A favorite remedy in times gone by, this bitter brew has been recommended for a variety of ailments – coughs, blood and kidney disorders, rheumatism, sciatica, gout, indigestion. The herbalist Nicholas Culpeper proclaimed it “a singular herb for all inward wounds” and assured that it would expel “melancholy by opening the stoppings of the spleen.”
The tonic effects of this tea may be explained by its very high mineral content. It is also rich in vitamin C and was once used by painters to prevent lead poisoning; it is now known that vitamin C combines with lead and enables it to be excreted from the body.
Because of its bitter taste, ground ivy is usually mixed with other herb teas, such as sage, rosemary, or chamomile. Or mix it cold with orange juice. Taken cold it is an excellent bitters to stimulate the appetite.
At one time used in the processing of beer, ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea) is also known as gill-over-the-ground, alehoof, or gill (from the French guiller, to ferment beer).
No comments:
Post a Comment