VALERIAN ROOT TEA

by Modest Vegan Chik
May 24, 2017
2 min read

Valerian Root is the root from the Valerian plant {latin names: Valeriana officinalis, Valeriana Wallichii} It is an ancient herb that has been used to treat sleep issues, anxiety and also used in meditation rituals. I have trouble sleeping off and on so I thought I'd go with a more natural, holistic approach and give it a try as a sleep aid.

I ordered a 4 oz bag from Starwest Botanicals. Soon as I open the bag.... Omg! I had no idea it would smell as awful as it did. It was pretty bad. I could already tell it was not going to make a tasty tea like the Burdock or Ginger Root Tea I've also made from the root. Even so, I really wanted to give it a try especially knowing the medicinal benefits.

As expected the taste was awful. I decided to drink it straight without any sweetener or nut milk to enhance the flavor.

{photo: Valerian plant, flower and roots}

I really wanted to experience the full medicinal benefits. Valerian makes a great

tea to drink at bedtime or anytime you want to kick back and relax. This is how I made my Valerian Tea....

What You Will Need:

Tea kettle or cup with loose tea infuser or you can use a tea ball

1 tsp of dried valerian root per 8 oz serving

8 oz of hot or warm spring water per serving

How To Make Valerian Tea:

I added the valerian root to the infusion basket of my cast iron tea pot

I then poured hot spring water into the tea pot. Make sure to pour directly over the valerian root in the infusion basket. It's important to pour the water over the herb in order to release the full medicinal strength of the root.

Cover and let steep for about 10-15 minutes. I allowed the tea to steep for this long because of it being a root which is tougher than using a leaf or flower herb for tea.

I usually add pure agave to my tea but I decided to drink this tea straight as not to take away from the any of the medicinal benefits. It's not the tastiest tea for sure but I'll continue to drink it in hopes that it helps me to get some better sleep. Keep ya posted!

xx! MVC