Making herbal tea is simple: steep plant material in hot water, strain, and drink. But the details of how you do it, from water temperature to steeping time, determine whether you get a flavorful, potent cup or a weak, bitter one. The method also changes depending on which part of the plant you’re using.
Infusions vs. Decoctions
There are two basic techniques for preparing herbal tea, and the right one depends on what you’re brewing. Leaves, flowers, and other delicate plant parts are made into infusions: you pour hot water over them and let them steep. Chamomile, peppermint, lemon balm, nettle, and raspberry leaf all fall into this category.
Tougher plant materials like roots, bark, seeds, berries, and mushrooms need a decoction. These dense parts don’t release their flavor or beneficial compounds by sitting in hot water alone. Instead, you simmer them on the stove for 20 to 30 minutes. A standard starting ratio is about 20 grams of dried herb (or 40 grams fresh) to 3 cups of water, which reduces down to roughly 2 cups after simmering. Strain the liquid once it’s done, and your decoction is ready.
Water Temperature and Quality
Most herbal teas do best with water between 195°F and 212°F (a full or near-full boil). This is hotter than what you’d use for green or white tea, which prefer cooler temperatures in the 160 to 185°F range. If you’re making a blend that combines herbal ingredients with green tea leaves, err on the lower side to avoid scorching the more delicate tea.
Your water itself matters more than you might expect. Research published in Heliyon found that water with high mineral content (hard water) reduces the extraction of beneficial compounds from tea. The minerals bind to plant compounds and decrease how much flavor and nutrition actually makes it into your cup. Highly mineralized water can also change the color and taste of your brew. Filtered water or water with low mineral content generally produces a better result.
How to Make an Infusion
Start by boiling fresh, filtered water. While it heats, measure your herbs. The standard ratio is about 1 teaspoon of dried herbs per cup of water. If you’re using fresh herbs, triple that amount: 1 tablespoon of fresh herbs equals roughly 1 teaspoon of dried. Place the herbs in your cup, teapot, or a tea strainer.
Pour the hot water directly over the herbs and cover the vessel immediately. This step is easy to skip but genuinely important. Herbs contain volatile oils that carry much of their aroma, flavor, and therapeutic value. These compounds escape with the rising steam. Covering your cup with a lid, saucer, or small plate traps that steam and lets those oils drip back into the tea instead of evaporating into your kitchen.
Let it steep for 5 to 10 minutes. Shorter times produce a milder, lighter cup. Longer steeping extracts more antioxidants and other bioactive compounds, though it can also pull out more tannins, which taste bitter. Research on tea brewing found that infusions steeped for 5 to 10 minutes at higher temperatures had significantly greater antioxidant capacity than those brewed quickly at lower temperatures. Start with 5 minutes and adjust to your taste from there. Strain out the herbs before drinking.
How to Make a Decoction
Place your roots, bark, berries, or seeds in a small saucepan with cold water. Bringing the water up to temperature along with the herbs helps begin extraction early. Once the water reaches a boil, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, cover the pot, and let it go for 20 to 30 minutes. Harder, woodier materials like thick bark or dried mushroom pieces benefit from the full 30 minutes. Berries and seeds often need only 20.
Once simmering is done, strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth. The resulting tea will be darker and more concentrated than a typical infusion. You can drink it as-is or dilute it with a bit of hot water if the flavor is too strong. Decoctions keep in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours.
Fresh Herbs vs. Dried Herbs
Both work well, but they aren’t interchangeable by volume. Fresh herbs contain water weight and are less concentrated, so you need about three times the amount: 3 teaspoons of fresh herbs for every 1 teaspoon of dried. If you’re working with ground dried herbs, which are more potent still, use a 4:1 ratio (4 parts fresh to 1 part ground dried).
Fresh herbs tend to produce a lighter, more grassy or “green” flavor. Dried herbs give a deeper, more concentrated taste. Neither is better in an absolute sense. Fresh mint from the garden makes a bright, clean tea. Dried chamomile flowers produce a richer, more honeyed cup. Use what you have and adjust proportions accordingly.
Storing Herbs for Freshness
Dried herbs don’t last forever. Leaves and flowers hold their potency for one to two years. Roots, seeds, and barks are sturdier and typically last two to three years. After that, they won’t spoil in a dangerous way, but they’ll lose flavor and beneficial compounds steadily.
Store dried herbs in airtight containers, away from light, heat, and moisture. Glass jars with tight lids work well, kept in a cabinet rather than on a sunny countertop. Before brewing, give your herbs a smell and a visual check. Vibrant color and strong aroma mean they’re still good. If a dried herb looks faded and smells like nothing when you crush it between your fingers, it’s time to replace it.
Herbs That Need Extra Caution
Most popular herbal teas, like chamomile, peppermint, ginger, and rooibos, are safe for daily drinking in normal amounts. But some herbs carry real risks, especially if you take medication. St. John’s wort is one of the most well-documented examples. It powerfully affects how your liver processes drugs, and it can reduce the effectiveness of blood thinners, birth control pills, heart medications, and certain antidepressants. Licorice root, consumed regularly in large quantities, can raise blood pressure and lower potassium levels.
If you take prescription medication and want to drink herbal teas beyond the common culinary herbs, it’s worth checking whether the specific plant has known interactions. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health maintains a searchable database of herb-drug interactions that covers the most widely used botanicals.
Quick-Reference Brewing Guide
- Leaves and flowers (infusion): 1 tsp dried per cup, 195 to 212°F water, steep 5 to 10 minutes covered
- Roots, bark, and seeds (decoction): 20g dried to 3 cups water, simmer 20 to 30 minutes covered, strain
- Fresh herbs: Use 3x the amount of dried
- Water: Filtered or low-mineral for best extraction
- Always cover your tea while steeping to retain volatile oils