The benefits and harms of cherry leaf tea

The benefits and harms of cherry leaf tea deserve careful consideration. The aromatic drink is not only able to please with a pleasant taste, it helps in the treatment of many diseases.

Is it possible to brew cherry leaves as tea

Cherry leaves are highly valued in folk medicine due to their pronounced medicinal properties. But they can be used not only to create decoctions and infusions. On the basis of raw materials, a delicious and aromatic tea drink is brewed. It is allowed to use it both for treatment and for pleasure.

Cherry leaves in tea give it tonic and anti-aging properties

When using tea, it should be borne in mind that the leaves contain a small amount of toxic compounds. In high dosages, the drink is not consumed, it cannot be drunk uncontrollably. But when kept in moderation, tea will bring health benefits and help improve well-being.

Chemical composition

Both fresh and properly dried cherry leaves contain many nutrients. Among the main ones you can list:

• ascorbic acid;
• quercetin;
• coumarins and phytoncides;
• B vitamins;
• essential oils;
• potassium, sodium, phosphorus and iodine;
• vitamins A and P;
• molybdenum, manganese and cobalt;
• tannins and gum.

Cherry leaves contain the cardiac glycoside amygdalin. In high dosages, this substance is very dangerous, but in scanty amounts in tea it has a beneficial effect and strengthens the heart and blood vessels.

Why is cherry leaf tea useful?

The beneficial substances in cherry leaf tea determine its beneficial effects on the body. When consumed in moderate dosages, the drink:

• helps to strengthen immunity and increases resistance to viruses and infections;
• prevents the development of vitamin deficiency;
• evens out blood pressure and improves the elasticity of the vascular walls;
• cleanses the kidneys and liver, helps to eliminate edema;
• accelerates metabolism and normalizes digestive processes;
• tones up and restores energy reserves;
• serves as a prevention of aging and helps to maintain youth longer;
• fights inflammatory processes of any nature;
• disinfects the throat and oral cavity for angina and dental diseases;
• improves joint mobility and eliminates pain in case of gout and arthritis;
• helps to reduce the temperature for colds.

The beneficial properties of tea made from cherry leaves are in demand for weight loss. Due to its diuretic and cleansing action, the drink helps to quickly get rid of extra pounds.

Benefits for women

Healing cherry tea fights bleeding, so it is useful to use it for excessively heavy periods.The drink helps with uterine fibroids and endometriosis, eliminates pain in the pelvic organs. Natural tea can be consumed on a diet and to maintain the beauty and health of the skin.

During pregnancy, cherry tea protects a woman from developing anemia and relieves puffiness.

In pregnant women, cherry tea improves bowel movements and prevents constipation. However, it is not recommended to use the drink in the first trimeter; it can increase the uterine tone and provoke a miscarriage. The use of tea at a later date is safer, although it requires consultation with a doctor.

Benefits for men

Cherry leaf tea has a beneficial effect on the reproductive system in men. It can be used for the prevention of prostatitis and adenoma, for the treatment of inflammatory processes. The drink improves blood circulation, therefore it helps to increase libido and protects against weakening of potency.

The beneficial substances in cherry leaf tea strengthen blood vessels and heart muscle. With regular use of the drug in men, the risk of developing strokes and heart attacks decreases. It is useful for athletes to take the drink, since tea improves cellular metabolism and increases overall endurance, as well as removes harmful substances from the body.

When is the best time to pick cherry leaves for tea

Cherry leaves for tea can be harvested all summer, but it is best to harvest in May, when the fruit tree is just blooming. During this period, plant materials contain many useful substances and, moreover, have not yet had time to coarse.

Young cherry leaves have a rich aroma, easier to ferment and dry

Plates collected in July and August are not prohibited to use. However, tea based on them will turn out to be less tasty and aromatic. In addition, it is much more difficult to find completely clean and healthy leaves among old leaves, without spots and holes left by harmful insects.

How to collect and harvest cherry leaves for tea

Collecting cherry leaves for tea can only be carried out in a clean area, located far from roads, large cities, factories and factories. Raw materials are capable of absorbing substances from the air and accumulating dangerous toxins. If collected in a contaminated area, it will not be beneficial.

For harvesting cherry leaves for tea, choose a sunny and warm day without rain. The raw materials are carefully cut off by hand, only solid and green plates are removed from the tree, without stains and traces of insect activity. Immediately after harvesting, the crop is sorted out again and low-quality leaves are thrown away.

How to properly dry and ferment cherry leaves for tea

For medicinal purposes, the leaves of fruit trees are simply dried under a canopy. However, the procurement of raw materials for tea is carried out according to a more complex algorithm and consists of several stages:

1. Withering... First of all, the cherry leaves must be spread out in a thin layer on a baking sheet and slightly dried in a warm room. The air temperature should not exceed 24 ° С, it should not be allowed that the direct rays of the sun fall on the raw materials. It is necessary to dry the cherry leaves within 12 hours so that they darken slightly and shrivel, but do not dry out.
2. Chafing... Dried raw materials are taken in hands and thoroughly kneaded and rubbed in the palms. When harvesting cherry leaves for tea at this stage, they should let the plant juice abundantly.
3. Fermentation. Carefully crushed plates are placed in an enamel container and pressed on top with heavy oppression, and then covered with a damp cloth and left for ten hours. After this period, the raw materials are recovered. After fermentation, the cherry leaves for tea should have a bright, strong and fresh fruity aroma.
4. Drying... At the last stage, the plates are again laid out on a baking sheet in a thin layer and put into the oven, preheated to no more than 100 ° C. Raw materials are processed for 50 minutes. During this time, it will lose all moisture, but retain a pleasant smell.

With proper drying, cherry leaves for tea retain the maximum amount of nutrients. Natural raw materials, harvested according to all the rules, are in no way inferior to purchased tea leaves.

Before harvesting for storage, cherry leaves can be crushed, or left intact

How to store it correctly

Fermented and dried cherry leaves retain their beneficial properties for two years. They must be stored in a glass jar with a closed lid. You can also put raw materials in breathable fabric bags or cardboard boxes.

Keep the leaves in a dark place at room temperature and low humidity. From time to time, it is required to stir up the raw materials so that mold and pests do not appear in it.

How to make tea from cherry leaves

Making tea from cherry leaves is easy enough. But in the process, you need to adhere to the basic rules:

1. It is necessary to infuse tea in glass or ceramic dishes. Leaves are not brewed in metal containers - this negatively affects their taste and reduces the beneficial properties.
2. It is recommended to warm up the kettle before preparing a drink. A small amount of boiling water is poured into the dishes and left for a couple of minutes to make the walls warm.
3. For direct brewing of the leaves, hot water with a temperature of 80-90 ° C is used. It is not customary to pour raw materials with steep boiling water; from excessive heat exposure, valuable properties in the composition of the dried plates are destroyed.

There are several recipes for making cherry tea from the leaves. Some of them suggest adding additional ingredients to the brew to enhance flavor and aroma.

Classical

The simplest tea recipe uses only dried cherry leaves. The algorithm for creating a fragrant drink looks like this:

• raw materials in the amount of three small spoons are placed in a teapot;
• pour 300 ml of hot water;
• cover the dishes with a lid and leave to infuse for 20 minutes;
• pass the finished tea through a fine sieve.

The drink is poured into cups and consumed hot or warm. The tea has a delicate delicate aroma and a slightly tart taste. If desired, the infusion time can be slightly increased, in which case the drink will be more saturated.

Classic cherry leaf tea is beneficial to take to eliminate edema

The above recipe also allows you to brew tea from fresh cherry leaves - the algorithm looks exactly the same. However, dried raw materials are used more often, since the smell and taste of fermented plates is richer and more intense.

Cherry tea to strengthen immunity

Another simple recipe suggests mixing raw cherry with regular black tea leaves. The cooking scheme looks like this:

• a small spoonful of granular or leaf black tea is poured into a ceramic or glass teapot;
• add 1/2 small spoonful of dried cherry raw materials;
• pour the collection of 250 ml of hot water and close the lid;
• insist for seven minutes;
• poured into cups through a fine sieve.

Hand-fermented cherry leaf tea is strong and tart in taste, but retains a light and delicate fruity aroma. If desired, you can add a little sugar to such a drink. A small spoonful of cherry syrup or liqueur is also a good addition.

Plain Cherry Leaf Black Tea Improves Appetite and Relieves Stomach Pain

Tea on cherry leaves with cloves

An interesting recipe suggests making a spicy and spicy version of cherry tea with the addition of cloves and wine. The preparation looks like this:

• the teapot is pre-heated with boiling water;
• pour a small spoonful of granulated black tea without additives into the container;
• two dried leaves of cherries and a little ground cloves are brought in on the tip of a knife;
• pour a small amount of hot water, it should only slightly cover the mixture;
• close the kettle with a lid, insulate with a towel and leave for five minutes;
• after the expiration date, add 150 ml of hot water and add 15 ml of dry red wine.

After that, tea should be infused for another three minutes and pour through a fine sieve into cups. The drink turns out to be very aromatic, with a pronounced astringency and excellent warming qualities. If you wish, you can add sugar to it or use it unchanged with chocolate.

Cherry leaf and clove tea is especially beneficial for preventing and treating colds

Tea on cherry and raspberry leaves

At any time of the year, cherry tea with berry additives will be very pleasant. It is made according to the following recipe:

• the teapot is scalded to warm up the walls;
• fall asleep inside a small spoonful of chopped cherry raw materials;
• add the same amount of dry raspberry leaves;
• mix the collection and pour hot water so that it covers the tea leaves;
• insist under the lid for four minutes.

After the tea is brewed, you will need to add the remaining 150 ml of water to it and let it stand for another four minutes. The finished drink is poured into cups and two large tablespoons of fresh blackcurrant juice are added to each. The tea turns out to be slightly sour, therefore, if desired, it can be supplemented with sugar or natural honey.

Cherry tea with raspberry leaves helps to quickly reduce fever in case of colds

How often and how much you can drink

Cherry leaf tea is a fairly safe drink. It can be consumed daily, but small dosages are required. The daily amount of tea should not exceed 2-3 cups.

Because cherry leaves contain glycosides and other potentially hazardous substances, it can negatively affect the nervous system and digestion in excess quantities. An overdose leads to irritation of the mucous membranes of the stomach and intestines, to the appearance of nausea and migraine, and the occurrence of excessive nervous excitement is also possible.

Contraindications to drinking tea from cherry leaves

Like any drink, cherry tea has some contraindications. You should not use it:

• with stomach ulcers and high acidity in the acute phase;
• with a tendency to constipation, the drink has anchoring properties;
• with exacerbation of pancreatitis;
• with hypotension - tea on cherry leaves lowers blood pressure.

With diabetes, the drink is not prohibited, but it should only be taken in pure form, without added sugar.

Individual allergy becomes a strict contraindication to use. For the first time, herbal tea should be tried with caution and in a volume of no more than half a cup. If skin rash, itching, irritation and upset stomach appear soon after, the drink will have to be discarded.

Conclusion

The benefits and harms of tea made from cherry leaves depend on the dosage of use and the presence of contraindications. If you stick to small volumes, then the drink will delight you with good taste and pleasant aroma, and will also improve your well-being.