Welcome! The purpose of this post is to not only provide some ideas for making herbal tea, but also allow people to share their ideas and experiences.

When it comes to making herbal tea, there are nearly as many different ways to do it as there are stars in the sky. Boil the water, then add varying amounts of herbs and let them soak in the water for varying amounts of time. (steeping). There are virtually so many different ways to make herbal tea and different herbs and blends of herbs to use for herbal tea that we would be typing for days listing them all. It might surprise some people that some practitioners of herbal medicine recommend boiling herbs for 30 minutes before consuming them or drinking tea made from them. There is no question that making tea from different herbs requires different methods.

In general, the longer you boil the herb or blend of herbs, the more bitter they become. We can confirm that, for many different herbs, boiling them longer does not make them more bitter. Something you might also consider is how the particular method you are using sterilizes the material and tea. Boiling the herbs in water is an effective method for killing any bacteria or parasites the herbs may have come into contact with on their way to you.

These are our general recommendations for making herbal tea. Depending on the herb or herbs being used, the amount of herbs used and the amount of time they are boiled or steeped can and should be adjusted properly.

Boil 1 gram of herbs for every 16 ounces of water for at least 7 minutes. Let it cool, filter out the herbs, and serve.

If you are someone who enjoys herbal tea, please feel free to ask questions or comment.

Can Blue Lotus be Used as a Tea?

Yes, Blue Lotus (Nymphaea Caerulea) has been used as a tea for thousands of years and is still a very popular tea in many countries.

Blue Lotus Tea Benefits

Blue Lotus Tea has been touted as a sleep aid and anxiety reliever. It has even been said to act as a natural aphrodisiac. However, more scientific study and research is needed to verify its effectiveness.

Blue Lotus Flowers contain several antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. In most eastern cultures, Blue Lotus Tea, unless overconsumed, is considered a health drink.

Blue Lotus Tea has also been used as a natural skin moisturizer.

Know What Flower You are Purchasing or Using as Tea

It is important to know exactly what water flower you are making your tea with. Blue Lotus (Nymphaea Caerulea) is actually a lily and is also called Blue Water Lily. It has leaves (lily pads) that rest on top of the water. Another water flower that is sometimes referred to as the “Blue Lotus” is the Sacred Lotus (Nelumbo Nucifera). This flower’s leaves rest well above the water and have been used as a mild flavored tea for thousands of years. Sacred Lotus Flowers have also been used as tea and are even included in some food dishes. Make sure to find the Latin or scientific name of the water flower before buying Blue Lotus to use for tea.

Preparing Blue Lotus for Tea

The following is good practice for Blue Lotus and something to consider when making tea from any whole leaves or flowers.

Visually Inspect the Herbs

Due to their strong alluring fragrance, Blue Lotus (Nymphaea Caerulea) Flowers are irresistible to Bees. I have worked with Blue Lotus at night and been greeted by Bees. They also open in the morning and close in the evening. This can result in Bees getting trapped in the flowers. Take a minute to visually inspect the material for anything you may not want in your tea.

Washing the Herb

When making tea with water flowers, it is recommended that you wash them first. Even if they are organic or wildcrafted. Put them in a strainer and run cold water over them for several seconds while gently stirring them.

Making Tea with Blue lotus

When it comes to how the herbs are placed in the water, there are many options for making herbal tea. You can use tea bags, heat the material, and then strain it, or you can simply let the herbs sink to the bottom of the cup and have your tea. All of these methods will work fine, so it is simply a matter of preference.

There are several different methods of brewing or steeping herbal tea that will affect the flavor of the tea and, in some cases, its medical effectiveness.

1. Have you ever made sun tea? Fill a large container with water, add the tea, and then place it in the sun for several hours. Basically, soak the herbs in water for a long period of time and let them slowly seep into the water.
2. Heat the water and then either add the tea or pour it into a container or cup containing the herbal tea.
3. Boil the herbs in the water for a period of time.

When making tea with any whole herbs, including Blue Lotus, you might consider boiling the material for a period of time. This may or may not affect the flavor of the tea, but it certainly will more effectively purify it.

Boiling, steeping, or soaking, herbal tea for too long can make it bitter in some cases.

How Much Blue Lotus Per Cup To Use

If you have never made tea using Blue Lotus, start out with a small amount and work your way up. A gram per 12 to 18 oz of water is a good place to start.

People who make tea from a Whole Blue Lotus Flower (average size: 2 grams) claim they are able to make several cups of tea with the same flower.

How to Sweeten Blue Lotus Tea

The strain of Blue Lotus, how the material is harvested and dried, and how fresh it is can affect the flavor and bitterness of tea made from it. There are several options for sweetening it.

1. Honey
2. Sugar
3. Stevia Rebaudiana: is a low-calorie natural sweetener that is a member of the daisy and sunflower families.

Is Blue Lotus Tea Safe?

I scoured the internet for reports of someone being harmed by drinking Blue Lotus Tea and was not able to find even one case.

Some people have reported becoming a bit tired after consuming Blue Lotus Tea.

From the information I have been able to gather, unless someone is allergic to Blue Lotus, or has consumed an absurdly large dosage, drinking Blue Lotus Tea is unlikely to produce a serious adverse reaction in healthy adults.

People who are pregnant or nursing, have existing health problems, or are currently taking medications should consult their doctor before making any significant changes to their diets.

Extra Fancy Blue Lotus Flowers are grown, harvested, and dried to our specifications in partnership with the growers and harvesters. By working together, we have been able to produce a truly remarkable flower. Please read more to learn what makes them different from other lotus flowers.

New Packaging and Guidelines

1. Extra Fancy Blue Lotus™ Whole Flowers will now be packaged in 8′′ by 10′′, bug proof, long-term storage bags. This is being done to allow the flowers to be packaged and kept in the packaging without being compressed. Our goal is to get the flowers to the customer in the same condition in which we received them.
2. Only whole flowers are being packaged. Any loose material is now properly cleaned and offered separately.

How are these Blue Lotus™ Flowers Different?

Size

These flowers are huge. Under the right growing conditions, Nymphaea Caerulea Flowers can grow quite large. During the peak growing season, Extra Fancy Lotus Flowers (dried can reach well over 6′′ wide (when fully open) and weigh over 7 grams (a quarter of an ounce). The average whole blue lotus flower on the market weighs roughly 2 grams. These flowers weigh on average 3.5 to 4 grams. Nearly twice the size.

Cleanliness

These flowers are deeply cleaned before they are dried. When we are done processing this material, the only dust we ever find is bright yellow pollen from the stamens. We also sometimes find clear sap on them from when they are harvested.

Freshness

Extra Fancy Lotus Flowers™ are harvested and prepared when the order is placed. When we contact the farm to place an order, the flowers have yet to be harvested.

Selection

During harvesting, only select flowers are harvested based on color, condition, and state of development. We also hand select them and remove the very few that are not extra fancy grade.

Color

After they are harvested and cleaned, they are immediately dried using a new patented drying process that dries them evenly and without any loss of color or aroma.

Fragrance

Surfside Naturals’ Extra Fancy Lotus Flowers™ have a unique “candy-like” fragrance. This is due to the genetics of the flowers and many of the processes mentioned previously. It is unique to these flowers.

Shipping

As with all of our products, these flowers are carefully packaged and box-shipped.

Storage

As with all of our products, these flowers are received, cleaned, immediately packaged, and carefully boxed, then stored in a dark, cool, and dry environment.