Fruit & herbal tea
Well loved and widely enjoyed.
The leaves, blossoms, fruits, barks, seeds and roots used for the various herbal and fruit tea blends are only washed, dried and chopped to the right size. Then, they are ready for use. Nothing but pure nature in the tea lover’s cup!
Well loved and widely enjoyed.
The statistics say that every Austrian drinks exactly 180 grams of black tea per year. But more than three times as much herbal and fruit tea! No wonder: What could be better than a steaming cup of rose hip tea on a winter day, a glass of cool fruit tea in the summer, or lime blossom tea when a cold is on its way? What’s more, herbal and fruit teas only have benefits. They contain no caffeine or calories, can be enjoyed hot or cold at any time of the day or year, and are loved by young and old. There are many flavours to choose from, and new blends are created every year.
Leaves, fruits and blossoms
Unlike black and green tea, which is only made from the leaves of the tea plant, many different plant parts are used for herbal and fruit teas: roots, leaves, blossoms and the fruit!
Did you know that ...?
... in Austria the use of herbs and fruits are exactly defined within the Austrian Food Code.
Known for thousands of years
Herbal teas have already been used for medicinal purposes for many thousands of years.
The oldest writings to this effect can be found in the herbal book of Chinese emperor Shen Nung (2700 BCE). In Egypt, the Ebers Papyrus already documented over 700 different recipes for preparing herbal and fruit teas in 1550 BCE. Saint Hildegard von Bingen (1098–1179 CE), was famous for her knowledge, and many still use her recipes today. The convenience of preparation with a tea bag, the many different possible flavours and the creativity of product creators have turned herbs traditionally sold by chemists into modern beverages that people of all ages love as thirst quenchers. They are even consumed more frequently than traditional black tea.
Did you know that ...?
.... herbal and fruits teas can be mixed ideally? For example peppermint can add a wonderful flavour to fruit infusions.
How camomile and cohorts work
The medicinal effects of many plants are based on substances contained in them that are not yet fully understood despite being used for thousands of years.
They vary from plant to plant, and are often encountered together with a pleasant taste. Camomile is enjoyed daily in romance countries, and in Austria for example because of the azulene it contains, which can be drunk or applied topically to fight infections. The essential oils in the various varieties of mint and lemon balm have a relaxing effect and fight cramps, the substances in lemon blossom are diaphoretic and reduce fever, ginger and fennel aid digestion, valerian helps with sleeping trouble, and elder and traditional tea have an antioxidant effect and thereby help to prevent malignant cell changes.
Strict monitoring from cultivation to the finished tea
Berries, fruits and herbs grow everywhere in the forests and meadows, but the ingredients for tea production are grown in a controlled fashion.
This guarantees consistent quality. Before the dried plant parts are processed further, they are subject to stringent quality inspections. This includes sensory tests, which means that the tea testers visually inspect, smell and taste the goods to make sure they meet the requirements. They are also subject to chemical and physical tests in the tea laboratories to ensure they are of the right quality. The goods are only released for processing into tea when the results of all tests are optimal.
Did you know that ...?
... the french people likes verbana herbal teas most? Verbena helps for digestion and will be drunk after fatty meals.
Preparation couldn’t be easier
One tea bag per cup, boiling water, let steep at least eight minutes. In general, the more tea you use, the more intense the flavour.
Tea hint!
There is no better thirst quencher on hot days than home made iced tea. But: iced tea made as follows is even better than ice cold tea:
- Brew extra strong herbal or fruit tea (use double the normal amount of tea per glass).
- Fill the glasses at least half full with ice cubes and then pour in the hot tea. This shock-cools the tea, and it maintains its full taste and all of its active ingredients.
- Add sugar, cinnamon or lemon to taste and enjoy!
Herbal and fruit teas maintain their flavour best when every tea is kept in the right place in the pantry. The varieties with a delicate aroma such as lemon balm tea and camomile tea easily absorb the aroma of more powerful teas like peppermint or flavoured fruit tea. Because of this, it is best to keep delicate varieties separate from varieties with stronger aromas. Fruit teas keep for up to one year in opaque jars or tea tins. However, it is best to use them within three to four months.
From the tea plant to the tea manufacture
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Tea plant Camellia sinensis
Fruit & herbal tea
Growing regions
Tea harvest
Tea manufacture
Tea bag
Machine history
Tea taster
