Fiona’s Hawthorn Tea Recipe: For heart health, heartbreak, and grief

Disclaimer: This recipe is provided for your enjoyment only, and should not be construed as medical advice or instruction. Readers should consult appropriate health professionals. If you are pregnant or on heart medication, please consult your healthcare provider before using Hawthorn. 

Instructions:

Combine water, berries, cinnamon, and hibiscus in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Then turn down the heat and allow it to simmer for 20 minutes on low. This is called a “decoction,” a fancy word for extracting the medicine from hard berries or roots. After 20 minutes, pour the liquid through a strainer. There should be between 2 ½ and 3 cups of liquid left, which will give you 2-3 cups of nice tea. Sweeten it to taste with local, raw honey. I like two teaspoons per cup myself, but I have a bit of a sweet tooth. Enjoy a cup right away. You can cool the rest and store it in the fridge to sip on later. It’s as good chilled as it is warm! Just be sure to finish it within 36 hours. After that, if there’s any left, feed it to your plants! They like the nutrition too. 

Fiona’s Notes:

Hawthorn

Hawthorn has quite the reputation for helping the heart. Scientists have been studying it for decades and keep discovering what we herbalists have known all along. Hawthorn can help decrease blood pressure, cholesterol, and inflammation. Beyond that, it seems to help the emotional heart as well. It’s the first herb I turn to in times of grief and heartache. Helps open the heart up to heal. That’s why there’s a Hawthorn tree planted in my front yard. You never know when you’re gonna need her. 

As a side note, you do have to be a bit careful around Hawthorn trees. Back in Ireland, it was known that the Hawthorns were home to the fairies–and I’m not talking about the storybook kind of fairies! 

Cinnamon 

We all know cinnamon is delicious, but believe it or not, it’s healthy too! It’s what we call a warm, stimulating herb. Helps get circulation going again and can even thin the blood a bit. I like it for fever, when you’ve got the kind that makes you feel all cold and clammy. Going back to heart health, studies have shown that cinnamon can lower blood glucose levels, cholesterol, and blood pressure. All good things! 

Hibiscus 

Hibisicus is another plant that’s been used for ages by traditional cultures to lower blood pressure and cholesterol. It’s anti-inflammatory and good for the whole body. It’s also high in vitamin C and minerals, making it a tea that you can feel really good about! 

I sure hope you enjoy my Hawthorn tea recipe. Let me know what you think if you make it!