Let’s talk about tea ingredients that have unexpected usages. You should all know by now that I am passionate about healthy and natural techniques for the body and everyday life. I like to refer to my mother and grandmother’s beauty techniques. This is what I showed in the video on the charcoal lemonade versus the charcoal mask and charcoal toothpaste (check it out)! So, let’s list the 6 ingredients generally known for tea and their unexpected usages!
Ginger
This spice is commonly known for seasoning food or just for tea, such as the classic lemon honey ginger or rooibos. However, did you know Ginger is considered a medication? It improves blood flow and circulation. Therefore, it boosts your sexual performance. It’s an aphrodisiac! (read the article on Five aphrodisiac ingredients to consider when preparing your Valentine’s day dinner)
Lemon
Known as one of the most versatile fruits, it’s used to prepare lemonade, prepare a marinade for seafood, use the zest (skin) for dessert …, name it! There are so many recipes that have lemon in them. Yet, how informed are you about its other usages? The Citric acid it contains kills bacteria and odor. When I was younger, my aunties used to slice a lemon into two and squeeze a little bit of juice in their armpit as a deodorant back in Togo. They would wait for the lemon to dry out after 15 to 20 minutes and then take a shower. Believe it or not, it worked perfectly well!
Honey
This sweet gold and yellow delicacy is commonly used for glazing ingredients or replacing sugar. But did you know you could use honey for your hair treatments? Honey is a great hair moisturizer as it softens and brings shine to your hair!
Hibiscus
Bissap, Sobolo or Agua de Jamaica, this beautiful red-looking drink is mostly known as a hot or cold drink. However, did you know when ground into powder, dried hibiscus can be used as a face mask? It cleans and exfoliates your skin! (check out this brand that has the best hibiscus face mask). Among the list of ingredients with unexpected usages, hibiscus is my favorite!
Lemongrass
Lemongrass has a very subtle flavor but is unique at the same time. This drink also reminds me of home. My mother would prepare this hot drink for us when we were sick. Yet, did you know lemongrass is also used against mosquitoes in exotic countries? I discovered this in Asia, where they would use lemongrass oil and put it in little cups next to dining tables. It would drastically reduce the number of mosquitoes around, unbelievable, right?
Moroccan mint tea
There is something particular about this tea. I love it when there is a whole ritual around the preparation of a drink. It makes it much more dramatic than when it’s directly served to you. In the case of Moroccan mint tea, it makes me hungrier because I know it means I’m about to have a bountiful meal or I’m just finishing a delicious couscous. Yet, did you know mint can also be used as a potpourri in your house? If you dry the leaves, you could spread them in the bathroom or other places of your home to bring a lovely fragrance exciting, right?
In my quest to finding a healthier way of life, discovering different usages of ingredients helped me. I do not necessarily apply all of the techniques that I learned. But it makes me feel comfortable to use a product that I can eat and for which I have seen benefits on my body, instead of chemicals!
