Did you know that the leaves of the strawberry plant are even more nutrient-rich and beneficial than the berries themselves?
That's right! And you can brew a great tea with the leaves to get all those health benefits.
What Is Strawberry Leaf Tea?
Time for some strawberry leaf tea
Now that you've (hopefully) grown your own delicious strawberries, you're ready to brew up some healthful strawberry leaf tea. But what exactly is it?
Strawberry leaf tea is, pretty obviously, a tea that's made from the leaves of the strawberry plant.
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The leaves impart a mild and earthy flavor. Some say there is a fruityness to them, while others say they're just herbaceous and a bit grassy.
While the taste isn't anything to write home about, the health benefits we're after are much more important than how it tastes. We'll also look at a couple recipes later to doctor up this health-tea and make it truly something tasty and amazing.
Benefits of Strawberry Leaf Tea
Strawberry leaf tea is a veritable health tonic, boasting some great benefits and a number of important nutrients.
Nutrients
Some of the nutrients in strawberry leaves which are extracted in tea:
- Antioxidants
- Vitamin C
- Calcium
- Iron
- Caffeic Acid
Health Benefits
Strawberry leaves can help with stomach issues, digestion, cramps, and nausea.
They're anti-inflammatory.
They contain caffeic acid, which has also been found to help with arthritis and joint pain.
Strawberry leaves can also help lower blood pressure, high cholesterol, and even aid with kidney issues.
How To Make Strawberry Leaf Tea
Hot Tea
Simply pour boiling water over your strawberry leaves, and allowed to steep for 5 to 10 minutes. Then strain out the leaves, and optionally stir in a little local raw honey.
You can also steep the berries with the leaves to add some extra flavor to the tea. The two make such a great combo together.
Cold Brew
Cold brew is the slowest extraction method, and happens in the fridge.
It yields the smoothest flavor with the least bitterness compared to other extraction methods.
Add your strawberry leaves (and anything else, e.g.: hibiscus roselles) to a jar or pitcher of water and leave in the fridge for 18 to 24 hours before enjoying.
Sun Tea
Sun tea is a favorite during the summer because you don't even have to fire up the kettle.
Just leave a jar of water with your strawberry leaves in it out in the sun all day and you've got a great extraction.
Pour over ice and serve.
This warm extraction balances some of the benefits of cold brew (smooth and less bitter) with some of the benefits of hot tea (quicker extraction times) for the best of both worlds.
Iced Tea
Make hot strawberry leaf tea as above, and then pour over ice or put in the fridge for a few hours.
Refresher
Another option is to puree the strawberries in water, and strain them into your strawberry leaf tea. I find this to be particularly refreshing when poured over ice in the summer!
Lemonade
You can steep strawberry leaves with any extractio method above. Then add the strawberry leaf tea into your strawberry lemonade for an absurdly good summer bevvy.
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