You know sage as a popular cooking herb, but do you know that it makes a great tea?
Sage tea benefits range from increasing the immune system to reducing inflammation. Having this fragrant herb handy gives you close access to tons of benefits.
Uses of Sage in Daily Life
Sage is the relative of mint, which gives it a similar fresh flavor, albeit subtler. Ancient European medicines used fresh sage leaves to make a poultice, oral and fertility medications, and hand sanitizer.
The cooling effects made the leaves popular for curing insect bites, rashes, and common skin problems.
The most common use of sage is for daily consumption. Sage has a fresh, earthy, and slightly savory flavor, perfect for dishes like roasts, soup, and pasta.
Sage is also a popular tea flavoring in Egypt, but many countries also make herbal drinks from the actual sage leaves. The fragrance makes it ideal for making essential oils.
Benefits of Sage Tea
People usually savor sage in a very little amount, rendering the benefits ineffective. Turning the leaves into herbal drink gives you more benefits. Here are several good things you can get from drinking sage tea.
Boosting the Immune System
Sage leaves contain rich antioxidants such as phenolic acids and flavonoids. They can reduce the effects of free radicals, which are caused by stress and pollution.
Drinking sage tea will decrease the risks of common cold, cold sores, flu, and other immunodeficiency diseases.
Keeping the Digestive System Healthy
Sage has antiinflammation, antiviral, and antibacterial functions, which soothe digestive ailments and keep it healthy. They also support the works of “good bacteria” inside your digestive tract.
Preventing Blood Glucose Spikes and Drops
Hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia symptoms often keep diabetic people from being active. Drinking sage tea may reduce sudden glucose drops or spikes.
However, diabetic people must consult their doctors about the possibility of negative interactions between sage and specific medications.
Reducing Hot Flashes
The benefits of sage tea for menopause include reducing hot flashes and mood swings.
There have been no conclusive pieces of evidence about it, but you can safely consume a moderate amount of sage tea during menopause to deal with the symptoms naturally.
Boosting the Circulation System
Sage contains a significant amount of iron, a mineral that supports the works of red blood cells. Regular consumption of sage tea may help to boost the circulation system.
It has positive impacts on organ functions and repairments.
Increasing the Appetite
Sage tea has an effect of increasing appetite. You can drink it after having a surgery or chronic illness since these conditions often reduce the appetite drastically.
Supporting Healthy Weight Loss
Sage tea is great for supporting a healthy weight loss process. Sage tea benefits for weight loss include reducing the level of LDL cholesterol and detoxing the body through sweating and urination.
Sage Tea Side Effects
The side effects of sage tea come from natural oils like camphor and thujone. They may cause harmful effects such as nausea, seizures, and organ failures.
The maximum amount of thujone consumption per day is 4 mg, while camphor is 15 mg. The amount of these oils in your tea depends on steeping time, brewing method, and manufacturing process.
Pregnant and nursing women should not drink sage tea without doctor’s advice. Excessive sage consumption may cause uterine contractions and breastmilk reduction.
You also should not consume sage tea when taking medications.
Simple Sage Tea Recipes
Sage tea recipe is simple, perfect with additional ingredients like lemon, honey, and fruits. Here are several simple recipes to make with fresh sage leaves.
Iced Sage Tea with Raspberry and Honey
This recipe is perfect for hot days, especially when you feel down and weak. Raspberries, honey, and ice are the perfect refreshing combo.
Directions:
- Boil 6 cups of water in a saucepan.
- Remove pan from heat. Add 4 teaspoons of fresh sage and 2 teaspoons of honey.
- Steep until the tea reaches room temperature. Strain.
- Crush a handful of raspberries. Place in a glass jar.
- Pour the tea into the jar. Stir evenly.
- Serve with ice cubes.
Sage Tea with Mint
This recipe is a perfect drink for healthy relaxation. You can drink it after a meal or before bed.
Directions:
- Boil 4 cups of water in a saucepan.
- Turn off the heat. Steep ½ cup of fresh sage and ½ cup of mint leaves for 20 minutes.
- Strain and pour into cups.
- Add freshly squeezed lemon juice or honey.
Sage Tea with Lemon
This warm tea recipe is perfect to protect your immune system. You can drink it on rainy days.
Directions:
- Mix 4 cups of water and ½ cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice in a saucepan.
- Heat until the water almost reaches the boiling pint. Turn down the heat and simmer.
- Add 16 fresh sage leaves. Stir and cover the pan. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Turn off the heat. Let it sits for 10 minutes.
- Strain the sage tea and pour it into cups.
- Add honey if you want a sweeter flavor.
You can experiment with other ingredients using these recipes. For example, replace lemon with lime, or use stevia instead of honey for the sweetener.
For the iced tea, replace raspberries with your favorite fruits, such as strawberries or grapes.
Recommended Sage Tea Brands
Don’t have time to make sage tea from scratch? Consider these sage tea brands to make a simple herbal drink at home.
Buddha Teas Sage Leaf Infusion
Buddha Teas sage tea is kosher, vegan, and GMO-free. Each bag is made of unbleached material. The leaves come from organic farms in Morocco, with an invigorating and refreshing flavor.
Celebration Herbals Sage Leaf
Organic sage tea from Celebration Herbals came from Mediterranean farms. The invigorating flavor helps to relieve indigestion and nervousness. The tea is certified kosher and caffeine-free.
Juniper Ridge White Sage and White Mint Tea
Juniper Ridge combines sage and mint leaves in practical bags. Other ingredients include bamboo leaves and tree sap. The tea is fragrant and refreshing, perfect to unwind. You can also drink it after a meal.
Conclusion
Sage tea benefits range from relieving menopause symptoms to boosting the immune system. Consume the tea moderately to get the benefits without experiencing the side effects.
