Hawthorn blossom tea

The hawthorn (za’aroor)  is an important tree in the Lebanese ancestral traditions. It grows wild in the countryside and its berries used to be made into jam at the end of Summer. It is known to be beneficial to the heart, and an Iraqi cardiologist friend once pointed out to a hawthorn nearby and told me ” they make cardiac medicine out of this tree’s berries  in Germany”. I spotted several trees in our neighborhood in the Chouf, and in the US (in the Dallas area), my friend’s neighbor had a magnificent hawthorn full of red berries that seemed to be left alone entirely. Well, now is the beginning of blooming season for this tree and I was told that an infusion of the blossoms was good for busting-up cholesterol, but had to be only taken once a month. I thought I’d check it out, even though it was more out of curiosity then as medicine (so far I’ve escaped the cholesterol curse). 

However, before trying it, I’d strongly advise checking with your doctor to make sure it does not adversely interact with other prescription drugs.

INGREDIENTS: 2 servings

1/4 ounce of hawthorn blossoms (fresh or dried), about 1/4 cup 

1 teaspoon black tea of your choice

2 cup (or more) of water

1 teaspoon honey (or more)

1.  Gather the blossoms and place in a pot of near-boiling water with a little tea of your choice. Infuse for a few minutes, strain and drink sweetened. 

Comments

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1. 

   Reply

   Velva says:

   This would make a delightful tea. Thanks for sharing the benefits.

   Velva

   On April 27, 2014 at 10:32 am

2. 

   Reply

   maritachicita @ mydi says:

   Thanks. My dad has heart problems I will suggest this tea to him. X

   On April 28, 2014 at 12:28 am