The plant grows on rocky slopes (Greece and the nearby island of Crete have a lot of those) at around 3,200 feet elevation. Go to Top of Page Study Description Study Design Arms and Interventions Outcome Measures Eligibility Criteria Contacts and Locations More Information. Outside Greece, it is sold as "Greek Mountain Tea" or "Greek Mountain Shepherd's Tea" at specialty shops, and it can be found online. Add the mountain tea, leave it in for 3-5 minutes and then strain it -- a couple of tea branches are enough for one regular cup. Species: Sideritis scardica. Albania is a very nice country as well as the others, with friendly people and they have many good things to offer to the international community. Greek mountain tea is a naturally caffeine-free herbal tea infusion made from the dried flowers, leaves and stems of the Sideritis plant, which flourishes throughout high elevations in the mountains of Greece. In this case, the plant is Sideritis, otherwise known as ironwort. Benefits, Uses, & Recipes, What Is White Tea? Greek mountain tea has an earthy taste and, if you use the flowers, a slight floral scent. This tea contains antioxidants and flavonoids, and might even help reduce pain. This does not mean that it does not grow in other countries particularly in the Balkan peninsula. The tea is aptly named: The plant used to make it is found on rocky slopes at elevations over 3,200 feet. Modern studies have found it to have antimicrobial, memory, digestive and anti-inflammatory benefits. Add a teaspoon of the dried herb to a tea strainer or use one tea bag and place in your mug. Mountain Tea / Tsai Tou Vounou (Pictured top) You could call Mountain Tea “ironman tea” as its official Greek name sideritis (ironwort), literally means ‘he who is made of, or contains iron’. Work With Us | Privacy Policy | Disclaimer | Affiliate Disclosure | DMCA Policy, View lemonandolives’s profile on Facebook, View lemonandolives’s profile on Instagram, View lemonandolives’s profile on Pinterest, « Meat Stuffed Apples – Mila Gemista Me Kima. Sourcing: High elevation, hand grown. https://www.lemonandolives.com/greek-tea-what-it-is-and-how-to-make-it Greek mountain tea is an herbal tea that has many potential health benefits. Add water and Greek mountain tea to a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil. Only one variety of this plant, Sideritis raeseri, is cultivated, typically in Greece, Albania, Macedonia, and Bulgaria. Picture Press / Ulrike Holsten / Getty Images. Your email address will not be published. It using loose ironwort, place a small handful in a pot with 10-12 oz of water. If using a sachet or bag of mountain tea, put it in a mug and pour 8 oz. In Greece, the tea is sold in grocery shops, pharmacies and herb-and-spice shops, or it can be picked fresh and dried at home. Sideritis raeseri is also gathered in the wild in these regions. Take a look at this list: That’s right. Take 1 to 2 teaspoons of Greek Mountain tea and place into an infuser Pour in boiling water and steep for 5-15 min Mountain tea; Outcome Measures. Turn … Like guayusa, rooibos, honeybush and more, this “tea” is made from an entirely different plant. Harvested by hand, the 30cm plants are gathered together and using a scythe, cut approximately 3cm from the ground. You can add honey as well as milk or lemon to flavor the tea. Break apart a few stems of the tea—including the leaves, stem, and flowers. Strain and pour tea into a cup. Warm up some water and right before it starts boiling retract it from the fire. Benefits, Uses, & Recipes, What Is Green Tea? Unlike most teas, the flavor is enhanced by boiling the leaves and flowers. Benefits, Uses, & Recipes, What Is Tulsi Tea? Add a handful of dried leaves and flowers to the pan for every 1.5 cups of water. Mountain Tea is enormously popular in Greece and is brewed most often in winter when levels of physical activity decrease and colds, aches, and pains increase. Mild and smooth without any bitterness, it's caffeine-free and packed with high concentrations of antioxidants and phyto-nutrients. The tea is aptly named: The plant used to make it is found on rocky slopes at elevations over 3,200 feet. Allow the tea to boil for 3 to 5 minutes depending on your strength preference. Other Health Benefits of Mountain Tea → Hippocrates, father of a great philosopher and modern medicine, praised greek mountain tea for its positive effects on immunity and respiratory system. Pour the tea mixture through a strainer directly into your cup. Greek Mountain Tea also known as Ironwort or Shepherd’s Tea, is a sweet smelling herb, grown in a region south of Thessaloniki, Greece. These plants are hardy flowering perennials that have adapted to survive with little water and little soil. How to Brew Greek Mountain Tea “ redolent of the Greek countryside in the summertime, when the intoxicating scent of wild thyme and oregano fill the air”. Some of the water will evaporate. You start with a handful of herbs for every 1.5 cups of water. Only one variety of this plant, Sideritis raeseri, is cultivated, typically in Greece, Albania, Macedonia, and Bulgaria. → And for thousands of years greeks drink this tea because of their health benefits, such as colds, breathing problems, digestion, a positive effect on immune system and anxiety. Shaped like a spear with multiple yellow flowers, it grows at higher altitudes, has a mild and sweet aroma and is delicious drunk both hot or on ice and with a slice of lemon. This videois a short and sweet how-to on the brewing process. While many other teas are made by pouring boiling water over the tea leaves or herbs, many suggest that bringing the water to a boil … For every cup of tea, use one or two branches or sprigs of mountain tea. When the water boils, pour it into the mug with the tea bag or tea strainer. As the other posters have noted, Sideritis flourishes in the wild at very high elevations on very poor soils in very poor conditions. Organic and wild, hand picked, Mountain tea (Sideritis purpurea; Ironwort) from the mountains of Epirus, North West Greece. Benefits, Uses, & Recipes, What Is Ceylon Tea? A resident of Greece, Nancy Gaifyllia is a cook who writes about the country's regional specialties. Remove herbs, strain and allow to cool. Once the sorted tea has been bundled, it is hung in special drying sheds. Greek Mountain Tea has been used to remedy symptoms of colds and flu viruses, gastrointestinal issues, curing some ulcers, and the scientific literature even indicates it is helpful to reduce cognitive and memory decline due to aging. Before discarding the bag, squeeze to maximize the amount of phytonutrients which are released into your drink. Benefits, Uses, & Recipes. of freshly boiled water atop. This special tea is historically known as “Shepherd’s Tea” because Greek shepherds would make a brewed tea out of the plants while directing their flocks on the hillsides. Greek “Teas” from Yahoo! Add the tea to a pot filled with the amount of water you will serve and bring to a boil. Generations of Greeks have long sipped it as a remedy for ailments from the common cold to digestive issues. It is native to Greece and the Balkan region. After steeping for about five minutes, your hot cup of Greek mountain tea should be ready! The way we prepare Greek Mountain Tea is very simple, yet we need to keep in mind that it should not boil, otherwise its ingredients will be destroyed. These plants are hardy flowering perennials that have adapted to survive with little water and little soil. Greek grandmother’s rule: At least one cup a day. Put 2 cups water in a small pot and turn heat to medium-high. On Crete, the common name for Mountain Tea is malotira, and almost every region of Greece has its own name for the brew, such as Olympos tea and Parnassos tea, reflecting the name of the mountain where it grows. Enjoy! Our preferred way is to take a very small handful – what fits in the palm of your hand – of the tea (dried flowers, stem, leaves and all) – around 3 grams – and put in a small pot. Amount: 75g (2.65oz) Servings: Approximately 25 ($0.44 per serving) Organic: EU certified - DIO. Add about 10 ounces of water and bring to a … The tea contains high levels of antioxidants and large amounts of essential oils, flavonoids, sterols, and other phytonutrients. The most common English name other than Mountain Tea is Shepherd's Tea because Greek shepherds use the plants to make a brewed tea while tending their flocks high in the hills. Syriaca is only one of many varieties of Siderities (aka Greek Mountain Tea). It is said to have a positive effect on almost anything that ails you, but mostly it is used to combat colds, respiratory problems, indigestion, and mild anxiety. Get easy-to-follow, delicious recipes delivered right to your inbox. Sideritis, also known as ironwort, mountain tea, and shepherd's tea, is a genus of flowering plants well known for their use as herbal medicine, commonly as an herbal tea.They are abundant in Mediterranean regions, the Balkans, the Iberian Peninsula and Macaronesia, but … For one serving, add a small handful of the herb to water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Bring the water to boiling. Images. For a 10-ounce or 1.5 cup serving: Serving suggestion: Serve Mountain Tea at breakfast or before retiring at night with Kalamata olives, feta cheese, and crusty bread. Gather 1-2 stems of the tea leaves and break them into thirds, Fill your briki (or a pot) with the water; turn heat to medium-high, Place your tea leaves in the water and let boil, Once boiling, remove briki from heat and allow tea to steep for about 7 mins, Pour tea into cup while carefully using a strainer to catch the tea leaves, Sweeten with sugar or honey (optional) and enjoy. Once the water boils, remove your pot from the heat and allow the tea to steep for 5-10 minutes, depending on how strong you’d like your tea. Ask ten people how to brew Greek Mountain Tea, and you might get ten different answers! Making Mountain Tea is pretty simple. The tea made from Sideritis raeseri is credited with easing a wide range of physical ailments. How Do You Make Greek Mountain Tea? Then, place the strainer in a cup and pour boiling water over it. It is said to bolster the immune system and is valued for its antioxidants, as an anti-inflammatory and to reduce fever. Greek Mountain Tea is the new green tea. The tea is packaged as loose tea, not as tea bags. I gave him Greek mountain tea for two months, and now he has improved to such an extent that he is preparing to go on holiday with a friend in the Alps!” Mountain tea, which has a high phyto-nutrient content that protects it from UV rays and other elements, usually grows in rocky places at an altitude of 1000 metres and above (which is why it’s also known as Shepherd’s Tea). Sideritis raeseri is also … So, what are the side effects of regularly using Greek Mountain Tea? This tea consists of select handpicked dried flowers, leaves and stems of the native Sideritis plant which grow wild throughout the mountainous regions of Greece. Place 12 ounces of water in a pan on the stove for a 10-ounce (1.5 cup) serving of tea. It is the variety that is grown on the island of Crete (also known there as Malotira). How to make Greek Tea or Greek Mountain Tea as it's also known. What Is Black Tea? Allow to boil for 3-5 minutes and steep for about 3-5 minutes, depending on desired strength. Reduce Here's to your health! Pour into a large pitcher filled with ice and serve or refrigerate. Eskil, this tea is known as Greek Mountain Tea because of the historical records for more than 2,500 years. For a hot preparation of Greek mountain tea, I recommend using a tea strainer. So, this Greek Mountain “Tea” is for me a bit of a misnomer. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Let it boil for 3-5 minutes. Greek Mountain Tea is made using the dried leaves and flowers of Sideritis plants (ironwort). Steep for 10-15 minutes. For dried tea leaves or tea bags, add about 2 tablespoons or a third of a tea bag, into a teapot and fill with boiling water, letting steep for five to 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let the tea steep for another 3 to 5 minutes. Greek Mountain Tea (Mount Olympus) Greek Mountain Tea (Mount Olympus) Qty: Origin: Mount Olympus, Greece. Greek Mountain Tea is made using the dried leaves and flowers of Sideritis plants (ironwort). 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