Greek Mountain Tea Benefits
'Blue Zones' has been on our radar for several years now. Netflix released a documentary on this topic called "Live to 100: The secrets of Blue Zones'. We were able to start sourcing a tea mentioned in the material called Greek Mountain Tea. Greek mountain tea comes from the family of herbs "Sideretis" which is found primarily in the Mediterranean region. Most of these grow wild, and only a small amount are cultivated. In the wild they are found often on the rocky sides of cliffs and mountains at high altitudes (up to 2500 meters). The sun and semi-arid temperatures allow these plants to produce beneficial compounds.
Greek Mountain Tea Benefits
One study in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture has found Greek mountain tea to be as potent as green tea at inducing cellular antioxidant defenses and reducing oxidative stress. The Brunswick Labs report also references research in the leading international journal Planta that observed significant anti-inflammatory effects as well as anti-microbial activity against five strains of microorganisms.
A 2012 publication of the “Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology” found that extracts made from Sideritis helped lower blood pressure levels while helping blood vessels to relax. The animal study measured arterial blood pressure and found that a dose of Sideritis extract led to blood vessel dilation, which helped lower blood pressure levels and reduced stress on the heart muscle.
Just like green tea, Greek mountain tea provides the body with extra immune support. The anti-inflammatory and mild diuretic affect of Greek mountain tea could explain lower dementia and blood pressure of people who regularly consume Greek mountain tea. This tea is popular in Greece, especially during winter time when there is less physical activity and more colds, aches and pains. It also is used to treat allergies, respiratory issues and mild abdominal discomfort.
How to Brew Greek Mountain Tea
Greek mountain tea is a loose tea and is very easy to brew. All you need is a hot water boiler, and a suitable infuser. You can also use tea bags specifically designed for loose tea. The water should be heated to a full rolling boil, and then poured over the leaves and allow to infuse between 5-10 minutes. One heaping teaspoon will make about 8 ounces of tea as a rule of thumb, but you can adjust this to taste.
Greek Mountain tea is also great iced, and makes a great summer thirst quencher.
Recommended dosage
Drinking 3-5 cups of tea in general will offer the sweet spot for health benefits. The dose is low, but drinking tea throughout the day keeps the beneficial compounds bioavailable. Greek mountain tea is caffeine free, so it's also good during later hours. It also has a naturally sweet, floral flavor with a note of lemon. Incorporating Greek mountain tea is a great way to improve your health.
