Bamboo tea has been widely used throughout the world for its healing powers. It helps to calm asthma, respiratory difficulties, and bronchitis, so it is an excellent ally against coughs and colds. But this isn’t the only benefit.
Bamboo tea is made from broad-leaved bamboo species, such as Sasa or Indocalamus bamboo. They are rich in silica which is a very essential mineral. Silica benefits the skin and strengthens the connective tissue and the d stimulates digestion.
In this article, you’ll discover more benefits of bamboo tea and how you can easily make your own. Want to know more about bamboo tea? Keep reading!
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What is bamboo leaf tea?
Bamboo tea is a kind of herbal blend made from bamboo leaves. It’s a perfect herbal selection for those looking for a caffeine-free alternative.
Usually, the young bamboo leaves are plucked, washed, and dried naturally to make bamboo leaf tea.
Bamboo leaves are steeped in very hot water to yield amazing benefits as a herbal intake. These leaves contain silica, which is an essential mineral of the body.
What does bamboo tea taste like?
Bamboo tea has this mildly sweet taste due to the fact that the leaves used in their preparation are harvested when they are young.
However, the bamboo tea flavor can vary since it’s a combination of several flavors. Some people describe the taste of bamboo as being slightly grassy.
You might taste a bit of sweetness in the bamboo tea but don’t expect it to be like the taste of fruit juice. The level of bitterness you taste from this tea may depend on the amount of bamboo tea bags used and the steeping time.
Nevertheless, you can blend your bamboo leaf tea with other flavors. This would allow you to experience other flavors.
There are various flavors you can try out. Popular among them is mint. You could blend with peppermint or spearmint to enjoy your tea with the amazing mint taste.
You can easily do this by adding half a teaspoon of mint leaves to your nutritious cup of tea. Aside from mint, another wonderful option is the lemon ginger bamboo tea.
This would give your tea a nice citrusy punch. This combination is not just tasty but also nourishing. Other flavor options include bamboo anise tea and bamboo hibiscus tea. You can select the flavor you prefer.
What is bamboo tea good for? Discover the amazing benefits of bamboo tea!
Here you’ll find good reasons why you should include a cup of bamboo tea on your menu. This tea is quite different from other herbal teas. It doesn’t have caffeine. It’s a wonderful alternative. I’ve stated the benefits below.
Improves hair and nail health
Bamboo leaf tea has one of the highest concentrations of Silica. Silica is a mineral that strengthens the connective tissues of the body. It helps to improve the health of hair and nails. In fact, Silica is very popular for its hair and nail benefit.
Drinking bamboo leaf tea will add an extra source of silica to your diet and in turn help in the growth of healthy hair and nails.
Nevertheless, bamboo tea also contains some essential vitamins and minerals like collagen that are related to healthy hair growth.
Silica nourishes and restructures all skin appendages. Very dry and damaged hair as well as brittle and fragile nails will be strengthened by a bamboo cure, which would also have the capacity to increase the rate of growth of hair and nails and to maintain the water balance of the scalp.
Bamboo tea keeps the skin healthy
The leaves of the bamboo plant contain silica which is used in producing bamboo essential oils Lather bamboo hand moisturizer, nest fragrances hand lotion-bamboo, and many more.
These leaves have antibacterial qualities that’ll help you keep your skin healthy and prevent conditions like acne, eczema, and skin irritation.
Silica helps to balance nutrients that’ll keep the skin healthy. Fresh bamboo leaves extracts blocks of collagen. This would help to improve our skin.
These lotions have anti-aging properties that’ll naturally enhance youthful radiance by removing wrinkles.
Rebuild cartilage
Silica stimulates the synthesis of collagen, contained in abundance in bone and connective tissue, facilitates the reconstruction of cartilage by remineralizing it, and has a strong anti-inflammatory effect.
Bamboos are thus used to treat all osteoarticular ailments, in particular demineralization, osteoporosis, back pain, tendonitis, and joint discomfort.
Acts as an antioxidant
Once in a while, it’s cool to do body cleansing. The bamboo leaf tea can do just this. It’ll improve your overall health by eliminating toxins from your body. It eases the effect of chemicals in your body.
This tea would help to deter allergy reactions, promote blood circulation, and reduce inflammation. Overall, these procedures help in detoxification.
Bamboo leaf tea can aid in digestion
You know, bamboo is believed to have a soothing and relaxing effect. It can relieve your digestive tract.
Mostly, bamboo tea makes typical digestive issues more tolerable for people with them. But they’ll have to take it before meals.
Boosts overall wellness and health
Unlike other drinks, bamboo is a natural source of minerals and it doesn’t contain harmful components like caffeine. Additionally, it contains micro-nutrients that play a part in the body’s immune system.
Mostly, aromas like jasmine, mint, or lemon are added. These bring freshness and peace of mind.
Fight against premature aging of the skin and joints
The silica contained in the bamboo extract slows down the effects of aging on the skin (sagging skin, wrinkles) and bones (osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, etc). It does this by stimulating the synthesis of collagen in the body.
The antioxidants (polyphenols and flavonoids) contained in bamboo potentiate this anti-aging action by fighting against the harmful effects of oxidative stress.
Aids in the treatment of respiratory disorders
Bamboo tea can be an effective partner in treating respiratory problems. It helps to eliminate all types of coughs.
This tea would be an effective alternative to replace sugary beverages.
Relieves stress and anxiety
Over the years, the number of people suffering from emotional conditions like anxiety and stress has continued to increase. So, bamboo herbal tea has been proven to produce a positive effect on people with these types of disorders.
It helps to calm the mind by reducing blood pressure levels. How? Bamboo leaves contain a high level of potassium. This is an active element that helps to lower blood pressure and regulate heart beating.
Other benefits:
- Helps to control blood sugar
- Helps to reduce menstrual pain
- It aids in weight loss by reducing food craving
- It soothes urination
- Balances body cholesterol
What bamboo species are used for bamboo tea?
Not all species of bamboo are used for bamboo tea. Particularly, broad-leaved species such as Sasa are usually plucked when they are still young (within the first five weeks). These leaves are then cleaned, dried, and used for bamboo tea.
Some local manufacturers also assert that another species of bamboo called Bambusa textilis can be used to make bamboo leaf tea.
Sasa veitchii ‘Kuma Zasa’
The most popular broad-leaved bamboo for tea is Sasa veitchii ‘Kuma-Zasa’. In fact, bamboo leaf tea is originally called Kuma Zasa for the bamboo species used. It originates from the northernmost part of a Japanese island – Hokkaido.
Sasa veitchii has very broad leaves that start out green and get a yellow-creamy margin during fall. It’s not growing very tall, only 5 ft (1.5 m). So, it’s rather a ground cover type of plant.
How to make bamboo tea
Bamboo tea is very easy to make. You can brew it right from the comfort of your couch. Here’s how to brew it:
- Bring 8 oz of pure water to boil (The ideal water temperature for bamboo tea is 205°F/96°C- this should be about the normal boiling temperature)
- Pour 1-2 teaspoons of dried bamboo leaves or about 1 bamboo tea bag in a cup.
- Ensure that you cover the bamboo tea, usually, I like to use a clean cloth to cover it. This would help to trap in heat and flavor.
- Steep your bamboo tea for 4-5 minutes. For stronger tea, you can leave it for 8-10 minutes.
- You can enrich your bamboo tea by adding honey or lemon juice.
- Relax and enjoy your nutritious tea
You should know that it’ll take some time before you start seeing improvement in your hair and nails. It could take up to 3 weeks or so.
To boost the whole process, ensure you take at least one cup of bamboo tea daily. You can take up to 2-3 cups for the utmost result.
Possible side effects of bamboo tea
Bamboo leaves are in no way harmful to humans or pets. They are edible and they provide several health benefits.
Just ensure that you wash them well before use. The leaves should be cleaned and boiled as well before consumption.
Despite providing numerous health benefits, bamboo may have a few side effects for some people.
For pregnant women and nursing mothers, there is not much information that proves that bamboo tea is totally safe for you. So, it’s better to avoid taking it to be on a safer side.
Bamboo tea may also have side effects for people with thyroid disorders such as thyroid tumors, goiter, and little thyroid function.
In fact, prolonged intake of bamboo tea may worsen their conditions. For anyone with such health conditions, it’s advisable to quit taking it or reduce your intake.
Read more about bamboo side effects here.
Frequently asked questions on bamboo tea
How much bamboo tea should you take per day?
Actually, there’s no mapped out limit for the amount you should take per day. But we recommend that you drink with moderation. Most people affirm that 2-3 cups per day is enough for them. However, you should definitely consider what works for you.
How many calories are present in bamboo tea?
Bamboo tea is an ideal option for those looking for a caloric-free alternative. It doesn’t actually contain many calories. It might only contain trace calories and this will hardly affect your overall caloric intake.
Can bamboo tea break a fast?
Going by the fact that bamboo leaf tea is caloric-free, then it is a great choice for breaking a fast. Most times, you want to break your fast with a drink or tea that doesn’t contain many calories – bamboo tea is a good one for this.
Is bamboo tea ketogenic friendly?
Yes. As stated above, bamboo tea is very helpful for weight loss. It is ketogenic friendly because it doesn’t contain carbohydrates. So, you’ll not feel heavy or gain more weight while taking this tea.
In the end, it’s really hard to dispute the fact that bamboo is more than just a decorative plant. It’s been used by millions of people over the past centuries and it works. Although its use began in ancient traditions in Asia, bamboo tea has become more popular for its health benefits recently.
One Comment
Hi
I am bamboo lover and hope to get detail in making the bamboo tea from leaves. Thanks Chin.