What are the arguments against cooked herbtea?

[LightLover]

I just poundered I never heard arguments against (cooked) herbtea.
(for example: sage, chamomilla, rooibos...)

The following arguments are often used against cooking:

- cooked food causes "mucoid plaque"
- cooked food causes a kind of defensive reaction in the body (white blood cells increase in numbers)
- cooking destroys enzymes in the food
- Many food can be prepared without heating (raw, soaking, marinade,
dehydrator)

** Are these arguments also valid for (cooked) tea?
If they are not valid in this case, can anyone come up with (new) arguments
against cooked tea?
(Also because many of us don't have a climate for "sunjartea"

thanks, LL :D

[DavidZaneMason]

Those things that still have their active enzymes will digest themselves. All other things the body has to spend energy on to expel. Remember, though, that there are no raw food police. If tea helps a person to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables - I say go for it!

-David Z. Mason

[mercystreet]

I've been pondering this myself. I haven't had teas since starting 100% raw, apart from a cup of lemon & ginger and a cup of tulsi tea during my 3 day fast a couple of weeks ago, but I can't logically come up with a reason not to.

There are a lot of herbal teas out there with genuine health benefits... I for one am missing my chamomile before bed, and I had been using peppermint and dandelion for my liver and nettle for my blood. I reckon I'll use them again, the only reason I'm not right now is that I worry hot tea will make me miss hot food.

But as long as they're taken apart from meals, they can't destroy the enzymes in what we're eating...... and they're liquid so they won't use up as much energy as un-raw food would.

I'd like to hear others' thoughts on this too.

[magglepie]

Personally, I feel that if you are drinking herbal non caffienated tea and enjoying it, why not. For me, I don't know if I would go back to drinking tea, because I was a hardcore (we're talking 1 pot of coffee and several glasses of caffeinated tea hardcore) caffiene addict and I worry that if I start drnking tea again, I will start drinking coffee again, which will inturn lead me to start eating cooked foods and destroy any progress I've made.

[Damzlfly]

I am still drinking tea. Sometimes I have one a day, other times I go a week without. In Canada its Tim Horton's Roll up the Rim to Win so I've been buying tea with the hopes I'll win a plasma TV.

I can't see how tea is bad - really when it comes down to it, it's flavoured water.

[nzgirl]

I have a cup of non caffinated tea everyday. I just need something warm in my stomach. I don't see anything wrong with it either and I haven't seen any argument that convinces me not to drink it.

[puffysmom]

I always drink decaf tea and all special ones. I dont know if there is any enzymes left in tea leaves before u make it but just in case there is I like to make the hot water, let it sit until it has cooled down and then put my tea bags in it.
I have almost a # of safflower tea that cleans the blood that I have to use up and will not give it up. If u leave it sit long enough the flavor infuses into the water even if the water is only a little warm to the touch. I do not find that drinking tea makes me want to eat Sad.
First thing is the morning is a glass of warm water with a quarter of lemon to cleans the liver of toxins. Not hot water but just a little warm.
If it is good for u than do it. That is why I am doing Raw.:D Just my opinion.

[LightLover]

Those things that still have their active enzymes will digest themselves. All other things the body has to spend energy on to expel. Remember, though, that there are no raw food police. If tea helps a person to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables - I say go for it!

-David Z. Mason

hmm.. Difficult point. Would there be a lot to digest? Because it almost doesn't contain macro-nutrients (fat, protein, carbohydrates...).
(Maybe it costs a little energy to cool it down in the body)

LL :D

[katrina]

So what would be wrong with drinking some plain black tea that is cooked? I know it has some caffiene in it. But I like a little caffiene in the morning hours. Anyone? I am anxious to know.

[LightLover]

So what would be wrong with drinking some plain black tea that is cooked? I know it has some caffiene in it. But I like a little caffiene in the morning hours. Anyone? I am anxious to know.

well, caffiene is not supposed to be healthy , that's the reason I narrowed this thread to herbteas

[katrina]

Does anyone else partake of cooked black tea?

[LightLover]

Of cause you can take it, it's only not on the highest top of the health pyramid.

[Eva]

I never really got a sure, definitive answer when I posted this same question a few weeks ago, so I have chosen to (usually) just not drink it. I do find that I am (surprisingly) satisfied to just have a cup of hot water with a squeeze of lemon or touch of agave nectar or even just the water when I am craving a cup of hot tea. It's still soothing and warms my belly.

I used to drink a cup of chamomile and/or peppermint tea after every single meal to help me digest. I was also addicted to Tums. Now, I'm finding that my meals just sort of digest themselves.

All that said, I hope we can all find peace in the decisions we make and the way they make our bodies feel. If you find that you have any adverse reactions, then it's irrelevant what we say on the board! But if you find that it safely and comfortably fills a desire separate from cooked food or the "bad/sad" stuff, drink away. :)

[WannaBraw]

I have made sun brewed tea and it is delicious. Take your favorite herbal tea, place it in a half gallon mason jar filled with water. Put it on the porch in the sun light and let nature do it's thing. Or if you have a filter use warm water, or room temp water to make your tea.


Ellyn

[DavidZaneMason]

LightLover:

-For ME, it's a matter of "Do I think tea is AS optimal as fresh fruits and vegetables?". If not, why settle for second best? I won't - so I don't. Just my experiences/opinions.

-David Z. Mason

[JGex]

I was looking at a tincture press last night ($675) that I thought would be ideal if youu were hardcore into growing your own herbs and wanted to make cold-pressed tinctures from them. Then you could have raw herb tincture in warm water with stevia to sweeten......

Mmmmmm........

I can't justify that purchase, though. However, you *can* purchase or grow fresh herbs and make sun tea from them. Then you would have raw herbal teas.

[Stina]

I diligently drank herbal tea targeting different minor health concerns when I worked at a health food store and really did a good job of drinking a good quart of whatever tea I thought I needed over the course of the day. I really didn't feel any significant impact at all. I feel a huge impact with the true Raw beverages. Sick of herbal tea!
Katrina- yeah, I still slip up and occasionally drink black tea and enjoy it. One problem is I don't like it without some cream or milk and a sweetner, which I'm practicing not to do. I'm also caffeine sensitive and can get jittery off of even black tea, disrupting my sleep patterns. I know caffeine sucks up B vitamins, sucks calcium out of the bones, makes the blood acidic, taxes the adrenal glands. So it's less than optimal and I really want to feel wonderful and energetic, but, again, I still occasionally engage in that cup o'tea....takes me back to the days I lived in England..........

[LightLover]

LightLover:

-For ME, it's a matter of "Do I think tea is AS optimal as fresh fruits and vegetables?". If not, why settle for second best? I won't - so I don't. Just my experiences/opinions.

-David Z. Mason

That does make sense David.
LL

[katrina]

Well, I guess I'll follow what my body tells me to do. When I went raw a couple years ago, I gave up every single thing at once. It was awesome! The results were phenomenal also.

So I'm sure I'll give up the tea in the not so distant future. But right now I'm headed to the kitchen for a nice tall cold glass. :rolleyes:

[Agave]

I don't believe tea is not healthy.

Were not meant to eat rough tree bark raw...but there are a lot of medicinal compounds in a lot of tree bark that could be extracted in a tea way.