HEATHER- question about your Tummy Teas??
#62139 - 04/17/04 09:38 AM
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I am prone to calcium oxylate (sp?) kidney stones and have read and been told by doctors to stay away from tea because of the oxalate they contain. I was reading about your tummy teas and am I understanding they contain herbs only and not actual tea leaves? If so this would be a safer tea for me to take. 
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Tea (black or green) is actually a specific plant. "Herbal teas" are really a misnomer - they don't usually have real tea in them at all, they're just other plants. The proper name for herbal teas is actually tisanes, but that's just not in common use.
So, short answer is yes, you can use the Tummy Teas without any worries you'd have about real tea, because they don't contain any real tea at all. They're just peppermint or fennel, two plants that are unrelated to real teas. 
- H
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Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!
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Since I got chewed out last time I went to the dentist and had only been drinking tea for LIKE TWO WEEKS, although I didn't notice any color difference in my teeth in the front the hygenist says she could really tell in the back. She used pumice and I got a lecture. What do all of you do about tea staining teeth, just brush after every cup of tea? 
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Are these better than using regular teas that are pepermint and Fennel? Or is it better to use your tummy teas?
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Herbal teas shouldn't stain your teeth. It's the tannic acid in regular (especially black) tea that can do that. Interestingly though, real tea also has fluoride, so it can be good for your teeth.
- H
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Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!
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the fennel is whole seeds, not ground, and the peppermint is a very large leaf cut. The larger the leaf, the higher the volatile oil content that remains, and the stronger the tea. They're also organic, which I like. And they're in one pound bags, so you can use them freely without going through them in a week like you would a box of teabags. Each bag is the equivalent of more than ten boxes of teabags, makes MUCH stronger tea, and is much cheaper. The teas are only packed when I order a new batch every month or two, so they're always very fresh. What you want in an herbal tea is something that is as fresh as possible, as whole leaf or whole seed size as possible (never finely cut or ground), and as high a volatile oil as possible. These are all factors that will determine how strong the tea is when your brew it. Stronger is better, because it will be more effective at relieving/preventing symptoms.
- Heather
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Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!
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In regards to the fennel seeds, what is the best way to make the tea? Should you crush them some how or is the whole seed OK? If they should be crushed how the heck to you do it (I've tried many things now to no avail) If they should be crushed do they lose any potency if stored crushed? (Like if I crushed my whole days worth in the morning-is that OK?) How much is required for a 'strong' cup of tea? Can you (should you) add anything to it? I'm not terribly crazy about the flavor-especially in the mornings.
Thanks for your answers
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i don't crush them at all. i just use 'em as i get 'em. i put somewhere between 1 1/2 Tbsp to 2 Tbsp in my strainer or tea press. I use a little over a cup of water for that amount, and steep the tea for about 2 1/2 minutes, maybe longer.
as for flavor, if you can tolerate honey, that's nice in the fennel tea, as is a pinch of cardamom. both take the bite out of the fennel (tone down the anise taste a bit).
 
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You'll love her peppermint. It's totally fresh. Silly me, I was expecting red and white chips, like peppermint candy. When I got it, it was all green and herb-like! Surprise, surprise! Then, when I opened the bag, WOWWWW! The fragrance is incredible! You could use it for popourri! It's all herb, Girlfriend, and so yummy -- GOFERIT!
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<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~letsrow/smily3481.gif">Bevvy
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Fennel kicks ass (well, gas!). I HATE the taste though, so I mix mine with lavender which tastes really nice and then sometimes add honey.
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What a great idea Linz............I love lavender but not fennel 
Do the Brits put lavender in everything? I have a friend that spends part of her time in the states and part in England and she puts lavender in scones!!!!
I'd never heard of such a thing, have you????
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I am really an amateur with herbs..so pardon the question...what form do you buy lavender in? Are they leaves? I'm in the middle of hick-ville Minnesota so it may take me some searching to find what I would need. But that sounds really tasty...I thought about honey also, but for some reason the taste of fennel just doesn't seem like it would 'go' with honey...but I guess I should try it.
Thanks for the help
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I love peppermint tea too, and I've been drinking it (i've had a box of the pre-bagged stuff that I'm trying to finish off before I buy the good stuff) however being pregnant...heartburn is sometimes an issue and I know peppermint can make it worse-though I haven't had that problem with peppermint yet. Also I've read that a lot of peppermint can make your behind 'burn' a little when going poo-poo. Do you know if that's true... that's the last thing I need happening right now! 
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Do you use the whole seed or crush them a little?
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Quote:
i don't crush them at all. i just use 'em as i get 'em.
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Burning Behind
#62537 - 04/19/04 09:25 AM
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Kimm
Reged: 03/10/04
Posts: 1171
Loc: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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I've never had a burning behind from peppermint tea before....but a couple of times I've taken peppermint caps and then had a bad bought of D and BOY did it burn!!! The only plus side was that the washroom smelt minty fresh!! (ewwwwwwwwwww...haha)
You should be fine with the tea though...
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Laura
Keep it simple!
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What is the best way to make the tea?
Pour very hot (not quite boiling) water over the seeds, wait 2-5 minutes, drink tea hot or let it cool or refrigerate it. You can make it in a pot or in a cup.
Should you crush them some how or is the whole seed OK?
Either way is fine. If you crush them you will get a little more flavor and a little more "strength" from the seeds.
If they should be crushed how the heck to you do it?
I used to have a mortar and pestle for this but I quit using it when I discovered the coffee cup. You need a cup or glass with a totally flat smooth bottom. Put a spoonful of seeds on the counter, and crush them with the cup. Cups with unglazed bottoms work best. Shove the seeds off the counter and into the cup, or into your "tea egg" or into a coffee filter -- whichever way you make tea.
If they should be crushed do they lose any potency if stored crushed?
Yes. Best storage is a dark cool cupboard.
How much is required for a 'strong' cup of tea?
Depends on how old your seeds are and whether they're crushed. About 1 teaspoon per cup if they are nice and fresh, more if you want it strong.
Can you (should you) add anything to it?
I like it with honey and jasmine. Chai is great, too, and I like that strong with brown sugar and lots of cream. Lemongrass or lemon juice is good ('specially if ya have a Meyer Lemon Tree in your backyard like I do, neener neener to Bev).
I'm not terribly crazy about the flavor.
Note #1 -- most people aren't. Disguise it with something. Note #2 -- keep this in mind with anything herbal: if it smells good and tastes good, it's probably really good for you. If it really tastes BAD to you, it might not be so great for you. There are probably other herbal things that will get you similar results.
Note #3 -- if it's doing you a lot of good and you just DISLIKE the fragrance/flavor, buy some gelatin capsules and stick the fennel seeds in there and swallow.
Peripheral note on fennel tea: This stuff is an EXCELLENT eye wash. Got a sore eye? Redness? Swelling? Inflammation of any kind? Put some cool fennel tea in an eyedropper and get a drop or two in your eye. Stings for a half second and then is VERY soothing .... can be mixed with eyebright for extra goodness.
Thanks for your answers
You're very welcome, hope it helps.
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Crampgirl,
pretty picture, but who is it?????? it's very cute.
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Laura
Keep it simple!
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Your post was great! You have some good answers!!! 
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WOW...you're a regular fennel encyclopedia! Thanks for all the great info!
Thank you SOOOOOOOO much!
Connie
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Hey, I have another quick question about the Fennel seeds. I have tried the teas and they seem to help a little. And I bought some Fennel capsuls and I think they help, but don't notice a dramatic difference.
Can you just chew on the seeds or put them in yogurt or cereal? Or do they need to be brewed to get the full affect? What if you just grinded them?
I would love to get this bloating under control!
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"Love isn't love, until you give it away!"
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I found this question and answer post very helpful
I have an additional question about fennel - is it possible that the kind I bought at my local HFS is stale? The reason I am wondering is that before buying it in bulk there, I bought it at the grocery store in the spice aisle. The stuff from the grocery store tasted so much better. The fennel I bought at the HFS is sold in bulk, so I am wondering if maybe it's been sitting around?
Thanks!
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Hmm...
#67845 - 05/05/04 11:42 AM
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Kree
Reged: 10/08/03
Posts: 3748
Loc: Northern NY
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I recently got some of Heather's teas and have been experimenting with them for the past couple of weeks. I've actually been having trouble getting them as strong as the Celestial Seasonings teas I use! I was steeping it for about 5 minutes like I did with the teabags, but have found the loose teas in my tea infuser need at least 10 minutes to be strong enough for me! I've been stuffing the infuser as full as I possibly can and still wish I could get it a little stronger. I've been adding it to a cup or less of boiling water, too, and covering it. It's better, but I'm still curious, am I doing something wrong?
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"Anyone can exercise, but this kind of lethargy takes real discipline." -Garfield
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and if herbs and spices sit, their volatile oils evaporate (especially if they're sitting in unsealed containers, like boxes of tea bags or open bulk bins). Once the volatile oils are gone the herbs won't smell or taste fresh, nor will they brew into strong tea, nor will they help your symptoms nearly as much.
You always want to look for whole (not ground, powdered, whatever) herbs/spices, as fresh as possible, and use them fairly quickly so they're not sitting on your kitchen shelf for months either.
If you can't find fresh fennel seed locally, try the Fennel Tummy Tea which is packed and sealed only when I order a new batch, so it's always as fresh and strong as possible.
This makes a huge difference with peppermint tea as well - as you found, the taste is MUCH better when the herbs are fresh and not stale.
- H
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Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!
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the seeds need room to expand in order to brew properly. Don't fill the strainer by more than half - you might have to get a bigger strainer. I use a regular tea basket, so I can fit about 1-2 tablespoons of the seeds (I use a pretty big mug). The basket would probably hold 1/4 cup of seeds total, so there's plenty of room for the water to swirl around them. If you can only find small strainers, use two of them for one cup.
- H
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Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!
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Thanks Heather! I'm going to order some of your Fennel Tummy Tea today. Actually, I already put a call in to order it but had to leave a message for someone to call me back (I'm on the East coast).
Just as a side note, I came across your Eating for IBS book on Amazon.com by accident back in 2001. I think I have the first edition. Although I haven't always followed it to the letter, your recommedations have helped me tremendously. I recommend both of your books to everyone I know who has stomach issues (I also have an autographed copy of the First Year book ).
I'm one of the ones always whining about coffee. In fact, the whole quitting-coffee issue is what prompted me to register on the message boards back in December. I gave it up for a few weeks, but then started drinking it again  However, you will be happy to hear that I just ordered the 7 pack sampler from Teeccino! I am really going to try to kick the coffee habit once and for all because I do think it will help - not just with IBS, I have heartburn issues too 
I have learned so much and gotten so much encouragement from your website and the message boards. I also look forward to your twice-monthly newsletters 
Thanks for all the hard work 
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Thanks for the advice, Heather! My strainer is pretty tiny and I have been stuffing it really full. I've never seen a tea basket around here, so I think I'll go pick up another strainer!
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"Anyone can exercise, but this kind of lethargy takes real discipline." -Garfield
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Thank you!!
#68379 - 05/06/04 05:01 PM
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Heather
Reged: 12/09/02
Posts: 7799
Loc: Seattle, WA
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I'm blushing! Please let me know what you think of the Teecino - I'm interested myself.
How on earth do you have a signed copy of the First Year if you're out in Delaware? OH - wait - did you order that from me way back when I signed all the copies?!
- H
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Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!
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I totally stuffed a strainer thinking I'd get a super strong brew...and I got nada!
- H
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Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!
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Just wondering if anyone else has noticed that they get really thirsty after drinking fennel or mint tea. I get mine from a bulk food store and I wondered if maybe it was because the tea is not very good quality???
Ana
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so you don't have to worry. "Tea" is actually a specific plant, so the name "teas" for herbal teas is a misnomer. There is no real tea in the peppermint or fennel tummy teas, just those herbs. The oxalate issue wouldn't apply at all.
- Heather
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Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!
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