band.
Fireweed is planted in spring or autumn, work is carried out on a dry sunny day. To do this, light a fire in the prepared area and wait for the coals to appear. After this, they are leveled with a rake and covered with moss, sawdust or peat - when burned, they produce another layer of ash.
Fireweed will begin to grow much better if you build a garden pond or small fountain nearby - this will provide the level of humidity required for the growth and development of fireweed.
If it is not possible to attach the seeds to the paper, then you can resort to another planting option - the seeds are pre-mixed with sand and sown like carrots.
As fireweed grows, it will produce root shoots. The plant will finally gain a foothold in the designated area after 5-6 years, and after that the colony will gradually begin to become obsolete.
At this point, another place for the plantation should be prepared. It is optimal if this is an area where potatoes previously grew.
The second method came to us from ancient times - the collected leaves and flowers are laid out in a thin layer on moistened cotton or linen cloth, after which they are wrapped in a strong roll and secured with an elastic band. Then the workpiece is additionally moistened with water from a spray bottle so that the fabric cannot absorb the juice released from the plant. Immediately after this, they begin to actively bend and then unbend the workpiece so that active grinding of the raw material and grinding begins inside the roll. Then the canvas is kept for 2-3 hours in a warm place so that the primary fermentation of the fireweed begins.
The readiness of the raw materials will be signaled by a peculiar aroma, reminiscent of a slightly sour fruit compote.
The third method of producing fermented fireweed tea is used much less frequently. To do this, the raw materials are divided into 2 parts. The juice is extracted from the first half using a simple juicer and the resulting liquid is poured into the second part of the workpiece. The mass is placed under pressure and stored for three days, after which it is dried in the oven.
To learn how to prepare fireweed tea at home, watch the video below.
Even in the old days, fireweed was considered a useful and healing plant and gradually began to gain popularity. Our ancestors independently collected it in friendly groups and held tea ceremonies, brewing this wonderful drink in the family circle. There was even a custom of having tea parties with friends and relatives as often as possible. Moreover, fireweed has healing properties, and even contraindications. The benefits and harms of fireweed should be taken into account when drinking tea.
Today this plant is gaining great popularity among adults and young people. And it would be wrong if his recipe for making tea was forgotten. What does fireweed look like? What's the use of it? How to collect and dry correctly? Where does fireweed grow? You will find answers to all these questions in our article.
Where does fireweed grow?
This medicinal plant is found almost throughout our country. It has many names, but most often this herb is called fireweed. So where does fireweed grow? It mainly appears near the banks of rivers and streams, in garden plots, in forests, as well as near highways and paved roads.
Another favorite place where fireweed grows is in areas of coniferous forests, where it blooms in purple-pink tassels.
The plant usually grows up to one and a half meters, and usually blooms from July to August. It is during the flowering period that this herb needs to be collected, especially in mid-August, when it is honey-bearing. According to experts, the highest quality will be fireweed collected closer to the forest, away from the highway. Typically, the leaves of the plant are used to prepare medicinal drinks. How to collect and dry fireweed? This is what we will discuss now.
Collection of fireweed
Usually, the preparation of fireweed tea occurs during the honey planting process until the moment when it begins to fluff. As a rule, this happens at the end of July or beginning of August, when leaves and inflorescences need to be collected in large quantities, but without mixing them, since they will change after fermentation. When preparing fireweed, the leaves are carefully selected. Damaged by insects should not be taken.
Some summer residents prepare medicines from this herb, but in this case they use only stems and roots.
The buds of the plant should not be collected under any circumstances, because they may begin to ripen during the drying process, releasing fluff, which will cause the herb to become spoiled.
When collecting fireweed for the winter, it is necessary to take into account that the leaves should not have any darkening or spots. Usually the upper stems are not taken, as they are not suitable for brewing tea.
Experienced gardeners dry fireweed tea, packed in paper bags, in a draft for several days. The roots are dried in the oven.
In the process of drying fireweed, the following methods are used:
- Cut off the top parts of the leaves and get rid of the tough stems.
- Lay the workpiece on a newspaper until completely dry in the shade.
- After this, the leaves are rolled into a tight tube until they release juice.
- The resulting tubes are placed in a basket or bag, and covered with a slightly damp cloth on top.
- After 10 hours, the tubes are unrolled and placed on a baking sheet.
- Drying fireweed should last more than half an hour at a temperature of 100 o C.
- The resulting tea is usually stored in a sealed glass or tin container for a couple of years.
Having tasted a drink from Ivan tea, you will immediately feel the effect. Your health will improve, your strength will be restored, your well-being will become noticeably better.
Fermentation of fireweed tea at home
Fermentation is the process of fermenting the collected leaves of a plant. After fermentation has passed, the smell of tea becomes pleasant.
To ensure proper fermentation of fireweed at home, its leaves are rolled into rolls until they completely darken. When they are dried in a warm place, fermentation begins. As a rule, it usually takes place at a temperature of 25 degrees Celsius. After the aroma of the flower becomes pronounced, fermentation is stopped.
The main thing is not to overdo it with the leaves during the fermentation process, because if you do not follow the rules of fermentation, the drink will not have the desired effect and will not have beneficial properties.
Dried tea is stored from a month to several years, and then prepared at home, enjoying its pleasant taste.
What does fireweed look like?
What does fireweed look like? It is very difficult to confuse such a plant with others. The leaves of fireweed are oblong or wedge-shaped with short petioles, which, after flowering, turn into small boxes in which the seeds ripen. The stem has a straight shape. The height of the flower is approximately 1.5-2 meters (it all depends on where it grows). The buds have a pink or purple-pink hue. Rarely found white.
What are the benefits of fireweed tea?
The benefits and harms of fireweed have been studied for a very long time. This knowledge came to us from our ancestors and has been preserved to this day.
First, let's discuss the beneficial properties of the herb. This plant does not include caffeine and oxalic acid, which may be present in Ceylon tea, and the vitamin C found in this plant can strengthen the body's immune system.
The beneficial properties of fireweed are that it:
- keeps the body young;
- reduces irritability;
- serves as a preventive method in the treatment of cancer;
- strengthens hair follicles;
- reduces migraines;
- contains protein that improves tone;
- reduces the level of infertility in men;
- eliminates irritability and treats insomnia;
- normalizes blood pressure and promotes weight loss.
In addition, it perfectly heals wounds and is useful during acne. However, before being treated with fireweed, you should consult your doctor.
Side effects
Care should be taken when preparing fireweed infusion. For example, if you drink tea a lot, its beneficial properties can negatively affect the body. As a rule, the gastrointestinal system is affected first. Therefore, serious illnesses are not recommended to be treated with this herb. An infusion of this tea is also contraindicated for children under six years of age and pregnant women.
It is important not to forget that fireweed decoction and tea when brewed in a teapot can contain varying concentrations of beneficial substances. Also, you should not take the decoction for a long time so that it does not have a negative effect on the human body.
In case of thrombosis and poor blood clotting, drinking fireweed drink is contraindicated.
Fireweed leaf tea
We figured out how to collect and dry fireweed. How to cook it correctly? The brewing method is not complicated at all. The main thing is that the infusion for brewing is prepared correctly.
To enjoy the exquisite taste of the drink made from fireweed leaves, first of all, you should boil clean water (the bright taste of the drink will depend on this). Then you should rinse the teapot with hot water and put dry fireweed tea (two spoons) into it. After this, the herb is poured with hot boiled water and allowed to brew for about 15 minutes. The drink is then poured into cups and a good time is enjoyed.
The drink will give you a good mood, and its healing properties will strengthen the body. Even cooled tea from the leaves of fireweed leaves a wonderful taste. It is not recommended to add sugar to the drink; it is best to add a spoonful of honey. This product will only enhance the beneficial properties of the drink.
Previously, our ancestors passed down the recipe for making tea from fireweed leaves verbally from family to family. They collected its leaves, dried them, poured boiling water over them in wooden stacks, rolled them between their palms until the juice appeared, or dried their leaves on trays that they placed in a Russian oven.
How to drink Ivan tea
The tea ceremony has always been considered spiritual and relaxing, accompanied by pleasant conversation. Some prefer to enjoy tea alone, while others prefer to enjoy tea in a large company. Many people believe that sugar should not be added to tea, so as not to spoil its wonderful taste with this delicious drug.
For people who prefer sweets, it is best to use dried fruits when drinking tea. When brewing tea, its healing properties last for about two days. The advantage of this drink is that even after cooling it still remains aromatic. Drinking tea is much healthier than coffee, especially since it keeps the body in good shape and gives a good mood.
Ivan-tea for men
Representatives of the stronger half of humanity simply need to use a decoction of fireweed, because it increases tone and gives energy. For those who have problems with potency, drinking tea regularly will help prevent troubles.
This drink helps prevent illness associated with inflammation of the prostate and eliminates insomnia, which is more common in men.
Fireweed is no less useful during the treatment of kidney stones, because the male part is susceptible to this disease more than the fair half of the population.
Ivan-tea for women
Among women, a drink made from fireweed has also gained great popularity. Vitamin C and antioxidants help keep the body youthful for a long time.
If you prepare a decoction of fireweed tea before bed and enjoy it, it will help calm the nervous system and improve your well-being. It also reduces frequent body pain and is considered one of the weight loss remedies that a fair part of the population is so passionate about. It also improves the functioning of the endocrine system, the condition of hair and skin.
In any case, fireweed tinctures will help women and girls remain beautiful, and you can even make a useful face mask from the herb.
Ivan-tea for children
Not only adults can benefit from drinking fireweed tea. Children also need it. If your child consumes it, it will help reduce toothache and bleeding gums. However, this drink is contraindicated for children under six years of age.
There are families whose children are very excited and playful in the late hours of the day. A hot mug of this tea will help calm your baby and strengthen his immune system. This is extremely important during the school period, especially when children are heavily loaded with homework, tests, physical exercises and preparation for exams.
This infusion will help with colds, as it has an antipyretic effect. It strengthens the endocrine system and improves digestion in children.
The herb Ivan tea occupies a special place among medicinal plants. It is chosen for its ease of preparation and numerous healing properties.
Medicinal properties of the herb Ivan-tea
A drink made from the herb fireweed is effective in the treatment of benign and malignant tumors. It is also used for:
- normalization of immunity;
- increasing the production of thyroid hormones;
- treatment of colds;
- removal of heavy metals from the body;
- alkalization of blood;
- treatment of prostatitis and other diseases of the genitourinary system;
- rapid scarring of ulcers in the stomach and intestines;
- treatment of gout (regardless of the stage of the disease);
- strengthening blood vessels and normalizing the functioning of the circulatory system;
maintaining dental and oral health;
- decrease in body temperature;
- treatment of stressful and nervous conditions;
- elimination of pain syndrome due to migraines;
- normalization of blood pressure;
- strengthening hair;
- treatment of inflammatory processes;
- neutralization of food and alcohol poisoning;
- dissolving stones in the bladder and so on.
In addition, this herb is effective for short-term or persistent headaches. It can also be used to wash wounds, as it has an antiseptic effect.
Method of preparing the herb Ivan-tea
Preparing a healing drink based on this herb is extremely simple. You need to take a teapot, pour boiling water over it and pour in a few spoons of Ivan tea. Then pour hot water into it, cover the container with a lid, wrap it with a warm cloth and leave to steep for 15-20 minutes. Then stir the contents with a wooden spoon and leave for another 5 minutes.
Drinking Ivan tea is required according to a special scheme. So, to treat serious diseases, you need to drink 2 glasses of the drink before each meal. To increase immunity, it is enough to drink 200 ml of it after meals. Otherwise, drink 300 ml of this drink three times a day. To enhance the healing properties, you can add lemon balm, mint or rose hips to it.
Please note that Ivan tea has a number of contraindications. It is not recommended to drink it for those who have the following diseases:
- cholelithiasis;
- kidney degeneration;
- gastrointestinal disorder.
This herb should also not be used if you have an individual intolerance, while pregnant or breastfeeding.
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