Many folks who say, “Herbal tea doesn’t work for me,” just haven’t been taught how to steep tea properly. If you’re just dropping one tea bag into a cup, pouring some water over it, and drinking it really quickly, then it’s probably not doing very much for you.
The good news is that the proper way isn’t complicated, and I’ll show you exactly how to steep tea for medicinal purposes—the old-fashioned, effective way that helps you actually get those healing compounds into your body.
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Quick Look
- ✅ Topic: Learning How to Steep Tea for Medicinal Purposes
- ✅ Key Takeaway: If you’ve concluded medicinal teas don’t work, it’s probably because you aren’t steeping them correctly. This tutorial shows you how.
- ✅ Tools: Herbs, a steeping vessel, and a mug with a cover.
- ✅ Why You'll Love It: Herbal teas are a simple and delicious way to start incorporating herbal medicine into your wellness routine.
- ✅ Tip: As the essential oils in your herbs are released, they can escape through the steam. Using a cover can help retain these medicinal properties.
- ✅ Friendly Reminder: This is educational content. When in doubt, consult a qualified practitioner, especially for serious wounds, infections, or ongoing conditions.
Why I Love Medicinal Tea
One of my very favorite ways to start learning herbal medicine at home is with a simple cup of tea. It’s gentle, safe, and honestly just such a comforting daily habit. Here’s why I think you’ll love it too:
- Simple and Approachable - You don’t need fancy equipment or complicated recipes—just a handful of herbs, some hot water, and a few quiet minutes.
- Customizable to Your Needs - Around here, I keep different homemade tea blends ready to go. Some of my regular go-tos are herbal cold and flu tea, a preventative immune-boosting tea, the best tea for a cough, and hop tea for those busy, can’t-shut-off days.
- Safe Approach - You’re working with small, nourishing doses that support your body without overwhelming it.
- Helps You Slow Down - Brewing tea forces you to pause for a few moments—and that, in itself, is healing.
- Quality Matters - Store-bought tea bags often have very little herb in them. Using high-quality loose herbs makes all the difference. Here are some of my favorite medicinal herbs to grow right at home.
Because the truth is, you don’t need to overhaul your whole life to start using herbal medicine. You can start right where you are—with one cup of tea at a time.
It’s important to note that I am not a certified medical practitioner. This post is not intended to diagnose or treat, but is for informational purposes only. Please contact your healthcare professional before introducing new herbal and natural remedies into your wellness routine.
Regular Tea vs. Medicinal Tea
Regular tea—like black or green tea—comes from the Camellia sinensis plant. It’s lovely, but medicinal tea is a different thing altogether. It’s made from herbs like chamomile, peppermint, yarrow, or nettle—plants used for their healing properties, not just for flavor or caffeine.
Medicinal teas are meant to nourish, restore, and support your body. They can soothe a sore throat, calm frazzled nerves, or even help your body recover faster after illness. But only if you prepare them the right way.
What You’ll Need
Here’s what you’ll want to gather before you start:
- High-Quality Herbs - Loose-leaf healing herbs and plants are best, but if tea bags are what you’ve got, use them—just double up and steep longer. Otherwise, choose good-quality loose herbs or grow your own. I love getting the herbs I can’t grow myself from Farmhouse Teas, a small, family-run business that has earned our trust.
- Steeping Vessel - A teapot, French press, or even your favorite mug.
- Cover - Essential for keeping those healing oils from escaping with the steam! You can use a saucer or a canning lid if your mug doesn’t have a lid.
- Strainer - For loose herbs.
- Pre-Warmed Mug - Keeps your tea hot longer.
- Optional Sweetener - A drizzle of herb-infused honey can enhance the flavor and medicinal benefits.
Step-by-Step: How to Steep Tea for Medicinal Purposes
Step 1 - Measure your herbs: Use two teaspoons of loose herbs (or two tea bags) per 8 ounces of water. For a stronger brew, go up to 1 tablespoon—but just know, it’ll taste stronger too!
Step 2 - Heat your water: Bring your water to a boil, then let it cool slightly to about 208°F.
Step 3 - Pour and cover: Pour the hot water over your herbs, cover your mug or teapot, and let it steep for 15 minutes.
Step 4 - Strain and serve: Remove the herbs or strain the tea into your pre-warmed mug.
Step 5 - Sweeten if desired: Add a little honey, and enjoy!
For the best results, try to sip at least three cups of properly steeped tea per day when using herbs medicinally.
Tips for the Best Cup of Medicinal Tea
Here are a few things I’ve learned after years of making herbal teas for my family:
- Quality Matters - Choose fresh, organic herbs when you can. If you grow your own—wonderful!
- Don’t Skip the Cover - Those essential oils carry the plant’s most powerful benefits. If you let them drift away in the steam, you’re losing potency.
- Steep Long Enough - Five minutes won’t do it. Medicinal teas need a good 10–15 minutes to release their full healing potential.
- Squeeze Herbal Tea Bags - Unlike regular black tea, herbal teas are low in tannins, so it’s perfectly fine to squeeze them to extract more goodness.
- Don’t Stir - Let the herbs infuse naturally. Stirring can let those delicate oils escape through the steam.
Did you follow this tutorial to learn how to steep tea for medicinal purposes? If so, please leave a star rating in the recipe card below. Then, snap a photo of your medicinal tea and tag us on social media @homesteadingfamily so we can see!
FAQs
It just means soaking herbs in hot water so the water can draw out their beneficial compounds.
No, that can damage delicate compounds. Pour hot water over the herbs, then cover and let it rest.
Technically yes, but the second cup will be weaker. For full medicinal benefits, it’s best to start fresh.
Use two per cup and steep longer. It’s not ideal, but it’s a great starting point while you learn.
Using Herbal Medicine
Medicinal tea is a simple and inexpensive way to start with herbalism and will build your confidence to journey further down an empowering path of natural wellness.
If you are ready to learn more about herbal remedies and start healing your family naturally, the Herbal Medicine Cabinet: Colds and Flu class is designed just for you.
Sign up today, and learn how to stock your herbal medicine cabinet using simple herbs to safely, naturally and effectively treat your family this cold and flu season.
Other Posts You May Enjoy
How to Steep Tea for Medicinal Purposes
Equipment
- 1 Steeping Vessel with a Cover French press, teapot, or a mug with a lid works great.
- Strainer Here are some of our favorite strainers for steeping tea.
- Mug
Ingredients
- 2 Teaspoons High Quality Herbs For what we don't grow, we source our herbs from Farmhouse Teas.
- Sweetener I like herb-infused honey.
Instructions
- Measure your herbs: Use two teaspoons of loose herbs (or two tea bags) per 8 ounces of water. For a stronger brew, go up to 1 tablespoon—but just know, it’ll taste stronger too!
- Heat your water: Bring your water to a boil, then let it cool slightly to about 208°F.
- Pour and cover: Pour the hot water over your herbs, cover your mug or teapot, and let it steep for 15 minutes.
- Strain and serve: Remove the herbs or strain the tea into your pre-warmed mug.
- Sweeten if desired: Add a little honey, and enjoy!
Notes
- Quality Matters – Choose fresh, organic herbs when you can. If you grow your own—wonderful!
- Don’t Skip the Cover – Those essential oils carry the plant’s most powerful benefits. If you let them drift away in the steam, you’re losing potency.
- Steep Long Enough – Five minutes won’t do it. Medicinal teas need a good 10–15 minutes to release their full healing potential.
- Squeeze Herbal Tea Bags – Unlike regular black tea, herbal teas are low in tannins, so it’s perfectly fine to squeeze them to extract more goodness.
- Don’t Stir – Let the herbs infuse naturally. Stirring can let those delicate oils escape through the steam.
