Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Heal-all Herb: Prunella Vulgaris

I'm close to turning 30, with 2.5 more years to be able to claim that I'm still in my "Twenties."  With age comes many things.  Yes, we obtain a lot more experience and knowledge, but comes with age are also fine lines, blemishes and wrinkles!  These are things that we can't avoid, but it is important to try and delay it as much as possible!!  Especially for us women!

Aside from keeping your skin clean and moisturizing more often, it is important to cleanse internally.  Afterall, you are what you eat!  So recently, I've been drinking a lot of herbal tea, specifically Prunella Vulgaris tea, termed "Ha Goo Cho" in Cantonese and Xia Ku Cao (?) in Mandarin.  They are sold in many Chinese bakeries as a cold beverage, for at least $2.00 a cup.  Good for a hot day out or days you feel weathered down or "heaty" as the Chinese would say, BUT it is so much simpler and more importantly, CHEAPER, to make it yourself on your stovetop!

I've tried several brands of Prunella Vulgaris and I must say this is my favorite.  It tastes authentic whereas other brands were less "herby," some even providing an awkward minty flavor.


I normally boil half a pot of water with a big handful of Prunella Vulgaris for about 20 minutes, until the herbal essence fills up my room and the tea comes out looking like this:


I personally love the taste, but it may be an acquired taste for tea and non-tea drinkers alike.  Drink it cold or hot with a bit of sugar, or without any if you enjoy the natural bitterness of tea.

What is even more crucial is to understand the many benefits of drinking this tea.  Prunella vulgaris is commonly known as the heal-all herb with many medicinal purposes, promoting healing of fevers and sore throats.  I don't have an official list of all the things it does, but if its alias is the "heal-all herb," I am sold!  Gulp down people!

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