* Please Note: This information is based partly on Traditional Medicine which uses natural materials to support health. This information has not been evaluated or approved by the FDA. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These products are intended to support general well being and are not intended to treat, diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or cure any condition or disease. If conditions persist, please seek advice from your medical doctor.
Description
Bay is known by many other common names: laurel, Grecian laurel, Indian bay, sweet bay. It is an evergreen bush or tree, found both wild and cultivated around the Mediterranean Sea. In ancient Greece, laurel leaves were used to make crowns for Olympic heroes and poets, and the tree was considered sacred to the god Apollo. Bay grows widely in the Pacific Northwest and in other warm-tempetature and subtropical climates. It is not winter hardy; grow it as a pot plant in colder climates and take it indoors during the cold seasons. Bay tea is used as an astringent, and it is said to aid digestion, relieve flatulence, and stimulate appetite. It is also believed to protect the user from witchcraft and to ease the pains of childbirth. Laurus nobilis and Magnolia glauca varieties both are said to have narcotic properties, so use them sparingly. Native laurels are poisonous and should not be used at all.
Plant Facts and Growing Tips
Plant: Tender, perennial tree with smooth-barked trunk and thick, shiny, dark evergreen leaves. Whitish flowers are small and grow in clusters, but are seldom seen in the North. In milder areas, flowers appear in April and May and develop into black, egg-shaped berries.
Height: 3 to 6 feet when cultivated as a pot shrub. Bay may reach up to 30 feet when grown outdoors in a temperate climate.
Soil: Sandy, well drained.
Exposure: Full sun or partial shade. Protect from cold winds.
Propagation: By stem cuttings. Take 3- to 4-inch-long shoots of half-ripened stems and place them in a mix of sand and peat moss in a shady place outdoors. Shoots also may be layered. Allow six months or more for rooting. Suckers - shoots rising from a subterranean stem or root - develop a good root system more quickly.
Care: If using as a bush outdoors, set plants 4 feet apart and prune to desired height. As a pot plant, prune to promote bushiness, and bring indoors during colder weather. Bay grows very slowly, so bay trees are seldom inexpensive to purchase.
Part Used for Tea: Leaves.
Taste: Pungent, almost bitter; can be sweetened with honey.
How to Brew
By Infusion: Use 1 teaspoon dried leaves (or 3 teaspoons fresh crushed leaves). Cover with 1 cup boiling water and steep to taste.
Digestibili-Tea
This tea is a spicy blend that aids in digestion:
1 teaspoon dried bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried mint leaves
1 teaspoon ground ginger
Mix herbs. Infuse 1 teaspoon of mixture in 1 cup boiling water. Steep 5 to 8 minutes, or to taste.
Preparation and Dosage: A weak infusion is made of the fresh or dried leaves and can be taken with meals to improve digestion.
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Directions
Hot tea brewing method: Bring freshly drawn cold water to a rolling boil. Place 1 tea bag for each cup into the teapot. Pour the boiling water into the pot, cover and let steep for 2-4 minutes. Pour into your cup; add milk and sugar to taste.
Iced tea brewing method: (to make 1 liter/quart): Place 5 tea bags into a teapot or heat resistant pitcher. Pour 1 1/4 cups of freshly boiled water over the tea itself. Steep for 5 minutes. Quarter fill a serving pitcher with cold water. Pour the tea into the serving pitcher straining the tea bags. Add ice and top-up with cold water. Garnish and sweeten to taste.
Cautions
Not recommended if you are pregnant or lactating.
Do not take if you are currently taking prescription medication to treat Diabetes.
Additional Information
TerraVita is an exclusive line of premium-quality, natural source products that use only the finest, purest and most potent ingredients found around the world. TerraVita is hallmarked by the highest possible standards of purity, potency, stability and freshness. All of our products are prepared with the highest elements of quality control, from raw materials through the entire manufacturing process, up to and including the moment that the bottles or bags are sealed for freshness and shipped out to you. Our highest possible standards are certified by independent laboratories and backed by our personal guarantee.
TerraVita exists to meet and ensure your family's health and wellness without the harmful effects or chemicals and prescription medications. We strive to make all of our products affordable and reliable and are constantly searching the market to maintain our affordability and to look for new ways to serve you and the ones you love. TerraVita has become a trusted household name for many families and can bring you and yours the very best herbal supplements, blends, teas and spices that are on the market today.
ZooScape is proud to be the exclusive distributor of TerraVita teas, herbs and supplements in the United States, Canada and around the world. Please direct all wholesale and bulk inquiries to Simona Heather at 905-494-1785.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Products are intended to support general well being and are not intended to treat, diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or cure any condition or disease. If conditions persist, please seek advice from your medical doctor. The essence of the current American rule on Traditional Uses is, as stated by FTC, "Claims based on historical or traditional use should be substantiated by confirming scientific evidence, or should be presented in such a way that consumers understand that the sole basis for the claim is a history of use of the product for a particular purpose."
