I wrote about linden blossom tea in this post earlier, which is probably the most common herbal tea in my native Turkey. Perhaps, it’s followed by the sage tea in terms of popularity. Although for me it was quite late when I first drunk sage. I was around 18 and having a sore throat and somebody recommended that I drink sage. If you know its taste, you may not find it pleasant at first as it is quite strong and lingers in the mouth quite a bit. I enjoyed drinking sage tea with a bit of honey since then especially in the evening or when I start showing the symptoms of cold. Similar to linden, I always keep a jar of dried sage leaves in my kitchen.
Sage is a very popular herb and is used a lot in its native Mediterranean cuisine. I was surprised to find out that there are about 900 species of sage round the world.
Similar to other herbal teas, sage also has some health benefits. Studies around the world found that sage can help improving memory and reducing glucose levels and harmful cholesterol among people with diabetes.
Apart from drinking as tea and using in cooking, sage is told to improve the quality of air and quality of sleep when burnt. If interested in, read more here.
It is almost 7 pm here, almost time for a cup of sage tea. What’s in your cuppa today?
Tea Profile:
Type: Herbal (non-tea)
Origin: Turkey
Harvest time: 2019
Leave colour: Green leaves with velvety texture
Liquor colour: Bright yellow
Tea aroma: Distinctive floral
Tea taste: Floral and bitter
Steeping/brewing: Take about 3 gr of dried sage leaves 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 freshest the better)