The blackcurrant, scientific name ribes nigrum, is a shrub of the Grossulariaceae family, can reach 2 meters in height and is characterized by very dark fruits or berries. In herbal medicine, different parts of blackcurrant are used, for example its young buds are used to prepare glycerine macerate, which we have already talked about previously as a remedy for allergies. But even the blackcurrant leaves, once dried, are very interesting in the herbal medicine field and are the ingredients for powerful teas. And it is precisely the blackcurrant herbal tea that we will talk about in today's article.
Blackcurrant herbal tea, properties
The tea obtained from blackcurrant leaves has a tonic, diuretic, purifying, febrifugal, antimicrobial, antispasmodic, antiviral, vasoprotective and anti-inflammatory action thanks to the substances contained in it, all water-soluble, such as flavonoids and tannins (Garbacki et al, BMC Pharmacol, 2004 - Ferlemi et al, Antioxidants, 2016). Therefore, the blackcurrant herbal tea is useful in case of rheumatism, gout, capillary fragility, water retention, stones and for external use and gargle as mouthwash for gingivitis and stomatitis (Messegue, My herbarium - Luzak et al, J Physiol Biochem, 2014). Not only that, blackcurrant flavonoids have also proven to relax the muscles and therefore the tea is used in the case of stomach pain, headache caused by stress and tension and colic (Miladinovic et al, Med Princ Pract, 2018).
Blackcurrant herbal tea, preparation
Dried blackcurrant leaves can be found in herbalist’s shops and online. Bring a cup of water to a boil, remove from the heat and add a tablespoon of dried plant. Leave to brew for ten minutes, then filter and drink.
Blackcurrant herbal tea, warnings
The blackcurrant leaf herbal tea has a diuretic action and therefore, to avoid interactions, pay attention if you are already taking diuretic drugs. Moreover, blackcurrant leaves have also been shown to counteract platelet aggregation, so ask your doctor for advice before taking blackcurrant tea if you are taking antiplatelet drugs (Miladinovic et al, Med Princ Pract, 2018).
