Make fermented Ivan tea. Fermented Ivan tea. Storage of fermented fireweed

Koporye tea should be consumed as a drink after the so-called fermentation. We will learn more about this later, but for now, about the benefits and harms of fermented tea from Ivan tea.

The benefits are obvious due to the presence of a huge amount of vitamins, minerals and trace elements in this product.

The plant contains ascorbic acid six times more than lemon, vitamins of groups A, B and PP, it contains potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, selenium, iron, calcium, zinc, sodium. It is successfully used as a tonic, tonic and therapeutic agent.

Due to the presence of essential oils, the properties of the drink are preserved for three days. Let us dwell on the medicinal properties and contraindications of fermented Ivan tea.

Did you know? Ivan-chai is considered a high-calorie product, contains about 100 calories per 100 g. Therefore, it is indispensable for travel, long-term hunting or fishing–strength is restored faster.

Medicinal properties

Due to its beneficial components, Koporye tea has been used for the treatment and prevention of a number of diseases since ancient times.

Proven anti-inflammatory and enveloping effect in diseases of the stomach and intestines. Tea helps with gastritis, stomach ulcers, duodenal ulcers and other similar ailments, is effective for various kinds of poisoning.
Beneficial effect on the circulatory system. If you drink a fireweed drink regularly, the so-called alkalization of the blood occurs, which is necessary to maintain its normal pH level. It promotes the formation of new blood cells and has the property of stopping bleeding.
Ivan tea can be used as a substitute for valerian for the prevention and treatment of various neuroses. It has a calming effect, helps with anxiety and depression.
For a long time, the drink has proven itself as a universal remedy for diseases and disorders of the genitourinary system. It normalizes potency, fights prostate adenoma and prevents it from developing into an oncological disease. It has a therapeutic effect in kidney disease and cystitis.
It is used as an anti-inflammatory and antipyretic drug. There is an effect on diseases oral cavity, bleeding gums.
Ivan-tea acts as an immunomodulator, works as a powerful antioxidant and cleanser of the body, normalizes blood pressure, relieves headaches, and has a general strengthening effect.

Did you know? In Rus', the first mention of Ivan-tea as a healing drink dates back to the 12th century. Alexander Nevsky tried it and instructed to develop production in Koporye.

Contraindications

Since Ivan-tea itself has a healing effect, it should not be used in combination with other medicines, especially antipyretic and sedative. It is necessary to apply dosed, not "buckets" and take breaks after a month of use.

Otherwise, it will lead to indigestion. It is not recommended for children under six years of age, you need to drink carefully in case of blood diseases.

What is fermentation and why is it done?

The fermentation process is used to make Koporye tea at home. Consider what is the process of tea fermentation with scientific point vision.

The main point is that the plant secretes juice, which reacts with air, which leads to fermentation and oxidation, then it is dried.
After such processing, all useful properties are preserved in fireweed and the drink acquires a fruity taste. If you just dry the leaves, the brewed tea will be tasteless and useless.

Therefore, there is an answer to the question of what fermented tea is - it is a drink with a pleasant fruity taste that has retained all the benefits of the plant.

The process of collecting and harvesting

To receive later healthy drink it is important to understand what fireweed looks like. In nature, a plant as tall as a man, perennial, with pink and purple flowers.

Collect and prepare leaves of fireweed. The flowers are dried or fermented as an additive to a tea drink, and the roots are dried and ground to a state of flour. Cakes are baked from this flour, it is added to dishes.

Koporye tea is harvested during its flowering period, that is, throughout the summer. It is necessary to distinguish narrow-leaved fireweed from other species of this family. In marshy and damp places, you can meet marsh and small-flowered fireweed.
It is quite simple to distinguish them from Ivan-tea - the height of others is no more than 20 cm.

Did you know?Collecting a leaf does not harm the plant if done carefully and without damaging the stem. The plant is an excellent honey plant, honey productivity per hectare can reach 600 kg.

Collection of leaves

The collection of leaves begins in June and ends in August. It is good to find a corner away from the roads so that the product is environmentally friendly. It is necessary to collect young leaves, starting from the inflorescence and descending almost downward.

The stalk is strong enough, so you can simply drag it down with effort. Near the inflorescence, you need to leave several tiers of leaves - they will help the plant grow well further. It is desirable to collect the leaf in the morning, when the dew has already disappeared in dry, warm weather.

Opinions vary as to where it is best to do this. Someone advises open places with a lot of sun, and someone points to shaded areas and the outskirts of fields.
The latter argue that in such places the leaf is more tender and juicy.

Important!Fireweed leaves should be collected only until the flower is pubescent. It is difficult to remove fluff from the leaves, they are more rigid and they have much less useful properties.

leaf wilting

Leaves should be stirred. The optimum air temperature for this process is up to 26°C at a relative humidity of about 70%. If the temperature is higher, the leaf will wither faster. The leaf is dried more often in the house in a dark place, less often in the open air.

In the latter case, there can only be a light breeze and a shadow - strong wind and the sun will dry the leaves, not wither. The easiest way to check if the leaves are wilted is to take a few and squeeze them in a fist.
If they are not ready, they will disintegrate; if they are ready, they will remain in a compressed form. Then the leaf moisture will be approximately 60%.

Important! If you dry out the leaf during the withering process, do not add water.–raw materials are damaged. You need to collect fresh and repeat everything again.

Preparation for fermentation

The leaves have withered and you can begin the process of preparing it for fermentation. It is necessary to destroy the structure of the leaf and extract the juice from it, which contains the enzymes responsible for the process itself. This will allow the most complete release of useful substances from the plant.

If there is not enough juice, the fermentation will go badly, and the tea will lose its taste and a lot of usefulness. There are several ways to ferment Ivan tea at home, let's focus on the most used and proven ones.

Leaf curl

We take up to 10 leaves of the plant, put them together and roll them between the palms to make a “sausage”.
This is done with effort until the leaves become darker. This means that they have isolated the juice.

crushing leaves

Another recipe for making ivan tea at home is creasing. The raw materials are placed in a bowl, preferably enameled, crushed according to the type of dough kneading.

After 15 minutes, the leaves secrete juice and darken, become thinner and somewhat twisted. In the process, the leaves need to be divided, to avoid lumps.

Twisting in a meat grinder

A common way to make Koporye tea at home is to grind the leaves in a meat grinder.

To do this, a mesh with large holes is taken; in the process of twisting, the meat grinder needs to cool down for a short time.

Fermentation

Fermentation technology is directly related to the methods of preparing leaf mass. Twisted leaves are folded into a pan in layers and oppression is placed on top.

All this should be covered with a cloth slightly moistened with water, and left in a warm, but not hot place. The best fermentation temperature for willow tea is up to 26°C.

If the temperature is low, the processes stop, if it is high, some of the products that give tea strength and taste do not dissolve, it will smell and taste like ordinary cheap tea.

In time, this process can last from 3 hours to 3 days. Longer fermentation - stronger tea. You can extend the fermentation up to a maximum of 12 days, but after 3-4 days it is necessary to rearrange the container in a cooler place and make sure that the mass does not become moldy.
There is a way to ferment rolled leaves in a three-liter jar.

It is necessary to fill it tightly with leaf sausages, cover with a plastic lid or a damp cloth and leave to ferment in a warm place. Fermentation time is not more than 40 hours.

Crumpled leaves can also be fermented using a 3 liter jar. Hike technology - the leaves are very tightly stacked, covered

and left in a warm place for a day. The aging time depends on the desire for further tea strength.

Crumpled leaves can still be fermented differently. To do this, take a piece of matter and moisten it quite a bit. So the canvas will not take the moisture of the leaves. Foliage is laid out on top, the canvas is twisted and tied with a rope.
The bundle must be mashed for approximately 20 minutes and left for pre-fermentation for 3 hours. It is necessary to check the temperature of the roll - if it is close to 37 ° C, the preliminary process is completed.

Most The best way fermentation of Ivan tea at home, according to many, from leaves processed by a meat grinder. It is the least labor intensive and the fastest in terms of time.

The mixture is stirred, a container is placed (it is better to use enamel or cermet), covered with a cloth slightly moistened with water and placed in heat for up to a day, usually from three to six hours.
Fermentation of Ivan tea at home is completed when the color of the leaf changes from green to green-brown, and the smell from grassy to bright fruity-floral.

Drying

The final step in the fermentation of willow tea at home is the proper drying of the leaf or twisted mass. If twisted "sausages" or crumpled leaves are cut before drying, small-leaf tea will come out.

Ivan tea fermentation at home. The secret of making willow-tea is fermentation, as a result of which part of the insoluble (non-extractable) substances of plant tissue turns into soluble and easily digestible. These are the substances that give taste, smell and color to tea. The process of preparing fermented Ivan tea consists of several stages. 1. Collection of Ivan tea. The leaves are harvested in June-August from the beginning of flowering fireweed to the moment of its fluffing. It is necessary to collect in dry weather, away from roads and polluted places, preferably in shady places along the edge of forest glades. In such plants, the leaves are more tender and juicy, they are easier to roll and ferment better, and the tea from them is tastier. It is convenient to collect the leaves of willow-tea, holding the stem at the peduncle with one hand, and holding it down to the middle of the stem with the other (in the photo this part of the stem is limited by red ribbons). The lower leaves are left on the stem, because. they are coarser than the top ones. It is advisable to leave 3-4 tiers of leaves under the flowers, the plant needs them to lift moisture from the roots and collect dew. This method of collecting leaves does not harm the plant - it continues to bloom and produces seeds. 2. Withering of the leaves This stage is necessary in order to make it easier to twist the leaves in the future. Collected leaves are inspected, damaged ones are removed. And there may be snails, we remove them too. It is better not to wash the leaves before drying, because. you can wash off the beneficial microorganisms involved in the fermentation process. Then the leaves are laid out in the shade on a cotton or linen cloth in a small layer (3 - 5 cm). On average, the process takes 4-8 hours, depending on humidity and air temperature. On a dry sunny day, the process is faster, on a rainy and cool day it takes longer (a day or more). Therefore, you need to control the process and periodically stir up the leaves every hour so that they dry evenly. The readiness of the sheet is determined by squeezing the leaf in half. If, when the sheet is folded, a “crunch” of the central vein is felt, then the sheet is not yet ready. If most of the leaves "do not crunch", then it's time to move on to the next step. 3. Rolling the leaves (or rolling in a meat grinder, or freezing) At this stage, you need to destroy the structure of the leaf before extracting the juice, which allows you to extract the most useful substances from the plant and better ferment. This can be done in one of three ways. The first way is twisting the leaves by hand. Take a few leaves (7 - 10), roll them several times between the palms until the leaves turn dark from the juice that has come out. As a result, rolls up to 10 cm long and 1 - 1.5 cm thick will be formed. This process is laborious and time consuming. If you have a large company, then you can wind up the rolls pretty quickly. One of the books about Ivan-tea says that the old people taught to roll rolls of leaves at the expense of one to eight: “one-two - a ball of leaves, three-four - the ball is pulled into a sausage, five-six - we press harder, seven -eight - the twist manages to roll a few more times between the palms and collect the juice. The second way is twisting the leaves in a meat grinder (grid with large holes). Periodically let the grinder cool down. Depending on the number of leaves, this takes 10-15 minutes. The third way is freezing the leaves. We send the leaves in the bag to the freezer. As a result, the leaf is destroyed evenly and the juice stands out well. By the way, frozen leaves curl very easily and quickly. Therefore, if I decide that I will prepare loose leaf tea, I first freeze the leaves, then thaw them for a short time, and then roll the rolls. It is believed that the most “correct” tea is obtained by grinding the leaves by hand. I didn't feel a difference. Therefore, I often use the second method, as I prepare tea in large quantities. Everyone decides for himself which way to choose. 4. Leaf fermentation The properties of tea depend on the quality of this process - the taste, aroma and benefits of the drink. Leaves prepared by one of the above methods are laid in a layer of 5-10 cm in an enameled or plastic container, crushed a little, covered with a damp linen or cotton cloth and put in a warm place (24-27 ° C) for fermentation. Periodically check if the fabric is dry. If it dries out, then wet it again. It is impossible to say exactly how long fermentation will take - it depends on the temperature. The higher the temperature, the faster the fermentation process. Too high temperature and overexposure are dangerous - tea acquires the smell of low-grade tea. The end of fermentation is a change in the color of the mass from green to brown or black, as well as a change in the herbal smell to a strong floral-fruity aroma. There are three degrees of fermentation of tea - light, medium and deep. With light fermentation, the leaves are fermented until the first signs of a fruity-floral smell (3 - 6 hours). After drying, they remain Green colour. The brewed tea has a light color, mild flavor and a delicate but strong aroma. Tea of medium fermentation (10 - 16 hours) is obtained with a pronounced aroma, moderately tart taste with a slight sourness. The color of this tea is rich, reddish brown. Deep fermentation tea (20 - 36 hours) - tart, without sourness, with a relatively light aroma. The color of this tea is similar to the color of the usual black tea. For yourself, it is best to choose the time experimentally, preparing weakly, medium or strongly fermented tea - it all depends on preferences and tastes. I prepare tea of various degrees of fermentation, then I mix them in various proportions and get teas that are very rich in color, taste and aroma. It is important not to miss the end of fermentation, otherwise the mass may become moldy. It is better to underferment tea than overferment it. 5. Drying If the leaves were rolled between the palms or frozen, then after the end of fermentation, the rolls should be cut with a knife into washers about 0.5 cm thick. Then in the end we will get leaf tea. If the leaves were scrolled in a meat grinder, then we get granulated tea. The fermented mass is gently loosened so that there are no lumps. Then we lay out the mass on baking sheets covered with parchment, a layer of 1 centimeter and dry in the oven at a temperature of 100 * C for 1.5 - 2 hours. The oven door should be kept slightly ajar. Then we reduce the temperature to 50 * - 60 * C and dry it completely until the moisture is completely released. Periodically stir the tea with a wooden spatula and check the readiness of the tea leaves to the touch. Well-dried tea has the color of ordinary tea, the tea leaves break when squeezed, but do not crumble. When the bulk of the tea reaches this condition, we take the baking sheets out of the oven and let them cool. Drying tea to remove residual moisture is carried out in a bag of thin fabric (in an old pillowcase) in the breeze in the shade in dry weather or in a room in rainy and damp weather. You can dry the tea in an electric dryer. Only you need to lay out the mass not in a very dense layer, but with gaps so that the dryer does not overheat. You can also dry the tea in a thick-walled pan. To do this, the mass is simmered over very low heat with constant shaking for 30 minutes. Then turn on medium heat and, constantly stirring with a wooden spatula, bring the leaves / granules to a dry state. Carefully! When too high temperature and overexposure of tea during drying, an admixture of the smell of burnt paper appears in the smell of finished tea. If the tea is not completely dried, then during storage it may become moldy. If you have collected fireweed flowers, then do not dry them together with the fermented mass, as the flowers dry out faster and at a temperature of 100 * C they can simply burn out. They are best dried separately in the oven or el. dryer at a temperature of 50 - 60 * C. They dry out pretty quickly. I will add that during drying there is such a magical aroma throughout the house that it is worth making Ivan tea at least once because of this alone. 6. Storage of tea Fireweed tea is stored in a dry dark place in glass jars with polyethylene lids, birch bark or metal boxes. I keep tea in disposables plastic containers, sticking an inscription on them indicating the date of preparation and the degree of fermentation of tea. Tea is aged in jars/containers for at least a month for the so-called dry fermentation. If you try to brew tea immediately after preparation, then it may not impress - it has not been infused yet. The longer the tea is stored, the better it becomes. I wonder all the time - where does this “additional” smell come from after aging tea? A month is better than a week. A year later is better than six months. Well, and so on. Miracles! Optimal time storage of tea - 2 - 3 years. For daily use, I pour tea into metal boxes. I like to mix Ivan tea with dry fireweed flowers, dry strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, lingonberries, mint, lemon balm, oregano ... - it turns out very beautifully, and tea acquires a new taste and aroma. 7. Brewing tea Rinse a clean kettle with boiling water, pour tea at the rate of 1 - 2 teaspoons per glass of boiling water, pour hot water, cover with a towel, let it brew for 10 minutes, then pour into cups without diluting with boiling water. And immediately pour the teapot a second time, because the second infusion of tea is even tastier and more aromatic than the first. After another 15 minutes, pour tea into cups - no need for it to stop. And do not brew the same tea the next day! Even if you poured it only once, after a break it will not work out well. Drink Koporye tea hot, warm or cold. When heating cooled tea, try not to allow even the slightest boil of the drink. The subtle aroma will disappear immediately. You can drink Ivan tea with dried fruits, honey or jam. Sugar makes tea sweet. But you can drink without everything. Taste is very good too! And I read this recipe for signature Gorodets tea from fireweed in Margarita Voronina’s brochure “Gorodets tea is a joy to the soul, health to the body.” Bring the water to a boil (when the bubbles start to come off the bottom). Prepare two teapots - a large one and a smaller one. Pour one teaspoon of willow-herb into a small teapot (per one glass of water), pour boiling water over it and leave for 7-10 minutes. After that, pour into a large kettle. Pour boiling water over the already steamed tea leaves and insist again. And so - up to four times. The last time the tea leaves to insist no more than three minutes. This is done in order to consistently extract useful ingredients from fireweed. The famous hanerol, which contributes to the prevention of malignant diseases, is extracted for the third or fourth time. That's all, our Ivan-tea is ready! When you first taste it, don't immediately try to compare the taste to something you already know, don't try to figure out what it's like. Fireweed tea is unlike anything, it has its own taste, its own and unique. Enjoy this taste!

Now is the time to harvest Ivan tea, we have already made the second batch - now there will be enough for the winter. In this article - a little about such an important and necessary process for making tea as fermentation (fermentation). What is it and why does tea not come out without it.

Properly prepared herbs and inflorescences of Ivan-tea for brewing allows you to get tea that is not inferior in taste and aroma the best varieties Ceylon and Indian tea. To be honest, it’s “taste and color”, as they say, but we have LONG LONG been liking fireweed so much more (including how it affects human health) that we no longer consider familiar teas to be a product that can be consumed. By their own healing properties, they cannot be compared with Ivan-tea.

Surprisingly, we in Russia have ceased to appreciate this "green gold". Only recently the traditions of production and consumption of Ivan-tea began to be revived, and much has to be studied anew and traditions restored.

In addition to taste, fireweed has a wide range of medicinal qualities and, unlike ordinary tea, does not contain caffeine and other harmful substances.

At present, several methods have been patented in Russia, or rather, technologies for making tea from fireweed, the main secret of which is the technology of the fermentation process (fermentation process).Fermentation (fermentation)

Fermentation consists of roasting and air oxidation. Oxidation starts fermentation processes in a crumpled, gradually flowing juice leaf. Roasting stops them. The less time elapses between starting fermentation processes and stopping them, the less fermented tea will be considered.

Depending on the manufacturing technology Ivan-tea can be black (beach), red and green. They are quite different in taste. In addition, varieties with aromatic herbal additives are produced, and you can cook with berries.

. It is advisable to use herbal infusions, decoctions and teas prepared t only from fermented raw materials . This applies to most medicinal and aromatic herbs. Similarly, you can make raspberry, strawberry and currant tea. They make amazing drinks. Now we are trying to make tea from currant leaves in this way. The fermented maple leaf tea was amazing!

Fireweed itself protects itself from destruction - it has an amazing ability to reproduce, therefore, it will not work to destroy the population with reasonable harvesting, fortunately. :-) The broken-off apical part of Ivan-tea very quickly acquires lateral flower-bearing shoots, which have time to give abundant seeds over the summer. And an undamaged plant produces an astonishing amount of seeds. Thus, fireweed inhabits a variety of places: wastelands, landfills, roadsides, conflagrations, clearings, etc. Territories where unprecedented fires raged in the summer of 2010 will be mastered by fireweed. In our conflagration (the old building burned down), he appeared the next year after the fire. Now there is his small plantation.

Raspberry, currant, blackberry, fireweed leaves are best taken in the first half of summer, when they are more fragrant. And strawberry leaves, on the contrary, it is advisable to collect in early autumn, when they accumulate the greatest amount of useful substances.

The plant itself already contains everything necessary for fermentation. These are its own juices and enzymes. If the leaf is rumpled in the hands, then part of the cells will collapse, the plant will release juice. Wet crumpled leaves will contain vitamins, nutrients and intracellular enzymes. These enzymes, leaving the vacuoles, begin to actively change the biochemical composition of the plant. This is self digestion.

By the way, brewing Ivan tea does not stain tooth enamel.

Fermentation (chemical process) is a special chemical process caused by so-called enzymes. During the fermentation process (there are many types!) a complex particle organic matter breaks down into simpler ones, i.e., containing a smaller number of atoms.

One of the ways to make Koporye tea at home:

The collected leaves and flowers should be dried a little. It is enough if they lie in the shade in the breeze for 2-8 hours, depending on the thickness of the leaves. It is necessary that the leaves lose some of the moisture, but do not dry out, but become soft and not brittle. You can collect leaves from the middle part of the fireweed stem (not only the tops), tearing them off with one movement of the hand - quickly, but it does not harm the fireweed at all.
Scroll the raw materials through a meat grinder (we do this exactly - not with our hands, otherwise it is very difficult to prepare fireweed for a large family for the whole year) and put the resulting mass in an enameled bowl and cover with a lid or plate of the appropriate diameter. Put the bowl for about a day in a warm place (25-30 ° C). At this time, an accelerated process of fermentation of tea will occur, as well as during fermentation.. Soon the mass will darken and acquire a pleasant fruity-apple aroma. With us, when we cook a lot, we put the mass in a huge enameled pan - at night, in the morning - we are already starting to dry.
There is another original way herbal fermentation. According to experienced herbalists, in this case, the result will be even better. The stock of tea leaves for Berendey's tea is prepared as follows: dried leaves were put into a cast-iron pot (cast iron) and placed in a heated Russian stove for 10-12 hours. It is possible in an electric oven in a roaster or any ceramic dish. We keep the temperature around 60 degrees. Prepared leaves for Berendey tea should be stored in a tightly closed container, like any tea in general. In this case, you can mix different leaves in advance or store them separately, and mix already before brewing.
After fermentation, put the leaf on a cast-iron pan and simmer on a very slow fire for about forty minutes, or in the oven. Warming up to a hot state is necessary to accelerate fermentation, in which part of the insoluble non-extractable substances of plant tissue are converted into soluble and easily digestible. These are the substances that give the taste, smell and color of tea.
Further it is possible differently. For example, evenly spread the mass on a dry baking sheet and place in the oven, preheated to 90 ° C. Dry, stirring occasionally, until completely dry. The output will be dark brown granulated tea. Can be dried in a dryer at 45, the tea will be lighter. You can dry it a little in the dryer (so that it doesn’t stick to the trays, after fermentation the tea is very wet), and then - in the oven, if you need black and very strong tea, then you can put it at 150 degrees.

If the fermented mass is dried at a temperature of 60 ° C and below, we get green tea. after fermentation, it still gives a deeper color, but close to green.

It is not at all necessary to scroll the raw materials through a meat grinder. You can finely chop and squeeze with your hands so that the juice stands out. You can rub it between your palms - into "sausages".

It is best not to use metal when cooking. This will exclude the oxidation of raw materials in contact with the metal and thus protect the vitamins and other useful substances contained in it from destruction. Hand tea differs from meat grinder tea. But it is more difficult to prepare it, you can make some part of it like that.

Another suggested way: together with herbs we skip berries in a meat grinder: for example, for currant tea, we grind the leaves together with the berries (it is also possible with the branches on which the berries are), then we ferment the whole mass together and dry it. Haven't tried it yet, but the scent must be AMAZING! Or a little differently - first we ferment the leaves, and before drying, pour the paste from the berries, mix and dry. Probably, these two cooking methods will give a slightly different result, you have to try.

When collecting Ivan tea, it should be borne in mind that in the process of flowering, seed "pods" appear at the top of the stem. In the initial period of flowering, they, along with leaves and flowers, are used to make tea. Subsequently, they form seeds and plentiful fluff and pods become unsuitable for tea. It is necessary to check the suitability of raw materials: break the pod and make sure that it is in a state of "milky ripeness", i.e. does not contain fluff. In general, fluff is not a hindrance to tea, but it flies strongly when you open the jar. :-)

Drying tea

Fireweed can be dried in ordinary dryers, as well as in an electric oven, and, of course, in a Russian oven.

The effect of Ivan tea on health

Fireweed tea has an astringent, enveloping, emollient, anti-inflammatory, diaphoretic and diuretic effect. It is used for gastritis, colitis, intestinal disorders and other diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, as an antiepileptic and hypnotic. Ivan-tea treats anemia, ulcers, wounds, inflammation of the nose and throat, metabolic disorders and inflammation of the mucous membranes, diseases of the kidneys and liver, cardiovascular and genitourinary systems.

Recently, the preparation hanerol, which has a pronounced antitumor effect, was obtained from Ivan-tea inflorescences.

For men, fireweed is useful for the prevention and treatment of prostatitis and prostate adenoma.

Herb properties and fermentation

Processing of herbs - fermentation (actually - fermentation) is carried out to improve their properties.

Take, for example, a cherry leaf. Crush it, so that the juice appears, you need to break the intercellular membranes. Place in an enamel bowl, cover with a wet towel, keep in a warm place for 3 days, moistening the towel. The sheet should change color, become sticky. Put on a baking sheet and dry in the oven with the door ajar until the aroma of expensive tea appears. The leaf will become brittle, will crumble in the hand. So treat each leaf (grass) separately. Then mix the herbs in equal proportions.

In Siberia, they consider healing fees from 3, 9, 12 or 14 herbs.

Plants prepared in this way acquire amazing and special properties, which would not show up with simple drying.

A simplified way to prepare and ferment herbs: crush the herb, put it in a saucepan, cover and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes until the color changes. Then dry in a pan and rub through a colander. Brew the mixture in a teapot and drink instead of tea.

Silage and fermentation

In order to better understand the topic, it is also necessary to mention what silage is, which is harvested for cattle. It turns out that silage is also fermented herbs. Very valuable information is a description of the processes that occur during fermentation.

British farmers harvest grasses while they are still in a relatively early growth stage, high in fermentable sugars (water-soluble carbohydrates - WSU) and low in fiber. Whether the crop is harvested immediately or left in the field to wilt for several hours depends on the weather conditions at the time of mowing, but ideally a farmer wants a crop with a dry matter content of 25-30% for silage.

Usually the first phase of fermentation is short. Initially captured atmospheric oxygen in raw materials is used by plant enzymes in still respiring plants, but oxygen soon ends, and then fermentation occurs under anaerobic conditions. At this time, lactic acid bacteria, present in small quantities at the beginning, begin to multiply rapidly up to a concentration of 109 -1010 cells / g, using sugars released from the destroyed plant cells as the main source of energy.

In the second phase - the main fermentation - the main role is played by lactic acid bacteria continuing to acidify the food. Most non-spore-bearing bacteria die, but bacillary forms in the form of spores can persist for a long time in the fermented feed. At the beginning of the second phase of fermentation in the silo, usually cocci predominate, which are later replaced by rod-shaped lactic acid bacteria, with great acid resistance. Under ideal conditions, the pH stabilizes at 3.8 - 4.2, depending on the dry matter content, and the silage is effectively preserved in a few weeks. However, when the dry matter content of the cut grass is less than 25%, the conditions are not ideal and the conservation process can then go badly, especially if the ASP level is also low (as is often the case with grass grown in temperate climates).

To increase the content of crude protein in the silage, as well as to improve the fermentation of the feed during the laying period, add to the mass molasses, urea, soybean meal. Fine grinding of the cores and wrappers of cobs increases the palatability of silage by 30%.

Majority leguminous plants difficult to ensil; they have relatively little sugar (3...6%) and a lot of protein (20...40%). legume herbs belong to the category of hard-to-silage or non-silosable plants at all. Enzyme preparations not only ensilage feed, but also enrich it with easily digestible nutrients. These are celloviridin, pectofoetidin, cellolignorin, glucomarin, etc. In the conditions of Uzbekistan, the enzymatic preparation celloviridin was used for ensiling green alfalfa.

When analyzing the development of microbiological processes in silage prepared under natural conditions, it was found that during the spontaneous fermentation process (control silos), putrefactive bacteria grew very intensively, in particular, in silage from alfalfa aftermath. As a result of the rapid development of ammonifiers in legume silage, enrichment with lactic acid bacteria has slowed down; and in corn silage it was very intense. In the control silo prepared from alfalfa aftermath, butyric acid bacteria (titer 103) were observed at the end of the experiment due to the slowdown in lactic acid fermentation. Due to the strong growth of ammonifiers, the control silage from legumes had an organoleptic effect. bad smell breakdown of proteins. With the use of additives, the growth of putrefactive bacteria slowed down, which contributed to the preservation of carbohydrates in the silage, which are necessary for lactic acid fermentation.

An excellent silage crop is corn, its stems and cobs contain 8 ... 10% protein and about 12% sugar. Sunflower is well ensiled, in which there is a lot of protein (about 20%), but also enough carbohydrates (more than 20%).

Feeding poor-quality silage that has undergone butyric fermentation to cows whose milk is used for cheese causes similar fermentation in the cheese.

Yeast is also undesirable in silage. Usually, after initial rapid reproduction, aerobic species such as Candidas spp. and Pichia spp., remain dormant under anaerobic conditions until the silo is opened to feed the animals. Aerobic spoilage of silage on the surface of the windrow can be very rapid and lead to a complete loss of nutrition, accompanied by the formation of carbon dioxide, water and heat, as can be seen from the following typical yeast reactions. If anaerobic conditions are established quickly and the achievement of low pH is delayed, then, in addition to species of the genus Clostridium, yeasts can also cause problems. Being tolerant to slightly acidic conditions, anaerobic yeasts such as Torulopsis spp. compete with lactic acid bacteria for sugars, which they convert to ethanol and carbon dioxide, with a loss of DM and an increase in silage temperature.

Let's return to the main bacteria involved in ensiling - lactic acid bacteria. Among the lactic acid bacteria of silage there are cocci and non-spore-forming rods: Streptococcus lactis, S. thermophilus, Lactobacillus plantarum, and from the representatives of the second - L. brevis. These microbes are anaerobes. The nature of the products formed by lactic acid bacteria is affected not only by the biochemical characteristics of a particular culture, but also by the type of carbohydrates. In vegetable raw materials there are pentosans, which give pentoses upon hydrolysis. Therefore, even when the silage is maturing normally, it usually accumulates a certain amount of acetic acid, which is also formed, as is known, by some other lactic acid bacteria from hexoses. Most lactic acid bacteria live at a temperature of 7...42°C (the optimum is about 25...30°C). When heated to 60...65 °C, it accumulates lactic acid, which is produced by some thermotolerant bacteria, such as Bacillus subtilis.

The third phase of feed fermentation - the final one - is associated with the gradual death of pathogens of the lactic acid process in the maturing silage. By this time, ensiling is coming to a natural end.

The quality of ensiled feed can be judged by the amount accumulated during fermentation.

The quality of natural silage fermentation is highly dependent on the number and type of lactic acid bacteria. present in forage during silage laying. Of the four genera of lactic acid bacteria associated with silage (Lactobacillus, Pediococcus, Streptococcus, Leuconostoc), over time, Lactobacillaceae begin to dominate the silage microflora.

In temperate areas where forage sugar levels may be low, the demand for lactic acid bacteria in silage ASP may outstrip supply, and a change in the fermentation pattern to be dominated by heterofermentative lactic acid bacteria may then occur.

High levels of nitrates in the silage can affect subsequent fermentation. The content of ASP in the grass is negatively correlated with the level of nitrates used for plant nutrition, due to the rapid growth of the herbage. When the content of total nitrogen in the samples exceeds 100 g/kg, apparently, the lactic acid bacteria of the silage are not able to lower the pH to a level sufficient to suppress the activity of Clostridium due to the limited amount of the substrate. The results show that secondary fermentation does not proceed under such conditions. .

IN good restaurants, along with expensive and very famous brands of Chinese, Indian or Ceylon tea, you can be offered Koporsky, or fermented Ivan tea. What is this drink? This is Russian tea, or rather, an infusion from a plant called Ivan-tea. Its other name is fireweed. In our article we will tell you what it is and what, in fact, is the use of fermented Ivan tea. In this regard, we will tell something from the history of the origin of the blend recipe, popular in the village of Koporye, not far from St. Petersburg. Maybe you are interested in a unique plant and want to know how to ferment fireweed tea at home.

Some information from history

An interesting story of origin Before the British found out about and began to export it to European countries, everyone drank only Chinese. Since it was very expensive, it would be an exaggeration to say that everyone drank it. They drank herbal, fruit and cereal drinks, infusions, broths, decoctions, sbitni, etc.

The trade route from China to Europe went through Russia. For the Russian taste, Chinese tea differed little from a fireweed drink. Some of its varieties were better, while others were even worse than what was made from the same fireweed. However, in the Celestial Empire, by that time, a whole tea culture had been formed for many centuries. Tea bushes were divided into varieties depending on the area of growth - the quality of the soil, air temperature and light. The properties of the same plant also depended on how the tea was prepared. The Chinese still know a great many methods of drying and fermentation. They are systematized and described in the medical and philosophical treatises of the Eastern sages.

The same plant, depending on the locality of growth and harvesting method, not only had a different taste, color and smell, but also differed in biochemical composition and, accordingly, in therapeutic parameters. Koporsky fireweed probably looked like one of the very good varieties, and therefore became known outside of Russia. Maybe the Chinese merchants taught their Russian friends how to make it according to oriental recipes and told them how to properly ferment Ivan tea, or maybe our ancestors dried it in this way long before they met the Chinese and their national drink. Now this is not known for certain.

It is difficult to say how herbs, distinguished by fragrant leaves, were harvested by our ancestors before they tried Chinese and Indian teas, but classic recipe Koporsky and several other recipes we will present in this article. It should be noted that according to the above recipes, other herbs can also be harvested - lemon balm, mint, oregano, currants, raspberries, etc. Just do not mix them together until fermentation is completed. Each herb is best cooked separately. But brewing several different plants in one kettle is even very useful. You can learn how to make individual compositions. We will introduce you to some especially delicious and useful compositions and explain how they work. But first, we’ll tell you how to ferment Ivan tea correctly.

Grass picking time

The timing of the collection of medicinal plants have great importance, and fireweed, of course, is very useful plant. Since in order to make fermented Ivan tea, according to some recipes, only leaves are needed, and according to others, the entire aerial part, the harvesting period stretches for the whole summer, including September. This should be done in the morning, immediately after dew, in extreme cases in the evening, when the sun leaves its zenith. The worst time is noon. Raw materials are harvested in dry weather, after a period of rains and several subsequent warm days. Such conditions contribute to the juiciness and saturation of the biomass with useful substances. The location must be chosen remote from industrial facilities, best of all, if it is a clearing in the middle of the forest. You can collect it both in spring and autumn. It is not recommended to do this only during the flowering period, because in this case, flowers and seeds will inevitably come across among the leaves, that is, white fluff, which many do not like for purely aesthetic reasons.

Parts of the plant used in tea

Fermented Ivan tea is made from the aerial part of the fireweed, although the roots of the plant are considered useful. In the old days they were dug up, washed, cleaned and ground into flour. This flour was used to make bread, cereals, stews and jelly. For medicinal purposes, the bushes were dried entirely. They were dug up with their roots, tied several plants together and hung in attics. If necessary, the dried plants were untied and steamed with boiling water. This infusion, although it was not fermented, was drunk for various ailments. The most actively useful properties of many herbs are manifested during special processing - fermentation.

Leaves, stems and roots are used for fermented Ivan tea. The best blend is obtained from the leaves alone, taken from the top. good properties possesses a tea made from all the leaves from top to bottom.

How to properly remove leaves

To remove the maximum amount of foliage, you need to take hold of the top of the fireweed with your left hand, and remove the leaves with a tightening movement with your right hand and immediately put them in a bag. It is more convenient to hang the bag over the head and left shoulder obliquely and move it forward. With a little training and with our hint, anyone can quickly collect a lot of leaves. In order to prepare the traditional weakly fermented Ivan-tea recipe from the village of Koporye, you need at least one large bag (like those in which we carry products from the store) of the leaf mass. A cheaper, but also tasty and high-quality blend is a fermented product from the entire aerial part. We will only talk about weak and strong fermentation loose leaf tea. Stems are not used in our recipes. For the preparation of granulated willow-tea, raw materials need about a third more. The granules are a highly compressed green mass.

fireweed properties

I must say that fireweed has long been well studied by phytospecialists. Even children can be given to drink even fresh, even dried, even weakly or strongly fermented Ivan-tea. The benefits and harms of this plant depend only on the amount of infusion drunk and the correct preparation of raw materials. It has a very mild effect on the body, although it is a tonic drink. Ivan tea has a good effect on metabolism, normalizes blood pressure, relieves fatigue and does not contribute to overexcitation. Even tooth enamel does not darken from it.

The first way is Koporsky

The collected leaves should be folded into a large wooden or enameled tub and mashed a little. You should not try to get juice out of them. They just need to be slightly crushed, that is, evenly deformed. Cover with a damp towel and leave overnight in a warm place. During this time, the leaves will wither and soften. The next day they need to be twisted - take a small handful and roll between the palms. Return the resulting spools to the tub and cover with the same towel. Dip the ends into bowls of water so that the fabric, absorbing water, remains wet all the time. Within a few days, the leaves will ferment. The tub must be shaken from time to time so that the leaves do not cake.

How long it takes to ferment Ivan tea depends on many factors - both on the temperature of the room in which it is located, and on the humidity of the air, and on the quality of the feedstock. When the herbal smell is replaced by a thick aroma of overripe fruit, the fermentation process should be stopped. This usually happens within 4-5 days. Tea is scattered on baking sheets and, stirring it from time to time, is dried in a hot oven. The door must be open for the oven to ventilate. When the moisture in the leaves remains no more than 10-20%, that is, they begin to break when squeezed, the fire must be turned off and allowed to cool. Then spread over dry glass jars. Within a month, the process of absorption will take place, that is, the alignment of the surface and internal moisture of the leaves. At this time, the jars need to be shaken from time to time. As for the question of how to store fireweed fermented in this way, there are no special rules. It retains its properties well for a very long time - up to several years. It is only important to protect it from sunlight and prevent waterlogging.

The second way - using a meat grinder

Fireweed stores sell not only leafy, but also in the form of oblong sausages - granules. If you brew them, you get a very tasty drink of a beautiful reddish-brown color. Many are interested in technology: what needs to be done to get such willow-tea? How to ferment? A meat grinder with large holes - that's the whole secret. The rest of the process is unchanged - collect, crush and wither. However, there are some subtleties.

The collected leaves, without removing from the package, need to be wrinkled a little. Tie the bag tightly and leave for a while in a warm place. At this time, a very important process of activation of intracellular changes in chemical composition fireweed - fermentation. As a result, the leaves will become soft and darken a little. How much is the most important question, which always occurs in the production of any tea. Not only the taste and color of the drink, but also its microbiological composition depends on its duration. On average, it lasts from several hours to several years. But this is a very complex and time-consuming process. A good drink is obtained after drying for a day. Next, the leaves must be frozen in the refrigerator. This is done so that they scroll better and move forward with the meat grinder shaft. Soft leaves will get stuck in it. The grate should be taken with the largest holes, because when dried, the sausage granules will decrease in size by about half, even a little more. It is necessary to scroll the leaves through a meat grinder, put the granules on a baking sheet and send them to the oven, heated to 50-60 degrees, for 5-6 hours.

When the granules dry enough and shrink, they will become brittle. Let lie on a baking sheet, cool and absorb. After a few hours, they can be decomposed into banks.

Useful Combinations

Dry fermented fireweed works very well with the addition of leaves from other plants, as well as berries. With currants or lemon balm, it acquires the additional aroma of these plants. They also do it with St. John's wort. Then it acquires a reddish-amber hue. Some sources believe that it is most correct to ferment each plant separately and mix only when brewing. However, with many plants this does not work. It is very difficult to ferment raspberries or chamomile. Even more so at home. But it's no secret that fermented, much more biologically active than the one that was dried without prior withering.

Fireweed granulated tea can be made with natural raspberries, currants, blueberries, blueberries, blackberries, etc. From spring until October, you can collect and harvest fireweed and other plants and stock up high-quality and different in composition and properties fermented for the whole year blooming Sally. Its benefits and harms are constantly discussed by lovers. proper nutrition. Everyone agrees that a properly prepared blend has never brought harm to anyone.

Granulated tea with rose petals and calendula

We will tell you how to ferment Ivan tea with rose and calendula petals. Fireweed must be withered and frozen, as described above. Rose and marigold petals should be prepared in the same way, just keep them separate from each other. As for the duration of drying, they need to be fermented for the same number of hours as Ivan tea is fermented. You need to connect all the plants together after freezing, when they become hard enough and are ready to be scrolled through a meat grinder. Dry also in the oven. If tea is harvested in the summer at a dacha outside the city, then there is another way to dry it - in a pillowcase. Pellets should be poured into a cotton pillowcase and hung in the shade of trees. Shake it from time to time.

Granulated tea with berries

How to cook fermented or currant? In stores, it costs twice as much as simple willow-tea. But to make it even at home is not so difficult. It is necessary to prepare fireweed leaves as described in previous recipes, that is, wither and freeze. Berries in small portions should be poured into a meat grinder directly to Ivan tea. It is important that their number is half that of fireweed leaves. Otherwise, the granules after drying will become too brittle and will crumble very quickly. As for how to store fermented Ivan tea with berries, the answer is unequivocal - in a dry place, in a dark glass dish.

How to make tea

On average, one tablespoon of weakly fermented tea or one teaspoon of strong fermentation tea is taken per glass of water. It is most convenient to use a conventional or French press. Infuse the drink for 10-15 minutes. Then you can add boiling water, soak for five minutes and drink again. Unlike teas containing caffeine, fireweed does not become toxic even the next day after brewing. It can also be cooked in a thermos. Fireweed drink has such a mild and pleasant taste that it does not need to be sweetened. It can be drunk with milk or cream.

Ivan-tea is an undeservedly forgotten plant, which, when proper preparation can successfully replace the usual tea for everyone. You can collect it in almost any forest, at its edge, in a field, in a meadow. The seeds of the plant are very volatile, so they quickly take root in places where there is no other vegetation yet, for example, on lands after a fire, clearings. Therefore, from English, its name "Fireweed" literally translates as "weed after the fire." Also, people called it different names: Koporye tea, mother liquor, dremukha, and the scientific name is narrow-leaved fireweed. It has long been used as a miracle drink, so further about preparing Ivan tea at home.

Ivan tea - properties

Koporye tea should be consumed as a drink after the so-called fermentation. We will learn more about this later, but for now, about the benefits and harms of fermented tea from Ivan tea.
The benefits are obvious due to the presence of a huge amount of vitamins, minerals and trace elements in this product.

Due to the presence of essential oils, the properties of the drink are preserved for three days. Let us dwell on the medicinal properties and contraindications of fermented Ivan tea.

Did you know? Ivan-chai is considered a high-calorie product, contains about 100 calories per 100 g. Therefore, it is indispensable for travel, long-term hunting or fishing - strength is restored faster.

Medicinal properties

Due to its beneficial components, Koporye tea has been used for the treatment and prevention of a number of diseases since ancient times.

Proven anti-inflammatory and enveloping effect in diseases of the stomach and intestines. Tea helps with gastritis, stomach ulcers, duodenal ulcers and other similar ailments, is effective for various kinds of poisoning.
Beneficial effect on the circulatory system. If you drink a fireweed drink regularly, the so-called alkalization of the blood occurs, which is necessary to maintain its normal pH level. It promotes the formation of new blood cells and has the property of stopping bleeding.
Ivan tea can be used as a substitute for valerian for the prevention and treatment of various neuroses. It has a calming effect, helps with anxiety and depression.
For a long time, the drink has proven itself as a universal remedy for diseases and disorders of the genitourinary system. It normalizes potency, fights prostate adenoma and prevents it from developing into an oncological disease. It has a therapeutic effect in kidney disease and cystitis.
It is used as an anti-inflammatory and antipyretic drug. There is an effect in diseases of the oral cavity, bleeding gums.
Ivan-tea acts as an immunomodulator, works as a powerful antioxidant and cleanser of the body, normalizes blood pressure, relieves headaches, and has a general strengthening effect.

Did you know? In Rus', the first mention of Ivan-tea as a healing drink dates back to the 12th century. Alexander Nevsky tried it and instructed to develop production in Koporye.

Contraindications

Otherwise, it will lead to indigestion. It is not recommended for children under six years of age, you need to drink carefully in case of blood diseases. Learn also about the medicinal properties of herbs such as cocklebur, Crimean ironwort, wheatgrass, wood lice, kupena, bitter wormwood, loosestrife, salvia, kanuper, goldenrod, aconite, catnip, highlander bird, soapwort officinalis.

What is fermentation and why is it done?

The fermentation process is used to make Koporye tea at home. Consider what is the process of tea fermentation from a scientific point of view.

Therefore, there is an answer to the question of what fermented tea is - it is a drink with a pleasant fruity taste that has retained all the benefits of the plant.

The process of collecting and harvesting

To get a healthy drink later, it is important to understand what fireweed looks like. In nature, a plant as tall as a man, perennial, with pink and purple flowers.

Did you know? Collecting a leaf does not harm the plant if done carefully and without damaging the stem. The plant is an excellent honey plant, honey productivity per hectare can reach 600 kg.

Collection of leaves

Important! Fireweed leaves should be collected only until the flower is pubescent. Fluff is difficult to remove from the leaves, they are more rigid and they have significantly less useful properties.

leaf wilting

Withering is done in order to remove excess moisture from the leaves, which will interfere with fermentation. From this it is obvious that the sheet does not need to be washed before harvesting. Next, we place the leaves on the fabric with a ball no more than a few centimeters in height and leave to dry for about 12 hours. Like Ivan tea, silver goof, barberry, rosea rhodiola, meadowsweet, blackberry, viburnum, dogwood, heather, blackthorn have antipyretic properties. Leaves should be stirred. The optimum air temperature for this process is up to 26°C at a relative humidity of about 70%. If the temperature is higher, the leaf will wither faster. The leaf is dried more often in the house in a dark place, less often in the open air.

In the latter case, there can only be a light breeze and a shadow - a strong wind and sun will dry the leaves, and not wither. The easiest way to check if the leaves are wilted is to take a few and squeeze them in a fist.
If they are not ready, they will disintegrate; if they are ready, they will remain in a compressed form. Then the leaf moisture will be approximately 60%.

Important! If during the withering process you dry the sheet, do not add water - the raw material is spoiled. You need to collect fresh and repeat everything again.

Preparation for fermentation

Leaf curl

crushing leaves

Another recipe for making ivan tea at home is creasing. The raw materials are placed in a bowl, preferably enameled, crushed according to the type of dough kneading.

After 15 minutes, the leaves secrete juice and darken, become thinner and somewhat twisted. In the process, the leaves need to be divided, to avoid lumps.

Twisting in a meat grinder

A common way to make Koporye tea at home is to grind the leaves in a meat grinder.

To do this, a mesh with large holes is taken; in the process of twisting, the meat grinder needs to cool down for a short time.

Fermentation

Fermentation technology is directly related to the methods of preparing leaf mass. Twisted leaves are folded into a pan in layers and oppression is placed on top.

All this should be covered with a cloth slightly moistened with water, and left in a warm, but not hot place. The best fermentation temperature for willow tea is up to 26°C.

If the temperature is low, the processes stop, if it is high, some of the products that give tea strength and taste do not dissolve, it will smell and taste like ordinary cheap tea.

It is necessary to fill it tightly with leaf sausages, cover with a plastic lid or a damp cloth and leave to ferment in a warm place. Fermentation time is not more than 40 hours.

Crumpled leaves can also be fermented using a 3 liter jar. Hike technology - the leaves are very tightly stacked, covered

and left in a warm place for a day. The aging time depends on the desire for further tea strength.

The best way to ferment willow tea at home, according to many, is from leaves processed by a meat grinder. It is the least labor intensive and the fastest in terms of time.

Drying

You can also dry whole leaves - this mixture will become large-leaf tea. After processing in a meat grinder, the mixture will turn out granular. Paper must be placed on a baking sheet, leaves are laid out on it and leveled, their layer should be up to a centimeter.

It is necessary to dry in the oven, stirring constantly at a temperature of about 100 ° C from one and a half to two hours. Further, the temperature decreases.
Do not close the oven. When the color of the leaves takes on the color of the usual tea, and the tea leaves do not crumble when you break them, we take the product out of oven and leave to cool at normal air temperature.

You can also dry tea in the open air, spreading it on paper or cloth, but placing it only in the shade. The open sun has a bad effect on the beneficial substances of tea.

There are also ways to dry tea in a skillet and air fryer. They are less popular.

Fireweed flowers should be dried separately from the leaves, because they dry out much faster. Important! Do not overexpose the tea while drying. The smell of burning paper can be added to its smell, it will lose its taste and useful qualities. If you suddenly find yourself with little printed information, there is enough video on the YouTube channel for harvesting fireweed at home.

Tea storage

In order for Ivan-tea to be well stored, moisture as such must be avoided. Dryness is required in storage areas. It is stored in closed glass or ceramic jars.

Also, tea is well stored in waterproof paper and fabric bags. You can use tin or plastic containers.

Brewing

There are no many recipes for making Koporye tea. He is only one. Euphorbia, safflower, holly mahonia, white acacia, rosemary, Chinese lemongrass, princess, Tibetan lofant are also used to brew tea. A teapot, ceramic or porcelain, is poured with boiling water. Inside, 2-3 tablespoons of tea are poured into half a liter of water and infused for up to 15 minutes.

Some connoisseurs insist on brewing for at least 40 minutes. No need to wrap. It is important to brew the drink using filtered or spring water. Can be drunk hot or cold.
Connoisseurs say that Koporye tea is much superior in its characteristics to good Ceylon tea. It tones, quenches thirst well. Benefits of fermentation Ivan-tea at home, which appear in the final product, and do not count at all. Important! If heated, then you can not boil - it will lose its taste and benefit. The process from picking the leaves to brewing takes very little time, it is not laborious. Regular consumption of this miracle drink will not only strengthen and protect the body, but will contribute to the prevention and fight against various ailments.

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Is Ivan tea useful for everyone?

A wonderful drink Ivan-tea, the beneficial properties of which were well known to our ancestors, has now regained popularity. Before ordinary tea appeared in our lives, Russian people drank drinks collected on their own from medicinal and aromatic herbs growing in their places.

The name of this drink can be found in chronicles about Rus' and its traditions. He was very loved both among the people and among the authorities, even emperors drank it. Fireweed was very popular not only for drinking. Because of the down that is in this grass, it was used to stuff pillows, for this reason in the old days it also had the name "down jacket", and sometimes this tea was called "Koporsky". For all the time of its existence, the fireweed has also had many other names.

Ivan tea: medicinal properties and contraindications

Useful properties, as well as contraindications of Ivan-tea herb, are obvious and confirmed, as they say, for centuries. Unlike the black teas known to us, it does not contain caffeine, oxalic acid and has many most useful qualities. Vitamin C contained in the herb helps to strengthen the immune system. It turns out that in a properly prepared fireweed, there is more vitamin C than in wild rose. Its benefits can be summed up in several points:

contains many trace elements: copper, magnesium, potassium, manganese, calcium
is a powerful antioxidant, contributes to the preservation of youth
soothes, tones, relieves irritability
cleanses the blood, positively affects the processes of hematopoiesis
relieves headaches and migraines
has anti-inflammatory properties
the use of Ivan-tea - prevention of cancer
contains essential oils
strengthens hair
contains protein that gives strength and energy, promotes vitality
normalizes pressure
helps with weight loss
perfectly quenches thirst, it can be drunk cold

The harm from Ivan tea is not comparable with the benefits. But still, some caution must be observed when drinking a drink, infusion or decoction of this healing herb. After all, this drink in large quantities, like any herb, can affect the body negatively. The active properties of a drink consumed in large quantities can be harmful. The liver, stomach and intestines will suffer from this in the first place. And do not try to treat serious diseases with grass.

An infusion of such tea is harmful to small children under 6 years old, pregnant, lactating. And also, if you drink antipyretics, it is better to leave it for a while. When taking laxatives, fireweed will also not bring you much relief.

To the table of contents

How to brew Ivan tea

At home, a ceramic teapot is best for brewing Ivan tea. It is believed that for 500 ml of water it is optimal to take 2 teaspoons of dried herb Ivan-chai. If you use fermented leaves, remember that they are high in bioactive substances, so one person should not exceed daily allowance in 2 tablespoons.

What water to use for brewing Ivan tea? Take only purified water, without chlorine impurities.

To make the drink from Ivan tea as fragrant and fragrant as possible, now shake the contents of the teapot with the lid closed - this is why we left 1/3 of the container free. With this simple action, we achieve a uniform distribution of nutrients throughout the drink and activate essential oils. It is believed that the beneficial properties of Ivan-tea brewed in this way are preserved for 48 hours precisely thanks to essential oils.

Do I need to put sugar in this herbal drink? By tradition, they do not put sugar, but drink Ivan-tea with dried fruits. This drink is delicious both cold and warm.

diarrhea, dysentery, poisoning
hysteria, neurosis, anxiety
hangover syndrome
cycle disorders in women
beriberi
epilepsy
anemia
infertility
gastritis, pancreatitis
herpes
sinusitis, acute respiratory infections, tonsillitis and other diseases respiratory tract
oncological diseases (in combination with chemotherapy)
pain during menopause, periodic pain, thrush
chronic fatigue syndrome, it is also useful for frequent stress, overload.

Infusions from the leaves can be used to wipe wounds and ulcers, and it is also useful for acne. It will help with sprains and joint pain. For treatment, infusions and decoctions of medicinal herbs are used. Healing your body with his help, do not forget: the attending physician must be aware of your actions.

The drink will become an assistant in the fight against periodic pain and pain during menopause. For the fair sex who want to lose weight, fireweed and the protein contained in it, as well as weight nutrients will help you achieve your goal.

And, of course, it will help girls and women to be more beautiful, favorably affecting the condition of hair and skin. Grass can not only be taken orally in a brewed form, but also make masks out of it.

Possessing antitumor properties, fireweed prevents inflammation of the prostate. It will eliminate insomnia, often characteristic of men. Ivan-tea is also useful in the prevention (treatment) of kidney stones, a disease that men are more susceptible to than women.

To the table of contents

Fireweed tea for children

For young children, Ivan-tea infusion will help reduce pain during teething, they need to wipe their gums. The infusion is contraindicated in children under 6 years of age. But here is an ordinary, weakly brewed drink, they can be given. A mug of such a drink will calm an excited child before bedtime and help strengthen immunity. This is especially important during the school period, when children are prone to overload.

The herb helps with colds, having an antipyretic effect. It serves to prevent skin rashes and strengthens the endocrine system. A drink with fireweed improves digestion, which is so important for children.

During fermentation, the leaves of the plant need to be crushed or twisted with the palms so that they give juice and darken. Then they are put in a container, pressing down, and put in a warm place. The fermentation process should take place at a temperature not lower than 25 degrees. Feeling floral fragrance you can stop fermentation.

In this case, it is also important not to overexpose the fermented leaves, otherwise the drink from them will not be tasty. Such tea is dried in an oven at 90 degrees, stirring the leaves. It must be kept for 30 days and put into tightly closed containers. Fermented willow-tea leaves can be brewed and enjoy its taste and all the beneficial properties.

It is better to collect willow-tea in the forest, away from tracks and roads. His long leaves used as a preparation of a healing drink. The seeds of the plant are fluff. This plant can be found everywhere: near roads, in forests, as a weed in vegetable gardens, in meadows, clearings. In the period from the second decade of July to mid-August, Ivan-tea is honey-bearing. Koporsky honey is very useful.

It is necessary to choose intact, not diseased, not dusty leaves. They are collected from different places. Sometimes the roots and stems are used to make medicines. When collecting leaves for tea, you can add some flowers of the plant to them.

It is necessary to dry Ivan-tea in a draft. Flowers with leaves are stored in paper bags for 2 years, while the roots, which are dug up in autumn, cut and dried in the oven, are stored for 3 years. The most delicious drink is obtained from fermented willow-tea, prepared after harvesting the leaves.

For those who like sweets, it is better to use dried fruits or other healthy sweets. From the time of brewing, tea retains its beneficial properties for 2 days. The nice thing is that this drink remains tasty and fragrant even after cooling. While drinking tea, you both enjoy and strengthen your body.

If you are in an interesting position, then it is better to consult a doctor about whether it is worth drinking Ivan tea. Nursing mothers should also take it with caution. If fireweed is taken for a long time, it can adversely affect the functioning of the liver, stomach, and intestines. Thrombosis, increased blood clotting, thrombophlebitis are a contraindication to the use of infusions and decoctions of fireweed.

I hope you are interested in the beneficial properties of Ivan tea. But before proceeding to constant use, nevertheless, take into account contraindications and it will not be superfluous to consult doctors so as not to harm yourself.

If you are preparing this miraculous drink, collecting and harvesting Ivan-chai grass on your own, please write what subtleties those who have just started doing this should know. Share how to make Ivan tea at home.

Your feedback and additions will help beginners figure out which medicinal properties this drink has how to properly collect and how to store this healing herb.

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Fermented Ivan tea: medicinal properties and contraindications

Home / Ivan tea fermented: medicinal properties and contraindications

Everything new is well forgotten old. Fermented Ivan tea, the revival of its production technology is a return to the origins of national culture, primordial folk recipes herbal medicine.

Fireweed fermented tea is a Russian product, which was not widespread in Ukraine, and is a new product for it.

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The use in nutrition and treatment of plants and herbs growing in the area of human habitation is considered folk medicine one of the important principles of treatment and preservation of his health.

Therefore, it is so important to revive the technology for the production of willow tea, as a drink that has not only an excellent taste, but also many healing properties that have not been fully studied.

Now many manufacturers at the peak of interest in this drink offer to buy Ivan - tea in bulk. Leaf fermented tea is also offered in souvenir packaging for retail sale. You can buy Ivan tea with home delivery in Moscow.

Properties of tea from fireweed angustifolia

Fermented willow-tea has anti-inflammatory, diaphoretic, enveloping effect, it has diaphoretic and diuretic properties.

It is indicated for inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, its hypnotic effect has been determined, it is useful as a remedy for anemia, local inflammation of the mucous membranes of the ENT zone. The substance hanerol, which has antitumor properties, was isolated from the inflorescences of the plant.

It has both useful properties and contraindications, but they are usually limited to personal sensitivity. Undoubtedly, the benefits of it, as a unique drink that has no analogues, are much greater.

Buy Ivan-tea in the Kukuyka online store

Basic elements of technology

Compliance with the technological process is important for obtaining high-quality tea. This process includes:

collection of raw materials;
drying;
preparation for fermentation;
fermentation;
drying tea.

These processes are inseparable, a violation in one of the stages will cause failures in the next, which will lead to insufficient quality of the finished product.

The main indicator of correct following technological process is the taste of the finished product.

Technologically, the use of fermentation processes makes it possible to obtain black, red and green varieties of tea that differ from each other in taste and beneficial properties. Fermented tea gives a strong fragrant infusion of dark color, has a fruity aroma, unfermented fireweed tea is more like a herbal infusion.

Collection of leaves

The collection of willow-tea leaves should take place in dry weather, preferably in the morning. You have to wait until the dew subsides. Leaves do not fall off in the rain, in the fog.

For the preparation of fireweed tea, sites are selected where the plants are located in secluded clean places, away from the roads, railways, industrial zones, otherwise it completely eliminates the healing properties. Ivan-chai willingly populates clearings, conflagrations, clean sunny glades.

Harvest healthy, intact leaves from the first 10 centimeters

the tops of the plant.

There are several ways to collect:

cut off the top up to 10 cm from the root of the plant;
the leaves are cut off from above, the flowers from the top are collected separately;
only healthy leaves are cut off, leaving the lower ones up to 10 cm from the root.

The application of this or that method is connected with the process of plant life. Fruit pods and fluff should not get into the finished raw material.

Tearing off the top will allow the plant to grow further - after breaking off the fireweed, it gives lateral apical shoots.

Care must be taken to ensure that harvested leaves insects did not enter.

Drying of raw materials

After the initial collection of tea leaves, the second stage of processing begins - drying. This is necessary to remove excess moisture from the leaves to improve the fermentation process. Dried leaves after twisting will easily separate the intercellular juice and fermenting substances. In this process, the leaves lose up to half of the available moisture.

Before drying, the leaves are ground again, cut off from the stem (if they were collected this way), and the flowers are separated. They are not subject to fermentation, they are dried and added to the finished tea.

The prepared leaves are washed and allowed to drain. Prepare a platform for withering - pallets, covering with paper or a clean cloth made from natural materials - cotton or linen. The leaves should not be laid out too thick.

Masters describe different drying technologies. At the first time, the raw material is kept in the sun for two to three hours, it depends on the air temperature. The second technology provides for keeping the leaves laid out in a layer of 5-10 cm on pallets in the shade or under a canopy, where there is good air circulation and keeping them from 10 to 48 hours to the desired state.

The leaves must be mixed, they should not dry out.

Leaves cannot be left overnight under the open sky - when moistened with dew, the process will be disrupted, because the main purpose of drying is the process of imparting plasticity to the raw material for twisting. If it is too hot and the leaves dry out, you can cover the trays with a clean white cloth dipped in water - the process will not be interrupted.

There is an option for preparing not leaf, as described above, but granulated tea. In this case, fresh leaves do not go through the drying process, but are processed immediately.

Preparation of leaves for fermentation

Preparation for fermentation involves kneading the leaves to release the intercellular juice and twisting to carry out the process.

Twisting is a manual procedure and requires attention, patience and sufficient physical strength. Because of this, it is believed that men perform it better.

There are several ways to curl leaves:

the leaves are twisted between the palms, pressing, until the juice is released, correctly twisted leaves darken. The leaves are twisted to the state of sausages 5-10 cm long. You can fold the leaves one to one and twist, knead about several pieces. The end result is important here.

The sources describe several more ways to knead the leaves:

rolling leaves on the cutting room wooden board with a wooden rolling pin, then the leaves are rolled for fermentation;
rolling an oak rolling pin on an oak tabletop of a fairly large mass of leaves until darkening;
wrapping the leaves in a moistened linen cloth like a roll, and tying it with a rope, they achieved the darkening of the raw material.

In industrial production, it makes sense to use the technology of tea production in China, they produce devices for mechanical kneading and twisting of the leaf.

Prepared leaves are subjected to the next stage of transformation into a drink - fermentation.

Tea fermentation

There are no non-essential steps in the production of fireweed tea, but fermentation is one of the most important. From proper conduct and duration depends on the taste, color and quality of the drink.

The complexity of the processes occurring in the leaf is worthy of separate coverage. Under the influence of intracellular juice, sugars and aromatic substances are released without exposure to air and with the participation of microorganisms. Another name for this process is fermentation. Yeast and lactic acid bacteria play an important role in the fermentation process.

How to ferment Ivan tea at home?

Under these conditions, the process proceeds as follows:

twisted leaves are laid in a layer of 7-10 cm in deep ceramic, porcelain or glassware. It is also possible to use food grade plastic containers.

We lay a flat lid on a layer of leaves, oppression on top. We cover the structure with a damp linen cloth and leave it to ferment. Fermentation should take place at a temperature not lower than 22 but not higher than 26 gr. Celsius. At temperatures below 18 degrees, fermentation stops, at above 26 - it goes very quickly and "kills" the raw materials.

The leaf layer in the container also affects the fermentation - it must be thick enough. The end of fermentation can be identified by the appearance of a strong fruity aroma. As a rule, on average, it lasts 10-12 hours.

After the end of fermentation, depending on the course of the process, tea is obtained:

light fermentation - the leaves are just beginning to show a slight fruity odor. The process lasts 3-6 hours and, when brewed, gives a lightly colored infusion, a delicate but persistent aroma;
medium - the aroma of the leaves is strongly pronounced, dark infusion tea with a tart taste and a sour aftertaste. The process lasts 10-16 hours;
deep fermentation - tart, no acid, has a light and strong aroma. The process can take up to 36 hours.

If the fermentation is carried out incorrectly, then the leaves become gray color, have a putrid odor and a mucous membrane.

To stop the process, if the desired degree of fermentation is reached, tea is roasted at a temperature of at least 60 degrees Celsius.

The technology for the production of fermented willow-tea involves many variations of roasting and drying the finished product. There are technologies for extra-fast fermentation, drying on an open fire, in an oven, etc.

It is possible to use blending technologies when tea is mixed with currant, raspberry, strawberry leaves fermented separately, or additives are fermented together. Fireweed flowers, dried berries and fruits, and so on can act as additives.

Brewing fermented tea

How to brew fermented tea? The process does not differ from ordinary black, but has the following features:

the first infusion from a teapot is drunk without diluting with boiling water. Then the tea immediately needs to be brewed again. The second infusion is better than the first. And they drink it after 15 minutes - it should not stop. Tea is not left for tomorrow and is not brewed again, otherwise both color and taste will disappear.

Delicious and healthy Ivan-tea from the village of Kukuyka

kukuika.com

How to ferment Ivan tea correctly

What is fermentation? This is a process without which you cannot get real useful Ivan tea. It is not enough just to dry the grass and boil it with boiling water. The resulting drink will be just colored water. In order for fireweed to give up its beneficial substances, it must be fermented, and how to prepare Ivan tea, we will consider further.

Fermentation or fermentation or oxidation is a complex chain of chemical reactions that leads to the formation of a unique composition of the finished tea. In taste, it is not inferior to either Ceylon or Indian, and the benefits of fermented Ivan tea are enormous, incomparable with the usual black and green teas:

antioxidant properties, that is, antitumor;
increase the tone of the immune system, effective fight with viruses, the rapid completion of inflammatory processes; according to the latest indicator, this is the most effective plant of the Russian flora;
pressure returns to normal;
tea from fermented willow tea leaves in the afternoon guarantees good dream at night;
food is digested better and, in general, the work of the digestive tract is getting better; the enveloping properties of the drink help to heal gastric and duodenal ulcers;
inhibits the reproduction of the herpes virus;
it is a stress protector; in people who drink Ivan tea, aggressiveness decreases, headaches, insomnia, convulsions disappear, mood normalizes;
a positive effect on the heart, the disappearance of arrhythmia;
improvement of the condition of the skin, depressing effect on psoriasis and eczema, various dermatitis; fight against skin aging, increase its firmness, elasticity;
can be taken as a pain reliever;
reduction in the manifestation of allergic reactions;
useful for lactating women - stimulates lactation;
increases libido in men;
is non-addictive and has no side effects.

Fermented Ivan tea is good and no harm. It has not only useful properties, but also a special aroma. This is a very tasty drink, the production traditions of which have been forgotten, and are now gradually being restored.

How to ferment Ivan tea at home correctly

See also the video how to quickly make Ivan tea at home. It's interesting and very easy!

First you need to properly collect the herbs. Best time for this - May, when the plant has just blossomed. Later, beans form at the top. While they are soft, in a "milky" state, then you can collect them along with flowers and leaves. Later, seeds and fluff develop in the beans. They are unfit for food.

The collected green mass must be tied. This means simply decomposing and letting it lie in the shade for half a day. The material should become a little limp, but not dry.

Grinding. If there is not much herb, you can grind it with your fingers, and large quantities are processed in a meat grinder. But this is an extreme option, the metal comes into contact with the mass and oxidizes it, as a result of which vitamins are destroyed. Even the taste of tea made "manually" will differ from "mechanical".

Transfer the resulting mass to an enamel bowl, cover and put in a warm place. It is difficult to say exactly how much to ferment Ivan tea. Often left overnight. By morning, the color of the mass will change to dark and a fruity aroma will go. This means that the juice that has flowed from the crumpled leaves has fermented.

Fermentation can be divided into two stages: one that takes place in the air and one that takes place in the oven (watch video). The crushed leaves secrete juice, it begins to ferment. Roasting first intensifies this process, and then stops it. The longer the mass ferments, the further the fermentation will go. Thus, you can get the traditional tea gradation: green, red, black. How long, to what state to ferment Ivan tea at home depends on taste preferences. The mass should be put in a frying pan, preferably cast iron, and simmer for half an hour. You can keep it in the oven on low heat. This will speed up enzymatic reactions, another part of the substances will turn into an easily digestible form. As a result, the drink will be more aromatic and tastier, with more rich color.

Now the final drying and completion of the fermentation process. Level the mass on a baking sheet and keep in the oven at 90 degrees until completely dry. Stir. The tea will turn out granular, dark, almost black. If you reduce the temperature by half, the drink will be lighter, almost green. And if, on the contrary, you want a very strong one, then you need to set the oven to 150 degrees. Fermented Ivan tea in any case will have a lot of useful properties.

Photo of preparation, fermentation of Ivan-tea and the result.

This drink, unlike traditional tea, does not contain caffeine and does not leave a dark coating on tooth enamel. And even more interesting its taste can be made by various natural additives. Ivan tea can be fermented with other plants and berries. For example, it is good to add currant and raspberry leaves. You need to mix them from the very beginning. But the berries, the same currants, it is better to grind and pour on the mass ready for drying. You can experiment with flavors endlessly. One of the unusual and good options- Ivan-tea and maple leaves. If something in our explanation seemed incomprehensible to you, on this page you can find several videos on how to ferment willow tea.

Kopor tea. Ivan tea is also called fireweed or kopora, and a drink from it is Koporsky. Previously, the peasants had their own secrets of its preparation. For example, the collected brushes with flowers were laid out on the floor in a rather thick layer, 5 cm, and then twisted, as if into a roll. At the same time, the plant mass was strongly compressed so that it let the juice flow and fermentation began. So the roll lay for 10 hours, and then it was still left to reach in a wooden box under a damp cloth.

Now, those who are too lazy to withstand all the traditional technology can simply put the herbs in a plastic bag, knead and leave to ferment.

Or to do even easier - buy a ready-made drink. The price of fermented Ivan tea will depend on the region in which it was collected, what additives were added. The cost is comparable to a pack of good Ceylon tea, and the benefits are much greater.

Video. How to quickly make Ivan tea at home.

Cherry bark medicinal properties

Make fermented Ivan tea. Fermented Ivan tea. Storage of fermented fireweed

Medicinal properties

Contraindications

What is fermentation and why is it done?

The process of collecting and harvesting

Collection of leaves

leaf wilting

Preparation for fermentation

Leaf curl

crushing leaves

Twisting in a meat grinder

Fermentation

Drying

Drying tea

The effect of Ivan tea on health

Herb properties and fermentation

Silage and fermentation

Some information from history

Grass picking time

Parts of the plant used in tea

How to properly remove leaves

fireweed properties

The first way is Koporsky

The second way - using a meat grinder

Useful Combinations

Granulated tea with rose petals and calendula

Granulated tea with berries

How to make tea

Ivan tea - properties

Medicinal properties

Contraindications

What is fermentation and why is it done?

The process of collecting and harvesting

Collection of leaves

leaf wilting

Preparation for fermentation

Leaf curl

crushing leaves

Twisting in a meat grinder

Fermentation

Drying

Tea storage

Brewing

Is Ivan tea useful for everyone?

Ivan tea: medicinal properties and contraindications

How to brew Ivan tea

Fireweed tea for children

Fermented Ivan tea: medicinal properties and contraindications

Properties of tea from fireweed angustifolia

Basic elements of technology

Collection of leaves

Drying of raw materials

Preparation of leaves for fermentation

Tea fermentation

How to ferment Ivan tea at home?

Brewing fermented tea

How to ferment Ivan tea correctly

How to ferment Ivan tea at home correctly

Photo of preparation, fermentation of Ivan-tea and the result.

Video. How to quickly make Ivan tea at home.

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