Spices are rock-stars of the food world. Why? They contain potent antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. Plus, they aid in digestion, assimilation, and metabolism. I like to say that “Your spice cabinet is your medicine cabinet”. Use spices (and herbs) liberally in your cooking or make warm teas and elixirs from these superfoods to stay healthy and vibrant.

One of the five spices in traditional Chinese five-spice mixture, star anise has potent antioxidant, antimicrobial and antifungal properties 1,2,3,4. Like all spices, it also helps with digestive issues such as gas and bloating. Shikimic acid, the active ingredient in flu medications like Tamiflu, is extracted from star anise. 3 So why not put this wonder spice to work this cold and flu season? The sweet, licoricey taste of this spice makes for a delicious tea.

Star Anise Tea Recipe

Make a delightful tea with star anise. You can also add other spices to the mix as well – cardamom seeds, cinnamon sticks or ginger root pair well with star anise.

• Boil water (on the stove or in an electric kettle)
• Add star anise to a teapot(2 pods for every cup of water)
• Add the water and steep for 15- 20 minutes
• Enjoy the warm sweet and spice taste of this tea

Note – You can add more hot water to the pods – the successive teas will just be weaker; Add more pods as needed.

References

1. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/11551218_Ant…
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20008902
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5871277/
4. https://books.google.com.ph/books?id=Tz4Fa7r9wgIC&…

The information in this article is intended for informational and educational use only; It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition and before undertaking any diet, foods, supplements, fitness, or other health programs.