All about fruit & herbal tea

The fruit and herbal tea assortment is probably more diverse and colorful than any other tea assortment. An infinite number of ingredients are available and allow – in combination with flavors or essential oils – to conjure up almost any taste in the cup. Below we present you some basic ingredients, which are found in almost every herbal / or fruit tea. But in the further course we would like to give you a little insight into the world of the somewhat more special ingredients.

Presenting all possible ingredients would go beyond the scope of this article. Therefore, we limit ourselves to a few selected ones. However, if you have any questions about the ingredients of our teas, feel free to ask us!

Of course, you can not just use fruit in tea blends. First, the water must be removed from the fruit to preserve it. This can happen either by freeze- or air drying. Freeze-drying is far superior to heat-drying: The appearance and color of the fruit as well as a large part of the vitamins are preserved.

Freeze-drying makes use of sublimation: At approx. -60 to -80 degrees, the water changes directly from ice to water vapor.

Base ingredients

Hardly any fruit or herbal tea can do without it, they are true multi-talents: Apple pieces. They bring a mild sweetness or can be soured to make the taste of the tea more fruity.

Mint is also a welcome ingredient, especially in herbal tea blends. Optionally, the mentholated peppermint or the sweetish Nana mint or even spearmint comes into the mixtures.

South American mate is also increasingly finding a way into herbal teas. Mate is the dried leaves of the mate bush. Mate is also enjoyed purely as an infusuion. This is usually done in calabashes.

Ginger is a fibrous bulb that is loved for its pungent flavor. Ginger is also drunk pure.

Hibiscus tastes sour and colors the infusion deep red. Often hibiscus is confused with rose hips. However, these are neither acidic nor do they color the infusion.

Cocoa comes in a variety of forms: as cocoa nibs, pieces, or even as cocoa shells. The cocoa shell tastes more chocolaty than the cocoa nibs and pieces.

Other freeze-dried fruits can be pineapple, papaya, mango or strawberries, blackberries and pears. If these are sugared or candied, this brings additional sweetness to the infusion.

Spices are also popular. Cinnamon often brings back memories of Christmas cookies. Star anise brings licorice flavor to the cup. Vanilla is an enormously expensive spice, as the world market quantity is enormously limited. In 2017, a cyclone destroyed large areas of vanilla cultivation in Madagascar. To date, the population has not recovered due to slow growth. Since then, vanilla is the second most expensive spice of all, right after saffron.

Special ingredients

Algae are more and more on the rise. Dried wakame seaweed, for example, gives teas a special extra.

Blossoms are dosed only slightly, but have a great effect: on the one hand, they are an aesthetic extra, which visually enhances any tea. On the other hand, they are also often used to color the infusion. Possible flowers are dyer’s thistle, lavender flowers or even elderberry flowers.