Hi, Does anyone know how to make decaffinated tea at home? My body can't handle caffine and I hate to pay the price for those decaffinated tea bags. I have bought the decaff instant tea and it is cloudy and horrible. Thank you, Karen in

-- Karen Tosi (clutterfre@aol.com), August 16, 2000

Answers

Karen, I haven't tried this, I've only read about it...... Take regular tea, and submerge in boiling water for 30 seconds. Drain off the water, and use the same leaves to make tea. Supposedly gets rid of most of the caffeine.

-- Sue (sulandherb@aol.com), August 16, 2000.

Karen, How about raising your own herbs & drying them & makeing tea--- I don't buy tea--I grow my own! Lots of kinds of mint-etc.---once you start growing & drying your own herbs you won't want to drink that other stuff! Sonda in Ks.

-- Sonda (sgbruce@birch.net), August 16, 2000.

I read recently that decaf coffee or tea contains chemicals from the processes used by the companies to take the caffeine out. So really, caffeinated is better for you. Otherwise, go herbal tea, like dandelion or mint or chammomile. Lemon balm is a great tea, fresh from the garden! Mary

-- Mary Fraley (kmfraley@orwell.net), August 17, 2000.

If you're a fan of Earl Grey tea,try growing some Bee Balm (bergamot).That's what is used to give Earl Grey its distinct flavor.

-- nobrabbit (conalne@prodigy.net), August 17, 2000.

Roasted dandelion root makes an excellent tea when roasted lightly. Serve with a teaspoon of honey for sweetness. A Mormon friend of mine turned me on to this, his religeon doesn't allow caffiene.

-- Jay Blair (jayblair678@yahoo.com), August 22, 2000.

If you find mint tea may be too mild add some comfrey. It gives it more body. I believe the flavor in Earl Grey comes from a tropical plant not the garden plant by the same name. which by the way makes a strong flavored tea. Dry leaf lettuce and use for tea it is suppose to have a calming effect. Dried celery leaves dont taste too bad either I used some in error once and thought the tea tasted very good. I have used wild ginger root and I think it tastes better than store bought ginger root the problem is I dont have too much of it so use it rarely.

-- akp (paulal@oplin.lib.oh.us), August 23, 2000.

Earl Grey tea is favored with "oil of bergamot",a small orange.The herb,bee balm or bergamot will produce the same flavor when the leaves are used to make tea.

-- nobrabbit (conlane@prodigy.net), August 23, 2000.

Caffeine is very water-soluble. You can remove a lot of the caffeine by doing a wash when you make your tea - pour some water on the tealeaves for 60 secs, and then discard the water and resteep as usual with boiling water. I do not do this because i don't have a problem with caffeine, but people who are sensitive say it does work, though how much is mind over matter, i couldn't say. Lots of people think green tea has no caffeine, and funny, it never keeps them up, when in fact green, black and oolong are all made out of the same tea plant. As for Earl Grey, it is flavoured with oil of bergamot, which is a chinese citrus fruit, and is not at all related to the herb bergamot. Please never waste your money on instant tea -- it only takes 5 minutes to make ANY tea -- including the best -- and just how much faster do you need to crank your life?...

-- snoozy (allen@oz.net), August 26, 2000.

I should have said Earl Grey-type flavor when using the herb bergamot.Better clarify that.

-- nobrabbit (conlane@prodigy.net), August 26, 2000.