How to Make Jiaogulan Tea
The many health benefits of Jiaogulan (Gynostemma pentaphyllum) are mainly due to the saponins (called gypenosides), flavonoids, sterols, and polysaccharides contained in the plant.
Therefore, preparing your tea in a way that extracts the maximum amount of these compounds is important to gain the most out of this health-promoting herb.
Fortunately, scientific research has already been done to find the best way to prepare Gynostemma tea:
Get Quality Water
Start with the best quality water you can find. This can be either bottled water or tap water that has been passed through a high-quality water filter. Using clean drinking water is important not just for preparing your Jiaogulan tea, but in general for your daily water consumption.
Heat
Heat the water to a temperature of around 90 Degrees Celsius. The easiest way to do this without using a thermometer is to first bring the water to a boil, then remove from heat and allow it to cool for 2-3 minutes.
Add Jiaogulan
Add about 1 to 2 teaspoons (1-2g) of dry Jiaogulan leaf for each 8oz/250ml cup of water. If brewing in a pot, add an extra teaspoon of tea for the pot.
Steep
Cover and allow the tea to steep for at least 10 minutes. You can leave the tea leaves in for up to 2 hours, extracting the maximum concentration of beneficial saponins.
Enjoy!
Enjoy your healthy and delicious cup of tea!
Notes
You can reuse the tea leaves up to 2-3 times, increasing the steeping time with each brew. However, the leaves should be used the same day; do NOT reuse leaves overnight.You may notice some soap-like bubbles forming in your cup when you pour your tea from the pot. That's a good sign! It means that you've extracted a good amount of saponins from your Jiaogulan tea, because one of the properties of saponins is to become "soapy" when in contact with water. The more bubbles you see in your cup, the stronger the tea's concentration of beneficial compounds.
Recommended Daily Intake
It is important to note that Jiaogulan is not recommended for certain individuals. Please make sure to carefully read about the herb's side effects, precautions, contraindications, and drug interactions first.
If you've never tried Jiaogulan tea before, start by drinking 2-4 cups per day. Alternatively, you can take 2 capsules, 2 to 3 times per day with a glass of water (two capsules are roughly equivalent to a cup of tea).
If you don't notice any discomfort during the first week, you can slowly increase your daily intake.
For various reasons, it may be difficult for some to drink the recommended amount of tea (or more) every day. If this is your case, you can either supplement with capsules, or increase your dose by increasing the amount of tea leaves you brew. For example, you could add several grams of Jiaogulan per cup instead of the usual 1-2 grams.
Like many other herbs, it is best to take Gynostemma on an empty stomach, either half an hour before or a couple of hours after a meal.
It is best to spread your Jiaogulan intake throughout the day instead of taking it all at once.
