RECIPE: Antioxidant Tea

I sip this tea all day long, 1-3 glasses.  I make it once a week and brew it very strong, then dilute it with water.  I prefer to drink it cold but you could dilute it with hot water if you prefer.   The olive leaves and pau d'arco can be bitter but the acidity of the fruits mitigates that.

Every one of the ingredients has multiple beneficial actions.  Together, they're a powerhouse of nutrients but many of the benefits overlap so you can eliminate those ingredients that don't agree with you (some people don't like ginger) and you'll still have a potent brew.

A word of caution: this tea is slightly diuretic due to the ginger and hibiscus so don't drink too much!

Antioxidant Tea

Makes 2 quarts of concentrate ==> 16 pints of reconstituted tea

I brew the pau d'arco separately because it requires different treatment, and I store the two teas in separate containers so that I can control the amount of pau d'arco in the mix.  You could mix the two together in a half-gallon jar but the pau d'arco will overpower the fruit.  

FOR THE FRUIT-GINGER TEA:
1/4 c. seedless rose hips - very high in vitamin C, and has many other benefits 
1/4 c. hibiscus flowers  -  anti-inflammatory and potent antioxidant
1/4 c. lemongrass  - potent detoxifier good for almost everything
1/4 c. olive leaves  - among other things supports respiratory & cardiovascular systems
1/4 c. dried ginger  - regulates blood sugar, supports brain health, promotes digestion
1 quart boiling water

Combine in a french press, cover with 1 quart of boiling water, and let steep until water is cool.  Strain into a glass jar/pitcher pressing firmly to extract all the liquid.  Raise the press halfway  and add a little more water to 'rinse'  the remaining tea, press that out and combine with the concentrate.  Store in the fridge.  (Shown on the right in the above photo)


FOR THE PAU D'ARCO TEA:
1/4 c. pau d'arco - high in selenium*, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, antiparasitic
1 quart water

Make sure the brand you buy contains only the inner bark.

In a small saucepan cover tea with water and bring to a boil.  Boil for 3 minutes then simmer for 20 minutes.  Strain into a jar/pitcher and store in the fridge.  (Shown on the left in the above photo)

TO SERVE:

This is how I 'serve' it but you can make it stronger or weaker:


Add 2 T fruit tea and 1 T. pau d'arco tea to a large glass and dilute with 1.75 c. water.
If you use RO water, add a few mineral drops.

* selenium helps you eliminate toxins