How to Make Your Own Strawberry Leaf Tea

Last  year I bought some strawberry plants.  This spring I noticed how thick they were with leaves, and I thought to myself I wonder if I can dry these and make my own tea just like I've done with peppermint and the other herbs I've dried for the past 12 years.  So when I had a free moment at work this spring, I Googled it and found out on Local Harvest that strawberry leaves don't just make a good tea but they have medicinal benefits just like so many other herbs! Woohoo!!  

   I learned from that site that strawberry leaves and raspberry leaves have similar properties.  They said that because these leaves are rich in tannins, and they're beneficial for the stomach related complaints like pain and diarrhea. Strawberry leaf is also great for joint and arthritis pain.  

   Also because strawberry leaves are rich in vitamin C,  they're great for healing wounds and building resistance to infection. You can check their site and find out more!  

  I have the practice of always checking at least two sites so that I can verify the facts.  This morning I found on Live Strong a great article called What are the Health Benefits of Strawberry Leaves?  Here's what I learned:

1.   Mostly used for stomach pain.  Strawberry leaf tea helps balance the acids/bases in
      your digestive tract 

My strawberry garden

2.   Helps improve digestion. 
3.   Reduces nausea, stomach cramps, and
      diarrhea.
4.   Besides that these leaves contain
      vitamins and minerals like Vitamin C,
      iron, and calcium that help overall
      health.
5.   The caffeic acid in strawberries is a
      natural diuretic that pulls water out of the
      joints, and this helps alleviate the pain
      and swelling of arthritis and rheumatism.

Of course, they point out the following precautions:  It's common knowledge that you should check with your doctor if you're on prescription drugs before you take herbal teas because they may cause an interaction. And if you are allergic to strawberries, you definitely shouldn't drink the tea!

How To Dry  Strawberry Leaves for Tea

1.  Local Harvest points out that they cut the leaves after the flowering stage.  Live Strong says along with the leaves you can dry parts of the stems and flowers.

2.  Rinse strawberry leaves and place on a rack that allows air to circulate.  

 

3.  I usually leave my herbs and plants to dry for about 2 weeks because there's nothing worse than going to all this trouble and having them mold.  When it's warm in the summer ,I check after a week to see how they're coming along. 

4.  Break the strawberry leaves up with your hands as you put them into a jar.

5.  Label and date.

Other Blogs on Making Herbal or Flower Teas:

How to Dry Herbs to Make Your Own Herbal Teas
How to Dry Herbs to Spice Up Your Cooking!
How to Brew  a Cup of Medicinal Herb Tea
5 Great Uses for Dried Lavender
How To Dry Roses & Make Your Own Rose Tea, Rose Oil & Rose Water
How to Make Calendula Tea, Calendula Oil & Salve
More on How to Make Your Own Herbal Teas