Despite the fact that Ivan-chai is a regular on the shelves these days, both in the form of a finished drink and in the form of dried leaves, none of these options can compare with a self-made decoction. Properly prepared fireweed leaves can be beneficial for several years, because along with a pleasant taste, Ivan tea also has healing properties. Drying the leaves of a plant does not require professional skills, however, before you go to extract raw materials, it is advisable to learn how to collect and dry Ivan tea in order to avoid offensive mistakes. We will talk about the secrets of preparing leaves and how to store them in this article.

Ivan tea is distributed throughout Russia, it can be found both in the northern and southern regions. However, it is easiest to detect it in the central strip. Ivan tea grows in glades, swamps, fields and near water bodies. This plant is often found in ordinary wastelands along the roads.

Despite the fact that Ivan-chai is not able to get along in the most favorable conditions, it is advised to collect it in ecologically clean areas in order to get a better end product. The further this plant is located from highways, industrial plants and railway lines, the better it will be suitable for making healthy drinks.

When to pick Ivan tea

The collection period of Ivan-tea is directly related to the flowering of this plant, which occurs in the first half of summer (from mid-June to July). However, a more accurate collection time depends on the specific region:

• In the southern regions, fireweed is collected at the very beginning of summer;
• In the central regions, raw materials are harvested closer to mid-July;
• Northerners harvest blooming Ivan tea throughout August.

This difference in time is primarily due to the difference in temperature. The southern regions are distinguished by a favorable summer season, which is not distinguished by sudden cold weather or precipitation, and therefore Ivan-chai grows quickly in such places. In colder regions, fireweed takes longer to bloom, as low temperatures slow down this process.

If we talk about the very condition of the plant, then a sure sign of its readiness for drying is the beginning of flowering. It is unacceptable to use fireweed, on which seeds have already formed, since its medicinal properties disappear - the manufacture of raw materials from such willow-herb is unacceptable. Such a drink will not harm your health, but it will not bring any benefit.

The end of flowering is evidenced by small twigs that appear in the upper part of the flower brush of the plant. Collecting Ivan tea after flowering makes sense only if you want to use its seeds for planting on your own plot. Fireweed seeds are stored for several years and can be safely used for such purposes.

Weather

Before setting off for Ivan tea, it is advisable to choose a suitable day in advance by studying the weather forecast. It is undesirable to collect fireweed in rainy weather, or immediately after precipitation. Thick fog will also be a bad companion when selecting plants for drying, as it will lead to excessive moisture Ivan-chai, thereby contributing to its early mold.

Since going to the field for Ivan-tea with “bare hands” is completely impractical, you should think about suitable equipment in advance. When collecting fireweed, rely on the following recommendations:

Ivan tea collection technology

In order to correctly collect exactly those parts of the plant that will later be useful in cooking, you need to know some of the subtleties of the structure of the plant and handling it:

Important! To collect willow tea, it is undesirable to involve any additional tools, such as scissors or secateurs, as they can injure a fragile plant.

Leaf processing

In order to clean the brought leaves, you should not use any detergents that aggressively affect the plant. It will be enough to rinse them under clean cool water so as not to damage them. After the procedure, make sure that all the remaining water is drained, as moistened leaves deteriorate much faster.

At the end of washing, the time comes for drying, the purpose of which is to rid the leaves of excessive moisture. To make the leaves dry faster, it is recommended to take several layers of white paper and spread raw materials on them. Keep in mind that the use of newspaper sheets or other paper with dyes applied can cause willowherb leaves to absorb dyes, which will adversely affect the future decoction.

It should take about a day to dry the blanks for the broth. The best place to store leaves for this period would be a ventilated room with closed windows, since sunlight on Ivan Chai is undesirable. For the allotted day, it is recommended to periodically check the condition of the leaves and turn them over so that the drying is uniform.

Important! Withering does not imply the absolute drying of the leaves. After this procedure, the raw materials should not begin to crumble, as this will make further manipulations with the product impossible.

After a day, roll all the leaves between your palms. If the drying was carried out correctly, the leaves will easily succumb to rotational movements and form small tubes. If you notice that Ivan tea leaves begin to darken, then you are doing all the steps correctly. In addition to darkening, juice should begin to stand out from them - this will mean that the leaves are ready for fermentation. Please note that twisting is necessary before the first drops of juice appear.

By the way! If you have large volumes of leaves that cannot be twisted by hand, use a meat grinder. The raw material scrolled through it will take the desired shape.

Fermentation

Fermentation contributes to the disclosure of the aroma and taste of raw materials during its brewing. There are several ways to carry out this action, depending on the time resources that you are willing to allocate.

Table 1. Ways of fermentation of Ivan-tea leaves

Fermentation period	Degree	Procedure
36 hours	Light	1. Sort the prepared raw materials into glass jars or bottles, covering them with a napkin or gauze soaked in water; 2. Move the containers to a dark place where the temperature is within twenty-five degrees; 3. Wait 36 ​​hours; 4. Remove the raw material from the container and loosen it; The mixture is ready for final drying
48 hours	Medium	1. Take a linen cloth and soak it in clean water; 2. Lay the fabric on a flat surface and sprinkle leaves on it; 3. Make sure that the layers formed from the raw materials do not exceed three centimeters in thickness, otherwise the fermentation will be carried out unevenly; 4. Gently roll the flax with the leaves laid out on it into a roll, which should be tight enough so that the raw material does not fall out of it; 5. While twisting, do not forget to spray the flax with water to make it easier to manipulate; Wrap the roll with a cotton rope and roll it out on a flat surface for at least half an hour; 6. In addition to rolling, bend and unbend the roll to make the most of the wrapped raw material; 7. Place the roll in a dry, warm place and leave for a couple of hours, in which fermentation should begin; 8. After two hours, remove the roll and transfer the linen raw materials to glass containers and keep them in this form for two days
72 hours	deep	1. This method applies only to cases where the plant is being prepared for drying as a whole: 2. Divide Ivan tea into two halves; 3. From the first part, squeeze the juices with a juicer; 4. Place the remaining half in a saucepan, pouring the liquid obtained from the other half; 5. In addition to the lid, additionally cover the pan with some oppression, for example, with a wooden round stand, on which a load weighing up to twenty kilograms should be placed on top; 6. Keep the plant in the pot for three days

At the end of fermentation, the leaves should become soft. To the touch, the raw materials that have undergone this procedure are like rubber. Dry and brittle leaves, on the contrary, indicate certain mistakes made at one of the previous stages.

Drying the leaves

Drying refers to the final stage, after which the leaves are placed in long-term storage. There are two main methods of drying raw materials, performed in natural and artificially created conditions.

Drying under the sun

This method is very similar to the drying procedure, with one exception - the leaves are not located on paper, but on linen. Also, unlike drying, the leaves are dried under direct sunlight. Lay the raw material on linen in a thin layer so that drying is carried out evenly.

It can take up to several days to dry under the sun, depending on the amount of starting material. However, the advantage of this method is that under natural conditions, the leaves retain more nutrients.

Drying in the oven

Before placing the leaves in the oven, lay them out on a sheet of parchment that covers the entire baking sheet. Next, preheat the oven to 110 degrees and place the baking sheet inside. As the fireweed dries, periodically check it until it reaches the desired condition.

The dried material should decrease several times, therefore its readiness will have to be determined by eye. The drying speed depends on the degree of humidity of the fireweed at the moment it is immersed in the oven.

Since the oven dries quickly, keep the oven door open throughout the procedure to prevent overdrying. Despite the fact that drying in an oven is less favorable for fireweed, it allows you to achieve the desired result in a short time.

Video - Preparing Ivan-tea for storage

Ivan tea storage

Despite the fact that dried leaves are not too whimsical and can lie in any container, if you want to preserve their beneficial qualities, then you should choose the following vessels:

Regarding more general storage conditions, they are very simple to implement. Make sure to:

• humidity in the room where Ivan-chai is stored did not rise above 80%;
• The temperature fluctuated between 15-20 degrees above zero.

Shelf life

There are still disputes about the shelf life of Ivan-tea. According to GOST, fireweed leaves are stored for two years. However, there are cases of storage of raw materials for three, six and even ten years, which did not lead to a deterioration in the taste of the resulting broths. Some lovers even argue that Ivan-chai is like good wine, and long periods of storage cannot be a hindrance to it.

We talk about some recipes for Ivan tea and the intricacies of its brewing below.

Koporye tea should be consumed as a drink after the so-called fermentation. We will learn more about this later, but for now, about the benefits and harms of fermented tea from Ivan tea.

The benefits are obvious due to the presence of a huge amount of vitamins, minerals and trace elements in the composition of this product.

The plant contains ascorbic acid six times more than lemon, vitamins of groups A, B and PP, it contains potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, selenium, iron, calcium, zinc, sodium. It is successfully used as a tonic, tonic and therapeutic agent.

Due to the presence of essential oils, the properties of the drink are preserved for three days. Let us dwell on the medicinal properties and contraindications of fermented Ivan tea.

Did you know? Ivan-chai is considered a high-calorie product, contains about 100 calories per 100 g. Therefore, it is indispensable for travel, long-term hunting or fishing–strength is restored faster.

Medicinal properties

Due to its beneficial components, Koporye tea has been used for the treatment and prevention of a number of diseases since ancient times.

1. Proven anti-inflammatory and enveloping effect in diseases of the stomach and intestines. Tea helps with gastritis, stomach ulcers, duodenal ulcers and other similar ailments, is effective for various kinds of poisoning.
2. Beneficial effect on the circulatory system. If you drink a fireweed drink regularly, the so-called alkalization of the blood occurs, which is necessary to maintain its normal pH level. It promotes the formation of new blood cells and has the property of stopping bleeding.
3. Ivan tea can be used as a substitute for valerian for the prevention and treatment of various neuroses. It has a calming effect, helps with anxiety and depression.
4. For a long time, the drink has proven itself as a universal remedy for diseases and disorders of the genitourinary system. It normalizes potency, fights prostate adenoma and prevents it from developing into an oncological disease. It has a therapeutic effect in kidney disease and cystitis.
5. It is used as an anti-inflammatory and antipyretic drug. There is an effect in diseases of the oral cavity, bleeding gums.
6. Ivan tea acts as an immunomodulator, works as a powerful antioxidant and cleanser of the body, normalizes blood pressure, relieves headaches, and has a general strengthening effect.

Did you know? In Russia, the first mention of Ivan-tea as a healing drink dates back to the 12th century. Alexander Nevsky tried it and instructed to develop production in Koporye.

Contraindications

Since Ivan-tea itself has a healing effect, it should not be used in combination with other medicines, especially antipyretic and sedative. It is necessary to apply dosed, not "buckets" and take breaks after a month of use.

Otherwise, it will lead to indigestion. It is not recommended for children under six years of age, you need to drink carefully in case of blood diseases.

What is fermentation and why is it done?

The fermentation process is used to make Koporye tea at home. Consider what is the process of tea fermentation from a scientific point of view.

The main point is that the plant secretes juice, which reacts with air, which leads to fermentation and oxidation, then it is dried.
After such processing, all useful properties are preserved in fireweed and the drink acquires a fruity taste. If you just dry the leaves, the brewed tea will be tasteless and useless.

Therefore, there is an answer to the question of what fermented tea is - it is a drink with a pleasant fruity taste that has retained all the benefits of the plant.

The process of collecting and harvesting

To get a healthy drink later, it is important to understand what fireweed looks like. In nature, a plant as tall as a man, perennial, with pink and purple flowers.

Collect and prepare leaves of fireweed. The flowers are dried or fermented as an additive to a tea drink, and the roots are dried and ground to a state of flour. Cakes are baked from this flour, it is added to dishes.

Koporye tea is harvested during its flowering period, that is, throughout the summer. It is necessary to distinguish narrow-leaved fireweed from other species of this family. In marshy and damp places, you can meet marsh and small-flowered fireweed.
It is quite simple to distinguish them from Ivan-tea - the height of others is no more than 20 cm.

Did you know?Collecting a leaf does not harm the plant if done carefully and without damaging the stem. The plant is an excellent honey plant, honey productivity per hectare can reach 600 kg.

Collection of leaves

The collection of leaves begins in June and ends in August. It is good to find a corner away from the roads so that the product is environmentally friendly. It is necessary to collect young leaves, starting from the inflorescence and descending almost downward.

The stalk is strong enough, so you can simply drag it down with effort. Near the inflorescence, you need to leave several tiers of leaves - they will help the plant grow well further. It is desirable to collect the leaf in the morning, when the dew has already disappeared in dry, warm weather.

Opinions vary as to where it is best to do this. Someone advises open places with a lot of sun, and someone points to shaded areas and the outskirts of fields.
The latter argue that in such places the leaf is more tender and juicy.

Important!Fireweed leaves should be collected only until the flower is pubescent. Fluff is difficult to remove from the leaves, they are more rigid and they have significantly less useful properties.

leaf wilting

Withering is done in order to remove excess moisture from the leaves, which will interfere with fermentation. From this it is obvious that the sheet does not need to be washed before harvesting. Next, we place the leaves on the fabric with a ball no more than a few centimeters in height and leave to dry for about 12 hours.

Leaves should be stirred. The optimum air temperature for this process is up to 26°C at a relative humidity of about 70%. If the temperature is higher, the leaf will wither faster. The leaf is dried more often in the house in a dark place, less often in the open air.

In the latter case, there can only be a light breeze and a shadow - a strong wind and sun will dry the leaves, and not wither. The easiest way to check if the leaves are wilted is to take a few and squeeze them in a fist.
If they are not ready, they will disintegrate; if they are ready, they will remain in a compressed form. Then the leaf moisture will be approximately 60%.

Important! If you dry out the leaf during the withering process, do not add water.–raw materials are damaged. You need to collect fresh and repeat everything again.

Preparation for fermentation

The leaves have withered and you can begin the process of preparing it for fermentation. It is necessary to destroy the structure of the leaf and extract the juice from it, which contains the enzymes responsible for the process itself. This will allow the most complete release of useful substances from the plant.

If there is not enough juice, the fermentation will go badly, and the tea will lose its taste and a lot of usefulness. There are several ways to ferment Ivan tea at home, let's focus on the most used and proven ones.

Leaf curl

We take up to 10 leaves of the plant, put them together and roll them between the palms to make a “sausage”.
This is done with effort until the leaves become darker. This means that they have isolated the juice.

crushing leaves

Another recipe for how to make ivan tea at home is creasing. The raw materials are placed in a bowl, preferably enameled, crushed according to the type of dough kneading.

After 15 minutes, the leaves secrete juice and darken, become thinner and somewhat twisted. In the process, the leaves need to be divided, to avoid lumps.

Twisting in a meat grinder

A common way to make Koporye tea at home is to grind the leaves in a meat grinder.

To do this, a mesh with large holes is taken; in the process of twisting, the meat grinder needs to cool down for a short time.

Fermentation

The fermentation technology is directly related to the methods of preparing the leaf mass. Twisted leaves are folded into a pan in layers and oppression is placed on top.

All this should be covered with a cloth slightly moistened with water, and left in a warm, but not hot place. The best fermentation temperature for willow tea is up to 26°C.

If the temperature is low, the processes stop, if it is high, some of the products that give tea strength and taste do not dissolve, it will smell and taste like ordinary cheap tea.

In time, this process can last from 3 hours to 3 days. Longer fermentation - stronger tea. You can extend the fermentation up to a maximum of 12 days, but after 3-4 days it is necessary to rearrange the container in a cooler place and make sure that the mass does not become moldy.
There is a way to ferment rolled leaves in a three-liter jar.

It is necessary to fill it tightly with leaf sausages, cover with a plastic lid or a damp cloth and leave to ferment in a warm place. Fermentation time is not more than 40 hours.

Crumpled leaves can also be fermented using a 3 liter jar. Hike technology - the leaves are very tightly stacked, covered

and left in a warm place for a day. The aging time depends on the desire for further tea strength.

Crumpled leaves can still be fermented differently. To do this, take a piece of matter and moisten it quite a bit. So the canvas will not take the moisture of the leaves. Foliage is laid out on top, the canvas is twisted and tied with a rope.
The bundle must be mashed for about 20 minutes and left for pre-fermentation for 3 hours. It is necessary to check the temperature of the roll - if it is close to 37 ° C, the preliminary process is completed.

The best way to ferment willow tea at home, according to many, is from leaves processed by a meat grinder. It is the least labor intensive and the fastest in terms of time.

The mixture is stirred, a container is placed (it is better to use enamel or cermet), covered with a cloth slightly moistened with water and placed in heat for up to a day, usually from three to six hours.
Fermentation of Ivan tea at home is completed when the color of the leaf changes from green to green-brown, and the smell from herbaceous to bright fruity-floral.

Drying

The final step in the fermentation of willow tea at home is the proper drying of the leaf or twisted mass. If twisted "sausages" or crumpled leaves are cut before drying, small-leaf tea will come out.

(fireweed, Koporye tea) - a drink that is very pleasant in taste and color, which has a powerful healing effect!

Even in Russia, Ivan-tea infusion was used as a drink and a cure for various ailments. This ordinary-looking herb in terms of therapeutic effects and healing properties, given the unique chemical content, is many times superior even.

Drinking Ivan-tea after sunset, you give your body a chance to prepare for recovery, for a gentle calming of the heartbeat, lowering blood pressure and normalizing your overall health. This state of nocturnal "anabiosis" is a real opportunity to extend or increase periods of active life for at least a quarter of its cycle on average. And that's certainly a lot.

An example and confirmation of the restorative properties of Ivan tea is the life of a researcher of the early twentieth century - Pyotr Aleksandrovich Badmaev. Most of his works of science are devoted to the study of the secrets of the healing power of this plant. The doctor lived for a hundred and ten years, and at the age of a hundred he knew the joy of fatherhood. And it is not known how many years he could still enjoy life if everything had not been cut short by the prison in Petrograd.

Europe very quickly appreciated the merits of this tea for its unique content. It has six and a half times more vitamin C than any lemon. In addition, there are tannins - up to 20 percent, a large amount of flavonoids, mucus and pectins. Therefore, this product was exported from Russia to Europe in huge quantities.

Koporye tea

It is made from vegetable raw materials Ivan-tea. This happens by analogy with obtaining black tea from green tea. Preparation of delicious and healthy tea begins with fermentation - 24-48 hours. The smell, color and taste of the product that will be obtained as a result of all manipulations depend on the time the fermentation starts and the operating temperature. The color of tea becomes different - green, yellow or completely dark. The black color blend has no competitors on the tea market! More details of fermentation will be explained

The taste of Ivan-tea is distinguished by pleasant and fragrant features, tones the body, invigorates and adds vitality. It has a healing effect on the entire body as a whole. In the heat, there is no better way to quench your thirst, regardless of the temperature of the drink. The main thing that makes this drink the most popular, especially for people leading a healthy lifestyle, is that it differs in composition from various caffeinated drinks and black tea.

Fireweed has a great effect on the blood if it is used as a strong infusion or decoction of fireweed, subject to constant use (increases hemoglobin levels, restores the acid-base rate in the blood)

What else is useful Ivan tea?

Assists in the normalization of digestion and metabolism, improves all types of metabolic processes, especially lipid and carbohydrate;

It has a powerful antiphlogistic and antiseptic properties, and is effective as a curative and prophylactic drug in the general treatment of infections and inflammations. In this matter, the leaves and flowers of this herb are far superior to such powerful natural antiseptics familiar to everyone as willow bark, oak bark and bear ears. Such a specific effect of the plant is associated with the content of flavonoids, tannins, carotenoids, vitamin C, organic acids, triterpenoids, microelements in it;

Prolongs the active life of the male body, maintaining and improving the function of the "second heart" - the prostate gland. In addition, the state of men's health in general is significantly improved: it increases potency, normalizes erectile function. No wonder Ivan-tea is called the "male" grass;

It has a mild diuretic effect, normalizes the water and electrolyte balance, while reducing;

Thanks to the magnesium, vitamins of group B, flavonoids that are part of fireweed, it is an effective non-synthetic hypnotic and sedative, normalizes the psycho-emotional state (reduces nervousness, excitability, relieves headaches, normalizes night rest);

Since Ivan-tea contains tannins, mucus, pectins, etc., it is able to improve and restore the activity of the digestive system, eliminating constipation, heartburn, and dysbacteriosis. This is achieved due to enveloping, anti-inflammatory and reparative action;

Due to the presence of organic acids in Koporye tea, in combination with magnesium and flavonoids, a choleretic effect is manifested;

Acts on viruses and resists allergies;

The reparative (that is, wound-healing) effect is achieved due to the presence in the content of the grass of such elements as chlorophyll, tanning mixtures, carotenoids, which accelerate the granulation and epithelialization of lesions on the skin;

The gradual analgesic effect of Ivan-tea is due to the alkaloids, mucus, flavonoids, and magnesium present in the flowers and leaves;

It has lactation qualities, prolonging breastfeeding and thereby improving the health of babies;

Flavonoids and pectins of Ivan-tea leaves are natural adsorbents and cleanse the body of toxic elements;

Endocrine organs work smoothly and more efficiently;

The herb has especially gained success as an antitumor agent due to the antioxidant action of hangrol and other antioxidants - carotenoids, flavonoids, tannins, copper, organic acids, manganese, vitamin C, magnesium. During scientific research, it was found that narrow-leaved fireweed contains low-toxic and high-molecular substances that show “interest” in relation to cancer cells;

Slows down early skin aging, making it supple and elastic. All this is due to substances that stimulate the natural processes of collagen synthesis (phytesterols, vitamin C, flavonoids, carotenoids, organic acids and copper).

With constant use, Koporye tea is used in the general and preventive treatment of the following diseases:

Anemia (anemia);

Gastritis, ulcerative formations in the duodenal bulb and stomach, colitis, disorders in the biliary system,;

Inflammatory diseases of the urinary system in men (prostate adenoma or prostatitis);

Metabolic and inflammatory diseases of the skin.

Poisoning and intestinal dysfunction;

The general course of rehabilitation from alcoholism, for the relief of a hangover syndrome;

Increased psycho-emotional pressure and chronic;

The effect of constant fatigue, overwork;

In dentistry - in children during the appearance of milk teeth, at an older age with friability and;

Endocrine disorders in women of various origins (problems with the menstrual cycle, existing uterine bleeding, menopause, premenstrual syndrome);

As an aid after manipulations to fight tumors and cancer (chemotherapy and radiation exposure) during the recovery period;

In the treatment of blood diseases (leukemia or lymphogranulomatosis) as an adsorbent;

With a decrease in immunity (immunodeficiency state);

With beriberi, especially vitamin C and group B.

Ivan tea for men:

Of course, the healing properties of the plant help everyone - men, women, children, but, having the ability to cure prostatitis and prostate adenoma, Ivan tea has earned unconditional trust from men.

Ivan tea for women:

This is an unsurpassed remedy for the treatment of cystitis, thrush and other diseases of the genitourinary system in women.

Ivan-tea tea

No matter how good Koporye tea is, the taste, smell, and color of the drink are largely determined by the quality of the water. Who ever drank tea on spring or melt water will never forget this taste. Ideally, one person should have five grams of Ivan-tea (dried tea leaves) per day. It makes four to five cups of concentrated drink. Tea leaves can be brewed several times, but note that the concentration of beneficial properties will decrease, although taste qualities are preserved in small quantities.

How to brew Ivan tea?

Proper brewing of Ivan tea leaves is one of the two main components that ensure the safety of all medicinal properties.

The first way to brew Ivan tea

2 teaspoons of dry grass pour 600 ml of boiling water (it is best to use natural or purified water). The container is tightly closed and left to infuse for 10-15 minutes, after which the infusion is mixed.

The infusion contains essential oils in its composition, so the drink does not spoil for several days, but it is best to use it freshly prepared. The concentration largely depends on your taste preferences.

You can also drink tea chilled. If there is a desire to warm up, in no case allow it to boil. The subtle aroma will disappear immediately. Drink without sugar, use raisins, dates, dried apricots, honey, halva instead.

The second way to brew Ivan tea

Fresh willow-tea leaves are placed in an enamel bowl with a layer of 3–5 cm, then poured with purified water at room temperature (up to 10 cm), after which the infusion is put on low heat and heated. The next step is to infuse the resulting composition for 10 minutes.

As a tea leaves, you can also take a mixture of leaves with flowers: for half a liter of boiling water, a mixture of flowers and leaves of Ivan-tea 2: 2 (teaspoons).

When to collect and how to dry Ivan tea?

Ivan tea is harvested during the flowering period, it is important to collect the grass at a time when the flower brush has not yet fully blossomed. Flowering begins at the end of June and continues until autumn. In August, beans ripen on the lower branches of willow-tea, inside of which there is an unpleasant fluff. This fluff should not fall into the collection.

Collection is recommended to be carried out in dry weather, you should not start it immediately after rain. Unsuitable for collection dusty, dirty, diseased, affected plants. Ivan-tea, growing along busy roads, is not intended for medicinal fees.

For the preparation of medicinal infusions and decoctions, the aerial part of the plant is suitable, therefore, during collection, it is cut or broken in the middle, sometimes closer to the ground.

Flower brushes are carefully spread on the floor in a thin layer (about 5 cm), after which they are twisted into a roll and squeezed to release the juice. The roll is left for 8–10 hours in a room where the air temperature is 20–25 degrees.

The fermentation process can also be carried out in a wooden box, putting pressed flower brushes into it and, to save moisture, covering it with a damp cloth. After the time has elapsed, the grass is dried in an oven at a temperature not exceeding 50 ° C.

In early May, you can collect the tops of young shoots, from which you can make tea of ​​excellent quality. This tea has an amazing ability to restore strength and restore energy reserves.

Ivan tea seeds

Ivan-tea seeds are collected in a small box, ripen from July to August. Up to 20,000 seeds can ripen simultaneously on one plant, the distinguishing feature of which is the presence of a white tuft (fluff). The crest helps the seeds to scatter a considerable distance from the plant; a slight breeze is sufficient for this. Another distinctive feature of Ivan-tea seeds is the ability to grow even a few years after ripening and hitting the soil.

In folk medicine, willow-tea seeds are not used, therefore they are of no value. Seeds are used exclusively for planting a plant in a certain area.

Fermentation methods:

1. Easy way to ferment

Collection of plant material is carried out in the morning after the dew has dried. The topmost flowers are plucked, without seeds and leaves. If it is very hot, then the grass cannot be collected, because the leaves will deteriorate, “burn out”. Watch carefully what you put in the basket, as a forest bug that has got into the raw materials can ruin the entire crop.

Leaves and flowers should be dried a little in a place where there is no direct sunlight, rubbed in the palms and compactly folded into a three-liter bottle. Cover with a wet cloth and leave in a dark, cooled room (up to 25 degrees) for 36 hours. After the specified time, the fermentation process is considered complete. The prepared mixture is loosened and dried at +95 - +110 degrees. You can use both electric and gas ovens.

During the drying process, the plant mixture is constantly stirred or turned over in the form of a dense layer. Gradually, the tea becomes the desired color, which varies from light brown to dark. Drying of loose tea in time takes place in different ways, this is due to the moisture content of the grass at the time of collection. Readiness is fixed visually, that is, "by eye". The period of drying round tea is determined by the mass of the dried tile. Raw mixture and dry tea in the finished form are in a ratio of 5:1. Ready tea is stored in a dark, dry place, in a tightly closed container, preferably glass, but a plastic jar is also suitable. When properly stored, the shelf life is three years.

2. Forgotten way

A sheet of Ivan-tea is laid out on a moistened linen cloth, a layer no more than 3 centimeters thick, rolled up as tightly as possible in the form of a roll (twisting). The size of the fabric depends on the amount of grass. Remember to dampen the cloth with clean water. This can be done from the most ordinary spray gun. Otherwise, the napkin will absorb the most valuable juice from the leaves of fireweed grass.

The twist is pulled together with a rope, for which a rubber cord is also suitable. We diligently grind the grass in the palms, making flexion and extension movements for about half an hour. It is desirable that two people participate in this event. In this process, the destruction of the structural cells of the plant and the soaking of plant raw materials with juice are observed. Then the primary fermentation takes place for two to three hours. The twist temperature is checked with the palms of your hands. If you feel warm (about 37-38 degrees and above), the initial fermentation process is complete. The mass has a delicate smell, reminiscent of sour pear compote.

Young plant tips collected in May are so fragile and sensitive that structural changes begin even during compaction in the container.

If you click on the raw material, you can hear a characteristic sound similar to a crunch. The mass fits tightly into a container (plastic bucket or glass jar) and closes to complete fermentation for 36-40 hours. In order not to spoil the final product, it is best to write the date and time of the bookmark and the end of the process on the lid of the container. If necessary, you can give the tea a more refined taste by extending the fermentation time in a chilled place. For the late collection of Ivan-tea in July - August, we carry out additional fermentation.

To this end, we will extract the plant mass from the bucket and rub it thoroughly with our hands until the juice appears.

Important point!

To facilitate the cooking process, you can skip the vegetable raw materials through a meat grinder (pre-remove the knives), but keep in mind that both the medicinal properties and the taste will be much worse, weaker.

Then we collect the processed mass in a pile and leave it for 6-8 hours at room temperature, covering it with a wet cloth. And when the mass under the fabric, when pressed, will resemble soft rubber - it's time to dry in the oven. The future tea laid out on a baking sheet is dried at an average temperature of 100 degrees, the degrees increase before drying is completed. This calcination, like coffee beans, will improve the taste, make the tea more fragrant and beautiful.

Do not forget about frequent mixing of the mixture. The oven should be slightly open. Red bricks or ceramic tiles are placed under the baking sheet so as not to overdry the tea. This device works like a Russian stove and normalizes the temperature in the oven. This is a very important point, since it depends on how healing the drink will turn out.

Making Koporsky tea in the oven takes one and a half to two hours. In one day, you can get 300-400 grams of the finished product in dry form. The mixture in the tiles must be wrapped in thickened paper. Tea, which has a loose structure, is stored for 3 years, in the form of tiles - for decades!

3. Fermentation under oppression in own juice

We divide all raw materials into two parts (this includes the top of the plant and its leaves). Juice is squeezed out of one part using a press juicer. There is very little liquid, even if it is a modern Angel-type juicer. We place the second half of the raw material in a ceramic-metal pan and pour the juice there. We press down with oppression from above. It is a wooden circle with a load of at least 20 kilograms. The load can be replaced with a weight of two pounds, wrapped in polyethylene to prevent contact of the metal with the juice. After 72 hours, fermentation ends, drying and obtaining tea in the final version occurs at a temperature of 90 degrees.

And now a visual lesson in making Koporye tea, watch the video:

Application for:

Healing infusions and decoctions have anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, astringent, diaphoretic and enveloping effects.

Ivan-tea has a pronounced sedative effect on the body (according to the mechanism of action and therapeutic effect, the infusion of this plant is close to the medicinal one). It is used for neurosis, increased excitability, aggression, frequent nocturnal awakenings, anxiety and a sharp mood swing.

The anti-inflammatory effect of Ivan tea is successfully used in the treatment of diseases of the genitourinary system, including chronic and acute cystitis and inflammation of the urinary tract. For men, the use of medicinal infusions will help to cope with chronic prostatitis and prostate adenoma.

The antibacterial effect of a medicinal plant is used for diseases of the oral cavity - tonsillitis, and.

Ascorbic acid, manganese and iron, which are part of the chemical composition of willow tea, make it possible to use the infusion of the plant as an adjuvant in the treatment of iron deficiency.

Ivan tea during pregnancy

Ivan-tea is a plant, for the use of which no contraindications have been identified to date, therefore, if necessary, pregnant women can take it.

Tea prepared on the basis of willow-tea is a natural remedy for the treatment of gastritis of high acidity, colitis, stomach ulcers. The plant has an anti-inflammatory effect, helps to overcome headaches, diseases of the nasopharynx, tonsillitis.

Vitamins and other beneficial substances that make up Ivan-tea have a positive effect on wound healing, contribute to the normal course of pregnancy, which further confirms the safety of its use for pregnant women.

Ivan tea for children

The plant has an antiviral property and is used as a prophylactic during the period of exacerbation of seasonal diseases (and SARS).

Ivan tea for prostatitis

Education: A diploma in the specialty "Medicine" and "Therapy" received at the University named after N. I. Pirogov (2005 and 2006). Advanced training at the Department of Phytotherapy at the Moscow University of Peoples' Friendship (2008).

Ivan tea is a medicinal plant that perfectly tones and strengthens the body. Guided by the photos and descriptions in the article, you will independently find Ivan tea in your garden or field, and you can prepare healing decoctions and tinctures.

The article also describes in detail the process of Ivan-tea fermentation, with which you can prepare a plant for the winter.

How to collect and dry Ivan tea

The medicinal plant Ivan-tea will be useful only if it is collected in an ecologically clean place. Despite the fact that fireweed grows almost everywhere, only plants collected far from roads, large cities and industrial enterprises are suitable for preparing infusions and decoctions.

Ivan-chai grows in dry and well-lit places. In swampy areas, marsh fireweed grows, which is also considered a medicinal plant, but has slightly different properties. Ivan-tea has large flowers, and the height of the plant reaches one and a half meters. Other similar plants should not be collected.

Ivan tea: useful properties and contraindications

Ivan tea, or fireweed, grows almost everywhere. Its height reaches one and a half meters, and during the flowering period it is covered with white, pink, red or purple flowers (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Ivan tea in natural conditions

Leaves, flowers and roots of Ivan-tea are used to prepare tinctures, decoctions and ointments. In addition, beekeepers appreciate it very much, as fireweed is an excellent honey plant. Ivan-tea is widely used in folk medicine to treat the respiratory system, heart, relieve inflammation and improve vision. In addition, fireweed tea can be used instead of coffee, as this drink perfectly improves the tone of the body.

Note: The weaker the decoction of willow-tea, the more tonic properties it has. Therefore, it is recommended to drink weak tea in the morning, and strong tea in the evening in order to relax and fall asleep soundly.

Fireweed has practically no contraindications, with the exception of individual intolerance. But experts in traditional medicine recommend drinking no more than 12 glasses a day.

Medicinal properties

Ivan tea is one of the universal plants widely used in folk medicine. Due to the valuable medicinal properties and high content of vitamins, fireweed tinctures and decoctions are used to treat many diseases (Figure 2):

• Digestive tract: gastritis, ulcers, colitis and disorders of the pancreas;
• Vessels and heart: perfectly normalizes blood pressure;
• Relieves inflammation in the genitourinary system;
• Used to combat male and female infertility;
• It has expectorant and antipyretic properties.

Figure 2. The healing properties of Ivan-tea

In addition, fireweed is used to combat skin diseases, including to eliminate herpes.

For men

The healing properties of Ivan tea for men are considered especially valuable. It has been proven that fireweed is an effective means of combating prostate adenoma, along with traditional medicines.

Due to the beneficial properties of the plant, regular use of the decoction helps to slow down or completely stop the growth of the tumor, and avoids surgery to remove the adenoma.

In addition, decoctions of willow-tea increase potency, help to cope with a hangover, and regular use significantly reduces cravings for alcohol.

For women

• Menstrual irregularities: Helps reduce heavy periods or establish a regular cycle;
• Relieves unpleasant symptoms of menopause;
• Eliminates endometriosis, thrush and cystitis;
• Effectively treats infertility.

Alcohol tincture of Ivan tea is also able to relieve headaches, swelling and normalize the heartbeat.

Note: Tea from this plant is recommended to drink during pregnancy, as it has tonic properties, but does not contain caffeine. But before use, you should definitely consult a doctor and find out if there are any individual contraindications.

However, it is impossible to drink Ivan tea in case of blood clotting disorders, and exceeding the dosage can cause malfunctions in the stomach and liver.

Gathering willow-tea leaves

You can collect Ivan-tea only during the flowering period, which differs depending on the region. In the southern regions it lasts from June to July, and in the northern regions it lasts until August or even September. To make tea, only incompletely opened buds and leaves are collected. At the time of collection, the plant is carefully pruned a few centimeters from the ground or simply run the palms over the leaves, as shown in Figure 3. Dusty, diseased and damaged plants should not be collected, as they are not suitable for medicinal purposes. In addition, it is not recommended to collect raw materials immediately after rain. To do this, choose dry sunny days.

Figure 3. Methods for collecting flowers and leaves of Ivan-tea

The video shows how to properly harvest and ferment fireweed.

In order for the finished decoction of Ivan tea to be tasty, the prepared raw materials must be properly dried. The leaves are carefully plucked from the stem, washed with running water and laid out on clean white paper (not on newspapers) in the shade. Fireweed is dried for about a day, periodically turning the leaves (Figure 4).

Note: Raw materials for making tea should not be completely dry, but only slightly soft.

Figure 4. Methods for drying Ivan tea

The flowers are laid out on paper in a thin layer and rolled up to release the juice. To do this, the roll is left in a warm room for 10 hours. This is followed by fermentation.

Ivan tea fermentation at home

There are several ways to ferment Ivan tea. Regardless of the method chosen, a ready-made decoction will be very useful if it is properly prepared and stored. Examples of Ivan Chai fermentation are shown in Figure 5.

• First way

The collected raw materials are dried a little in a shaded place (without exposure to direct sunlight). Then the leaves and flowers are ground in the hands and transferred to a glass container. Next, you need to cover the container with a damp cloth, transfer to a cool room and store for 36 hours. At the last stage, the flowers are dried in an oven at a temperature of 100 degrees, constantly stirring. Ready tea should be brown. It is better to store it in a glass or plastic container with a tight lid.

• The second way of fermentation

This method was used by our ancestors, so it can be considered the most reliable. To ferment Ivan tea, you need:

1. Take a clean linen cloth, moisten it a little with water and lay out the flowers and leaves in a layer of about 3 cm.
2. The fabric is rolled up, while it must be constantly moistened. Without this, the fireweed juice will be absorbed into the fabric.
3. The roll is pulled with a thread or rope and tightly twisted and untwisted for half an hour.
4. After that, the fabric is left in a warm place so that the plant mixture ferments. In this case, the fabric should become warm.
5. The finished mass is placed in a glass jar and closed with a lid for two days.
6. The finished mass is removed from the fabric, carefully rubbed with hands and folded into a pile, covered with a soft and damp cloth. When the finished mixture is similar in consistency to rubber, it is sent to the oven to dry at a temperature of 100 degrees. This not only increases the shelf life of the tea, but also makes it more fragrant.

Figure 5. Ways of fermenting Ivan-tea

Ready tea is laid out in jars and stored in a dry, dark place.

• The third way (in its own juice)

The collected raw materials are divided into leaves and flowers. Juice is squeezed out of the flowers using a conventional press or juicer. There will be a little liquid, but this is considered the norm. The leaves are laid out in a saucepan, poured with juice and pressed down on top with an oppression weighing about 20 kg.

The mixture is left for 72 hours, after which it is taken out and dried in the oven as described in the previous versions.

The video shows in detail how to harvest, dry and ferment Ivan tea at home.

Cooking method

To make Ivan tea drink aromatic, it is recommended to use a mixture of dried leaves and flowers. Dry plants are simply rubbed with hands and poured into a jar for storage.

The recipe for making tea is very simple: 2 teaspoons of herbs are poured into a glass of hot water and infused for 10 minutes. After that, the drink is ready to drink. To add flavor, tea can be supplemented with dry berries.

The preparation of Ivan tea for medicinal purposes differs depending on the disease that needs to be eliminated:

1. For diseases of the digestive system and headaches. A glass of dried grass is poured with the same amount of boiling water, insisted for several hours and filtered. After that, the finished infusion is drunk in a tablespoon 4 times a day.
2. For bleeding, SARS and anemia, a tablespoon of raw materials is poured into a glass of hot water and boiled for 15 minutes. Use the same way as in the previous recipe.
3. For the treatment of pancreatitis, the following recipe is used: 3 tablespoons are poured into one and a half glasses of hot water and infused for 10 minutes. The infusion is taken warm, 50 ml before and after meals.

Recipes for the preparation of Ivan tea for the treatment of other diseases are based on the same principle. However, before taking any folk remedies, you should consult your doctor and clarify the dosage and method of preparation. In addition, Ivan tea is often supplemented with other medicinal plants: lemon balm, peppermint, nettle or plantain.

Homemade tea from fireweed angustifolia calms the nerves, protects against colds, enriches the body with minerals and vitamins. Outwardly, it looks like ordinary black tea, but the taste is much brighter, with a floral flavor and sourness. You can assemble and prepare the drink for brewing yourself. Below is a detailed instruction on how to dry Ivan tea.

Leaves, flowers or roots?

Ivan-tea should be harvested in late summer or early autumn. During this period, the grass blooms and has more benefits. Those who do not have home fireweed can find it in the wild. The main thing is to avoid forest fireweed (it is lower, up to 20 cm high) and flowers near the road.

Nutritional value of fireweed per 100 grams:

Almost all parts of the plant are suitable for harvesting:

• leaves
• root
• inflorescences

Please note that each of the constituent parts has its own unique drying algorithm. Therefore, mixing them until fully cooked is not recommended.
Drying Ivan tea at home is easy, the main thing is to follow the instructions. For roots and flowers, special preparation is not needed. Leaves must be dried immediately after harvest. And for the preparation of real homemade tea, several stages are required: cleaning, fermentation, drying. Let's consider each item in more detail.

Step one - dry the leaves of willow-tea. It is better to do this separately from the rest of the components - roots and buds. They are the basis of the future drink, giving it a tropical aroma and taste.

How to dry Ivan tea:

1. After collection, separate the leaves from the flowers and roots, large debris. In a large bowl, rinse raw materials with cool water.
2. Spread the leaves on thick paper in a thin layer. It is better to choose a place in the shade, with a temperature of +23 degrees. Ivan-tea should be stirred periodically. After a day, pouring should be soft, not overdried.
3. fermentation stage. To properly dry Ivan tea, you need to extract the juice from the raw materials. Prepare enamel deep dishes. Take a small handful of grass and roll it into tight tubes, then the leaves should give juice. Gloves can be omitted, since the willow-tea juice is transparent and does not stain your hands.
4. All foliage must be formed into tubes, and then placed in an enamel bowl. Top with a clean cloth or gauze. In this form, leave the fireweed in a dark, warm place for 8-16 hours. In the process of fermentation, the plant will acquire more useful properties and its taste will become indistinguishable from the Ceylon counterpart.
5. After fermentation, dry willow-tea in an oven or electric dryer. If you want to get large-leaf tea - spread the leaves whole, granulated - chop or pass through a meat grinder. Next, lay out the parchment on the baking sheet. Spread the workpiece evenly over the surface and send to the oven. Ivan tea is dried at a temperature of no more than 60-65 degrees, so that the tea retains most of the vitamins. The oven door must be left ajar. Turn the leaves occasionally to dry evenly. After 60 minutes, turn off the oven and let the workpiece cool.

At the last stage, it is important to monitor the readiness of the sheets, they may dry out or remain raw. The taste of such a drink will be less intense.

Interesting fact: during drying, pick up a leaf and break it: it should be divided into parts with a slight crunch. If the grass is crumpled and sluggish to the touch, hold it in the oven for a little more. If the leaf crumbles into dust, the tea is too dry.

Ready Ivan tea should be packaged in glass or metal jars, and then left for 2 weeks in a dark place.

How to dry flowers?

Homemade fireweed tea can be made with or without inflorescences. It is better to mix them with leaves after fermentation, since the petals lose their useful qualities in this process.

During the collection of flowers, it is better to immediately separate them from the rest of the willow-tea. They make a beautiful and healthy preparation for the winter: buds are added to jam, confiture, candied willow tea will serve as a decoration for dishes. Dried flowers can be mixed with fireweed leaves or other herbs.

How to dry willow-herb flowers:

1. You do not need to wash the flowers, this will only damage them. The collected "harvest" is immediately laid out on a covered baking sheet.
2. We set the temperature in the oven to 25-30 degrees. Send the baking sheet with the workpiece to the oven. It is important to ensure that the temperature does not exceed 30 degrees, otherwise the flowers will dry out.
3. Periodically take out the baking sheet and shake the flowers. You need to check their readiness in the same way as the leaves: in the hand they should crunch and break. It will take 1-1.5 hours to dry the petals.

When the buds turn dark purple and brittle, turn off the oven and remove the baking sheet to cool. After that, Ivan tea can be added to other herbs or mixed with fireweed leaves.

Interesting fact: flowers can also be dried without an oven: spread on gauze and leave in a warm place in the shade, direct sunlight should not fall on the flowers. This type of drying will take a day, but retain more flavor and beneficial flavonoids.

How to dry fireweed root?

You can also dry the willow-tea root in the fresh air:

To begin with, the roots need to be washed and laid out in a warm place in the shade. An attic or balcony is ideal for this. The fireweed rhizome does not require special care; after 5-7 days of drying, the raw material will be ready for use.

How to check the readiness of the root? It must not be dried into powder or bent. Properly dried rhizome can break in your hands - this means the right degree of drying.

You can add grated root and flowers, any dry berries to ready-made dried leaves, or just leave it black. Such a homemade drink will be needed in winter for the prevention of influenza and SARS, in spring and autumn - for beriberi, in summer - for a restful sleep. Dry Ivan tea and make a healthy drink better every season so that it is always fresh and full of vitamins.

Source

Wikipedia: Ivan-tea narrow-leaved, Koporsky tea

Video "How to dry Ivan tea"