Vitamin C tea ~ for your better health

I know we are all looking for ways to stay healthy, all year long and when it's 'that time'.. fall, winter, and well.. NOW..  I know that I am. We all want to enjoy each day.. even if the gloomy skies of winter can be a challenge at times. Vitamin C is longtime renowned as a remedy to support the body in many ways. Many plant medicines contain Vitamin C which can be combined and used as Vitamin C tea blends.

Vitamin C Benefits

• Boosts immunity*
• Helps to prevent iron deficiency**
• May help to regulate high blood pressure***
• May lower risk of heart disease ^
• May reduce risk of many types of chronic disease
• May help to prevent attacks of gout by reducing blood uric acid levels^^
• Helps reduce both the physical and psychological effects of stress ^^^
• High doses C in patients with cancer have shown improvement in quality of life, with fewer side effects +
• May help to prevent and treat cataracts + 'age related macular degeneration' (AMD)++

Vitamin C Benefits ~ Studies:

* there are many but here's one study re immunity here
** prevention of iron deficiency study here
*** possibility of regulation of hypertension study here
^ lower risk of heart disease due to daily intake 700mg Vit C study here
^^ study re prevention of gout here
^^^ Can help to reduce effects of stress article  here
+ Study re cancer patient use with helpful results here
++ Prevention + treatment cataracts/AMD here

How much Vitamin C do we need?

"In large population studies, people who eat lots of fruits and vegetables high in vitamin C appear to have a reduced risk for various types of cancer, including cancers of the mouth, esophagus, stomach, colon, and lung. But it's not clear that these benefits come specifically from vitamin C. " Source

The present RDA for vitamin C for adults is 60 milligrams, but there's a growing belief that the RDA for vitamin C is vastly outdated, based on the dose needed to ward off scurvy!

Per Andrew Weil MD:

"I recommend taking 250 mg of vitamin C daily and increasing that by an extra 1,000 mg if you have a cold or flu; work in a smog-filled city; or live with a smoker. While taking 2,000 mg a day is unlikely to hurt you – since your body will eliminate the excess – the worst effect would likely be wasting your money"

I am an herbalist, as you know and not a medical doctor. As such, I am able to share ideas from my 20+ years of herbal studies and present ideas for our best health but am unable to make specific recommendations. I encourage each of you to do your own research + be self-reliant.

There are various opinions around best dosage for individuals for Vitamin C. I have shared Dr Weil's quote above, as it's a reasonable suggestion, and allows for an increase when fighting a cold etc.
For those interested in a more indepth look at some alternative therapies, check out the works of famed Linus Pauling, Dr. Fred Klenner, and Dr. Robert Cathcart. Check out this link  or this one, but there are many more.

Per Robert Cathcart MD
The ideal dosage amount of vitamin C varies greatly from person to person, and even from day to day, depending on current health, stress and activity level!

"Whatever quantity of vitamin C you can take, that makes you feel well, without getting intestinal gurgling, soft stools or diarrhea, is being used by your body. Those symptoms are the result of unused powder in the transit drawing water from your body, in which case you need to reduce dosage and drink water. The body can’t store vitamin C, so it’s best to take many smaller doses throughout the day than one large one."

Let's talk about Vitamin C and the Coronavirus

There's a lot of information emerging about the treatment of patients with Covid19 and related pneumonia and lung/breathing issues. I am sharing these resources and then I promise we'll get to the wonderful daily rituals of general support via Vitamin C tea blends.

Check out this link for reference regarding "Hospital-based Intravenous Vitamin C Treatment
for Coronavirus and Related Illnesses"

Carolyn Dean M.D. (one of my former docs!) has written many books on various topics. Click here for an interesting up-to-date article about "Vitamin C benefits in Covid19 treatment."

I will post more as info about the ever-evolving treatments unfold. As we move forward, recommendations change, as we have more experience with Covid19 and better results.

I recently wrote an article including vitamin C benefits ~ Coronavirus Prevention. Check it out here.

We really can best help ourselves by choosing herbs and foods that are filled with the blessings of this special vitamin C .. every day in addition to positive lifestyle choices.

There are as many recipes for delicious herbal teas, as there are plants and herbalists!! Believe it or not ~ drinking 3-5 cups of nutritious herbal tea (simples* or blends) can be a life-changer!

I have prepared a list of some super vitamin C rich plants to get you started.  I love to experiment and find new combinations to delight and nourish myself, family, friends and clients.

*a 'simple' is what we call a tea (tisane, infusion) made with one plant. We use the same term when taking one herb in a tincture, as opposed to a formula of 2 or more plant medicines.
NEW to brewing your own herbal tea? Click this link to learn just how easy it is to do!

Enjoying herbal teas made from plants and trees that are rich in vitamin C benefits. Definitely one effective way to nourish your body!

 Vitamin C tea herbs:

Here's a list of some great choices!

Dandelion(Taraxacum official) leaves: Excellent source of Vitamins A and C plus calcium and iron and many other minerals

Hawthorn (Crataegus species) berries: Good source of Vitamin C and excellent anti-oxidant.  More Hawthorn info.

Hibiscus  (Hibiscus sabdariffa) flower: Great source of Vitamin C and rich in minerals

Lamb’s Quarters (Chenopodium album) leaves: Very nutrient dense. Excellent source of vitamins A and C, excellent source of protein and iron

Lamb's Quarters or Goosefoot is VERY rich in minerals including CALCIUM!

Mallow (Malva sylvestris alba below) * in fact all malva species are vitamin rich
leaves and flowers: Good vitamins C and A content plus  calcium, iron and selenium

Nettles (Urtica dioica) leaves: Good source of vitamins A, C, E. Excellent source of minerals. More Nettles info.

Purslane (Portulaca oleracea): leaves -Good source of  Vitamin E, beta-carotene plus omega-3 fatty acids

Rose hips (Rosa canina): Excellent source of  Vitamin C.  More about Rose Hips

Violet (Viola odorata) (flowers and leaves): Excellent source of  vitamin C -- More about Violet Medicine.

I LOVE Violets!

White Pine (Pinus strobus) needles- high in vitamins A and C. contains  anthocyanins, resveratrol, quercetin, flavonoids, tannins, proanthocyanin and pine oils.

Wood sorrel (Oxalis species) leaves and flowers: Good source of vitamin C

Vitamin C Tea herbs 

Here are some more nutritious ideas:

Excellent reference book:  The Green Pharmacy by James A. Duke, Ph.D
See it  here:
The Green Pharmacy: The Ultimate Compendium Of Natural Remedies From The World's Foremost Authority On Healing Herbs

Local plants with Vitamin C benefits:

I drink herbal tea daily. I also love to add herbal teas to my meals! I use them, sometimes when I am cooking rice or quinoa, for example, or as a part of a nutritious soup (I promise to share some recipes!)

So what kind of herbal tea do YOU want to create?

We agree, here, that our focus is Vitamin C rich herbs, but there are other considerations when putting together a blend for yourself.
Do you like minty tastes, lemony tastes, cinnamon or allspice, perhaps? Herbal tea can present many choices and be a very personal choice. We can use various mints, lemon balm, lemongrass and citrus peels. Orange peels or lemon peels are wonderful additions to tasty vitamin C tea blends.

It can be as quick n' easy as making a tea with one of the suggestions above.
Try this one and see what you think. It's a longtime 'go to' for me

Rose Hips Tea
Use 1 tbsp. of rose hips per cup of boiling water.
Click here for a quick tutorial if needed

Vitamin C Tea Blend

Here's on of my favourite blends:

1 part Nettles (dried)
.5 part Milky Oats
.5 part Hibiscus flowers
.25 part Rosehips
.25 part Lemon peel

To make this blend with enough to store and drink for the next month, use 1 cup = 1 part
To make less, make your 'part' smaller. I will put this together in the printable with 1 cup as 1 part but I hope you see that you can make this blend whatever size you need.

To make a 'pot of tea', measure 1 tablespoon of your herbal formula per 8 ounces of just boiled water.
Allow to steep 8-12 minutes ~ experiment to see if you prefer 8 minutes or a stronger brew.
Drink 3-4 cups daily for a 'dose' that makes a difference! (called therapeutic dose)
For a refresher on how to make herbal infusions, in detail, check out this post.

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Vitamin C Tea Blend for you!

This is one of my favourite blends. It's tasty and packed with vitamin C as well as nervous system support which is also very supportive for stressful times.

Course Drinks, Refreshing Beverage

Cuisine Herbal Medicine

Keyword #easy, #eatlikeabear, #fightcoldsandflu, #healing, #herbalmedicine, #keto, #tonic, #vitaminC, #whole30, Paleo, Vegan

Ingredients

• 1 cup Nettles dried
• ½ cup Milky oat tops
• ½ cup Hibiscus flowers
• ¼ cup Rosehips
• ¼ cup Lemon peel alternatively Orange peel

Instructions

1. Combine the herbs together and store in a jar away from light or put in an amber bottle.
2. To make a 'pot of tea', measure 1 tablespoon of your herbal formula per 8 ounces of just boiled water.
3. Allow to steep 8-12 minutes ~ experiment to see if you prefer 8 minutes or a stronger brew.

Recipe Notes

Drink 3-4 cups daily for a 'dose' that makes a difference! (called therapeutic dose)
To make this blend with enough to store and drink for the next month, use 1 cup = 1 part
To make less, make your 'part' smaller. I will put this together in the printable with 1 cup as 1 part but I hope you see that you can make this blend whatever size you need.

If you want to read more about HOW TO MAKE  tea, tisanes, decoctions, check out this article.
Learn about other vitamin C tea recipes in this post called 'Winter Tea Blend ideas'

Pin this delightful VITAMIN C TEA blend and make it soon!
Join me on Pinterest for more super nutritious + fun herb-infused goodies..
Here's the StudioBotanica pinterest board.

Be healthy~  Increase your daily antioxidants and boost your immune system!
Who would have thought that something SO delicious, could be so nutritious and life-enhancing?

What are your favourites? Do you have a tea idea to share?
Here's to our health ! xo Carol