Blackberry tea is made from the blackberry bushes that grow in parts of Europe and North America. Blackberry tea can be drunk hot or cold, and is best known as a soothing remedy for diarrhea.
Blackberry tea is labeled as a black tea. The tea usually contains a mixture of dried leaves and berries. It has a piquant, sweet and fruity taste. The tea is bright amber. Milk and sugar can be mixed into blackberry tea, but it is also acceptable to drink the tea by itself.
Two different plants are used for the harvesting of blackberry tea. In North America, the Rubus Canadensis is the variety most commonly used. In Europe, Rubus Fruticosus is the preferred plant.
Health benefits of blackberry tea
Blackberry has long been known for its healing properties. The Ancient Greeks called the plant "goutberry" as it was used to lessen gout-related joint pint. More recently, travelers would use blackberry to treat loose stools.
Blackberry tea is able to sooth the symptoms of diarrhea because it contains tannin, which is present in high concentrations in the plant's leaves and roots. Tannin has astringent qualities - that is, it is able to draw together or constrict tissues. Tannin is able to tighten the tissues along the intestinal track, reducing the chance of diarrhea. Blackberry tea can also help prevent dehydration by replenishing lost fluids during a bout of diarrhea.
Tannin is also known for its ability to help DNA cells reproduce accurately, thus preventing abnormalities from forming. Blackberry tea can therefore be helpful in the prevention of cancer and heart disease.
Another use for blackberry tea is as a gargle for sore throats. Blackberry tea can also be used to compress varicose veins and hemorrhoids, due to the astringent quality of tannin.
Blackberry tea usage
For diarrhea, it is recommended that blackberry tea be drunk six times a day. One teaspoon of leaves should be used per cup of hot water, and the leaves should be steeped for fifteen minutes.
Blackberry tea should only be used for cases of short-term diarrhea. It is not recommended that blackberry tea is used for Crohn's disease, or other chronic gastro-intestinal diseases such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
There are no known drug or nutrient interactions associated with blackberry, making blackberry tea safe to use alongside other treatments and food.
Forms of blackberry tea
Blackberry tea is available both in loose-leaf form and in teabags. However, care must be taken when buying blackberry tea. Some tea are merely blackberry-flavored tea and do not contain the tannin that gives blackberry tea its healing properties.
