Linden trees grow in many countries and their flowers are not collected and made into tea everywhere. I grew up in Turkey, and I can say that linden has been always available at my home. It is also one of the few herbal teas you would find in any café and most restaurants. My perception was that linden tea is consumed due to its relaxing properties and when someone has a cold. I remember my mum climbing to linden trees to collect the flowers and leaves. She then dries and stores them and always put away some for me. The taste and aroma come from the blossoms, but I always had linden tea with the leaves.
More than 10 years ago when I moved abroad and lived outside Turkey ever since, I did notice that linden tea was not very common despite that the trees were there. I recently read that the commercial linden mostly comes from Turkey and Eastern European countries which I find interesting.
On a report by European Medicine Agency, I have read that linden flowers has been used as a diaphoretic since the Middle ages but also they were traditionally taken as a tranquiliser and to treat headaches, indigestion and diarrhoea.
Some European countries like Germany have approved application for linden flower. However, some researchers also found certain drawbacks of linden.
For instance, despite being known as a tranquiliser, linden was found to increase the hearth rate in animals. When taken in excess amounts, linden flower can also be cardiotoxic according to different researches (Pahlow, 1979; Newall et al., 1996; Tyler, 1993). If you love it, you would need to drink it moderately.
Tea Profile:
Type: Herbal (non-tea)
Origin: Turkey
Harvest time: 2019
Leave colour: Yellow flowers with leaves
Liquor colour: Light yellow
Tea aroma: Floral
Tea taste: Floral and slightly sweet
Steeping/brewing: Take about 2 gr of linden blossom and boil in 200 ml water for up to 10 minutes. Drink after straining it. Add lemon and/or honey according to your taste.
Shelf life: Up to 1 year (the fresher the better)
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