More Bitter the Better
A Tale of Two Leaves…
Have you found yourself on the losing end of battling the following?
High blood pressure
High blood sugars
High cholesterol
Or maybe you find yourself dreaming about a day you don’t have,
Nagging headache’s
Migraines
Sore throat
Thirsty all the time
Sweating, even when it’s thirty degrees out…
Not to worry, there is a solution… and an amazing one… if you’re brave enough, follow along… it has a sweet ending…
A couple of years ago, I was buying tea at one of my local shops, when a different one caught my eye…Moving closer, examining the package, I was intrigued… scanning, my eyes stopped at the part talking about how bitter it was…That’s all I needed, as I tossed it in my basket… after all, one of my mantras is… “the more bitter, the better.”
Making my first cup as soon as I got home even I, the bitter is better guy… was impressed…It was so bitter, I sensed the healing happening as it lingered, then passed to the inner regions…
I am familiar, ad nauseum with the ongoing discussion regarding whether anything not from the camellia sinensis plant should be referred to as tea, or the more acceptable term tisane… for this article I will refer to it as tea… ya know… cha…
The tea I’m referring to is generally known as “Kuding Needle Tea, or “Bitter Nail”, as the name translates.
Breaking it down a bit further, there is the following:
Holly Species:
Plant Family: Aquifoliaceae
From: China
Species: Ilex Kudingcha, and
Ilex Latifolia
Upon researching a bit further, I learned there is also another species…
Wax Tree Species:
Plant Family: Oleaceae
From: Sichuan and Japan
Species: Ligustrum robustum
I’ve not personally tried it from the wax tree species, but from what I understand although it’s still bitter, the Holly brew offers the strongest punch…
Kind of like climbing a 7k peak verses a 14’er… both challenging, but the latter requiring the more stout of heart…
Benefits of Attempting This Peak
Traditionally, Chinese doctors have used it medicinally to clear “heat” from the body.
Known for its intense bitterness, like the exhilaration of reaching the summit, the bitterness gives way to a lingering sweetness, as you sigh, enjoying the climb…
.Today for those fortunate enough to be familiar with it’s potent properties, consume it for its potential benefits like,
Lowering blood pressure
Lowering cholesterol
Lowering blood sugar
Relieving headaches/migraines
Soothing sore throats
Quenching thirst
Conclusion
My local tea shop no longer sells it, so in searching online I did find that Teasenz sells it, so will give theirs a try.
There is just something about unwinding after a long day at work, setting down by the fire pit on a cool fall evening, or enjoying a hot cup of this bitter, but relaxing brew in the early morning quiet meditating on Gods Word…
If you enjoy bitter teas, or are struggling with some of the aforementioned health challenges, I encourage you to give this one a try.
Until next time my friends,
Raj