A good series or a little reading, a meridian to lie down on with your blanket and… a herbal tea before going to bed. This kind of evenings, many live them at the moment. In the middle of winter, when the temperature drops sharply and the need for warmth is felt. But then, what to put in your hot water? It depends on the desired effect, which can be classified into three categories: soothing, detoxifying and diuretic. 20 minutes helps you see more clearly with the help of two specialists.
To relax
After all, herbal tea should remain a pleasure. With this in mind, certain plants and flowers allow you to calm down. The king example? “Linden, which helps you sleep,” answers Guillaume Kreutter, pharmacist at the head of his Pont Kuss pharmacy in Strasbourg. He also cites “lemon verbena”. “We can also turn to chamomile and primrose,” adds Carole Dietrich, who runs a plant picking and processing farm with her husband in Boersh, at the foot of Mont Sainte-Odile (Bas-Rhin). Both obviously add that mixtures are possible. While drawing attention to the precautions for use “because each plant has a specific infusion duration and a dosage not to be exceeded”. “Knowing that there are very few active ingredients in the sachets found on the market. The effects are very reduced, “says the specialist in herbalism.
To heal (or anticipate)
Ah, viruses and other winter complications… This is the time and it can be cured (also) with herbal teas. “Some people only treat themselves with that”, explains the pharmacist before giving his leads. “If you are already sick, you can take antiseptic plants. Thyme, savory, it works very well. For sore throats, we will rather turn to a mixture of pectoral flowers, with mallow, coltsfoot, marshmallow, poppy and white broth. And if you rather want to unclog your bronchial tubes or your nose, there’s nothing like eucalyptus. Finally, I would add that elderberry, berry or flower, is anti-influenza and lowers fever. »
To recover
Holiday meals, galette des rois, raclettes and other slightly greasy dishes… With all this, the body can suffer a little. “Winter is often the time people choose for small detox cures,” says Carole Dietrich. In her store and on the markets, she therefore often offers “blackcurrant leaves, meadowsweet. They are diuretics. It drains, it cleans, it eliminates winter toxins. Lemon balm will also aid digestion. “In this order of ideas, rosemary works very well, or dandelion, but it must then be made in decoction”, adds Guillaume Kreutter.
“If we want to boost immunity, pine buds will allow them to thin the secretions. “And perhaps therefore better get through this period of great cold, before the return of fine weather. “But we can also eat plants in spring or summer,” concludes the producer. “They can be drunk ice cold. Mint, rose petals or hibiscus are very refreshing! »