When I discuss to a patient in having tea for health, I sometimes get the “I don’t drink tea.” If I am in a feisty mood I say, “Well call it a broth.”
- Teas are seeped with parts of the plants like roots, berries, flowers, seeds and leaves.
- Vegetable broth is made from parts of the plants like roots, berries, flowers, seeds and leaves.
- Seeping these parts of the plants allow nutrients into an easy way to digest and absorb into the body.
If you dig into the difference of tea and broth it is a rabbit hole of thoughts with no real answer and ends up technically the same thing. Although broth may be deemed more savory and tea lighter and sweet, the benefits of both are a powerhouse of health!
“In times of healing, if you don’t like tea, call it a broth.”
— Dr. Mary Devereaux
What is a tea? If you say herbs, what are herbs? An herb is the leaf and green parts of the plant. The other parts of the plant like the bark, flower and root is a spice. Now a vegetable is the leaves, stem and root. Fruit is anything else on the plant. You may call basil a spice but did you know it is also a vegetable? Foods like carrots, potatoes, beets, maca, cilantro, spinach and mint are vegetables. Green beans, peppers, pumpkin, and olives are fruit. I couldn’t imagine an olive tea but an olive, oregano and pepper broth sounds pretty good. That is 2 fruits and a vegetable. Mint, a vegetable, does not sound good as a broth, but as a tea is one of the most popular herbs.
The point is to not get caught up on tea or broth but what does it take to be strong and healthy?!
Every herb, vegetable, fruit, spice (whatever you want to call it) has a property of healing for your body. Herbs to me our little powerhouses of nutrients as no mads survived off weed like plants. Have you ever seen wild celery in California? Did you know cilantro, thyme, parsley have more vitamin c than an orange? Cilantro grows in cooler weather and we know how important vitamin C is in cooler weather to combat colds and the flu!
When using teas or broths as a healing modality, you need to educate yourself how it will help you. Please do not just drink mint because you like the flavor. Mint is always cooling to the body, and if you are already running cold, would not be successful in warming and healing… Ginger is always warming whether you heat it up or drink it cold. All herbs and food has a quality to the body to heal. When we seep, nutrients infuse into the water creating an easy way for our body to absorb and get nutrients to the body.
Drink teas and broths with intent to heal what is your health concern.