Gynostemma

Description

Start serving Gynostemma and get ready to have customers for life. Variously known as Jiaogulan, Poor Man's Ginseng, Miracle Grass and the Immortality Herb, Gynostemma has been credited with helping people live extremely long lives. (As with many herbal products, the evidence is anecdotal rather than scientific however so it should be taken with a grain of salt.)

In the remote villages near Fanjing Mountain in Guizhou province, inhabitants routinely drink Gynostemma tea instead of traditional Chinese green tea. They believe that a cup in the morning invigorates them for the day ahead and a cup after work helps them unwind. Now here's the amazing part - the people of these villages routinely live to be more than 100 years old. In the 1960s, a team of Chinese medicinal practitioners and herbalists researched the phenomena and made some interesting discoveries. They found that the herb was very high in antioxidants and functioned as a powerful adaptogen, an herb that increases the body's resistance to trauma, anxiety and fatigue.
Interestingly, the herb's adaptogenic properties were known about at least as far back as 1406. In that year, a writer named Zu Xio wrote a book called Materia Medica for Famine. Zu Xio noted that Gynostemma was an excellent survival food, good for warding off starvation and building up the immune system during periods of drought. He recommended collecting the leaves of the plant and boiling them into a kind of sweet soup.
Which brings us to the best part - unlike many herbs that are sour or bitter, Gynostemma has a wonderfully sweet flavor. The extract of the plant is so sweet in fact that it is used as a natural sweetener in Japan. A hot cup of Gynostemma tea starts off with a delicately herbal grassiness that leads into a natural sweetness and soft astringent finish - it truly is a miracle. Now, as we mentioned earlier, when your customers come in and ask for a bag, get their names - you might end up knowing them for decades!

Steeping Instructions

PRODUCT TYPE: Loose - Herbal Tea

IDEAL BREWING TEMPERATURE: 100ºC/212ºF

ANTIOXIDANT BENEFIT: For a greater antioxidant benefit brew longer and use more tea.

FOOD SAFETY ADVISORY: We strongly recommend using filtered or freshly drawn cold water brought to a rolling boil when brewing all types of tea. Today's water has been known to carry viruses, parasites and bacteria. Boiling the water will kill these elements and reduce the potential incidence of water-borne illnesses.

Epic Iced Tea Instructions

Tea isn't just served hot!  Iced tea is one of the most refreshing and natural thirst quenchers around the world.  Here is our suggested method of brewing the best iced tea.

ICED TEA BREWING METHOD (Pitcher): (To Make 1 Liter/Quart):

1. Place 6 slightly heaping teaspoons of loose tea or 6 tea bags into a teapot or heat resistant pitcher.
2. Using filtered or freshly drawn cold water, boil and pour 1¼ cups/315ml over the tea.
3. Steep for 5 minutes.
4. Quarter fill a serving pitcher with cold water.
5. Pour the tea into your serving pitcher straining the tea or removing the bags.
6. Add ice and top-up the pitcher with cold water. Garnish and sweeten to taste.
7. A rule of thumb when preparing fresh brewed iced tea is to increase
8. the strength of hot tea since it will be poured over ice and diluted with cold water.

Note: Some luxury quality teas may turn cloudy when poured over ice. This is a sign of luxury quality and nothing to worry about.

ICED TEA BREWING METHOD (Individual Serving):

1. Place 1 slightly heaping teaspoon of loose tea or 1 tea bag into a teapot for each serving required.
2. Using filtered or freshly drawn cold water, boil and pour 6-7oz/170-200ml per serving over the tea.
3. Cover and let steep for 5 minutes.
4. Add hot tea to a 12oz/375ml acrylic glass filled with ice, straining the tea or removing the bags.
5. Not all of the tea will fit, allowing for approximately an additional ½ serving.
6. A rule of thumb when preparing fresh brewed iced tea is to increase the strength of hot tea since it will be poured over ice and diluted.

Note: Some luxury quality teas may turn cloudy when poured over ice. This is a sign of luxury quality and nothing to worry about.

HERB & FRUIT ICED TEA BREWING METHOD (Pitcher): (To Make 1 Liter/Quart):

1. Place 12 slightly heaping teaspoons of herb & fruit blend or 6 tea bags into a teapot or heat resistant pitcher.
2. Using filtered or freshly drawn cold water, boil and pour 1¼ cups/315ml over the herb & fruit blend.
3. Steep for 5-10 minutes.
4. Quarter fill a serving pitcher with cold water.
5. Pour the tea into your serving pitcher straining the tea or removing the tea bags.
6. Add ice and top-up the pitcher with cold water. Garnish and sweeten to taste.
7. A rule of thumb when preparing fresh brewed iced herb & fruit tea is to increase the strength of hot brew since it will be poured over ice and diluted with cold water.

HERB & FRUIT ICED TEA BREWING METHOD (Individual Serving):

1. Place 2 slightly heaping teaspoons of herb & fruit blend or 1 tea bag into a teapot for each serving required.
2. Using filtered or freshly drawn cold water, boil and pour 6-7oz/170-200ml per serving over the herb & fruit blend.
3. Cover and let steep for 5-10 minutes.
4. Add hot tea to a 12oz/375ml acrylic glass filled with ice, straining the tea or removing the bags.
5. Not all of the tea will fit, allowing for approximately an additional ½ serving. Garnish and sweeten to taste.
6. A rule of thumb when preparing fresh brewed herb & fruit tea is to increase the strength of hot tea since it will be poured over ice and diluted.