Yerba Buena Tea – Nutritional Value, Health Benefits, Recipes

Yerba buena or hierba buena is the Spanish name for a number of aromatic plants, most of which belong to the mint family. Yerba buena translates as “good herb”. The specific plant species regarded as yerba buena varies from region to region, depending on what grows wild in the surrounding landscape, or which species is customarily grown in local gardens. Perhaps the most common variation of this plant is spearmint (Mentha spicata). The term has been (and is currently) used to cover a number of aromatic true mints and mint relatives of the genera Clinopodium, Satureja, or Micromeria. All plants so named are associated with medicinal properties,^[rx][rx][rx] and some have culinary value as herbal teas or seasonings as well.

The regular use of yerba buena tea can provide a surprisingly powerful boost to your overall health, and is quite easy to prepare.

What is Yerba Buena Tea?

Yerba buena tea may describe a number of different forms of tea made from wild mint and other closely related species. Depending on what part of the world you’re in, the term yerba buena may describe various related species, the most popular of which is scientifically known as Mentha arvensis. Also known as field mint or corn mint, this plant is native to Europe and Asia, as well as parts of North America. The leaves of this plant are often used to prepare yerba buena tea, which has a pleasant mint flavor, although it is more subtle than traditional spearmint or peppermint. As mentioned earlier, in some parts of the world, this tea is synonymous with spearmint, whereas, in other regions, this tea is a milder form of tea made from a different species. ^[rx]

This tea is a great source of polyphenolic compounds, catechins, caffeic acid, and caffeine, along with various other active ingredients and volatile compounds. Regular consumption of this tea still takes place in parts of Central and South America as well as Asia, but it is increasingly being found and prepared in North America and other European countries. ^[rx]

The Most Common Health Benefits of Yerba Buena Tea

The most notable health benefits of yerba buena tea may include its potential ability to soothe digestion, eliminate bad breath, aid in weight loss, reduce menstrual discomfort, and protect the immune system, among others.

• May Aid in Skin Care – Packed with antioxidants, this tea may be able to eliminate free radicals and boost skin health, limit wrinkles, and soothe inflammation. ^[rx] As it’s chockfull with antioxidants that are good for your skin, drinking yerba buena can help improve your skin quality while eliminating free radicals, soothing inflammation, and reducing wrinkles.
• May Boost Immune System – With catechins and polyphenolic compounds, yerba buena tea can strengthen the body’s defenses against viral and bacterial pathogens. ^[rx]
• May Aid in Digestion – The potentially anti-inflammatory nature of this tea can help your stomach balance its pH levels and soothe inflammation-causing diarrhea or constipation. ^[rx] Yerba buena can help relax the gastrointestinal tract, which will ease digestion and can reduce flatulence. Some find yerba buena tea to be helpful when suffering from diarrhea or constipation as it helps balance pH levels in the stomach and reduces inflammation.
• May Improve Respiratory System – A few glasses of this tea each day can reduce the amount of phlegm and mucus in your respiratory tracts, while also eliminating the underlying infection. ^[rx]
• May Aid in Weight Loss – Known to boost the metabolism and increase energy levels, this tea can help you lose weight by suppressing your appetite and increasing your passive fat-burning potential.
• May Relieve Pain – Those suffering from arthritis have found that this herb’s analgesic properties help provide pain relief. Similarly, it has been found to aid in recovering from injuries and illnesses. To aid in pain relief, it can be ingested as a tea or applied to wounded areas topically. Traditionally used as a potentially analgesic substance, this tea is good for pain, both topically and when consumed as a tea. This can be great for people suffering from arthritis or recovering from an illness/injury. ^[rx]
• Soothes Stomach Issues – Inhaling the scent of burning yerba buena can help reduce nausea, especially for women in the early stages of pregnancy. If you are not looking to burn leaves, you can also crush dry leaves and inhale the scent from those for a similar effect.
• Asthma Relief – This herb’s minty scent can help calm the muscles in the respiratory system, which will help reduce asthma attacks. The best way to use yerba buena in these situations is by crushing the leaves and inhaling the scent. Did you know that turmeric can also stop asthma symptoms before they start? It’s true. In scientific testing, curcumins in turmeric remarkably reduced airway constriction making it easier to breathe.
• Immunity Booster – The catechins and polyphenolic compounds found in this herb can help fight bacteria and viral pathogens.
• Oral Health – Yerba buena has been shown to help in whitening teeth as well as keeping your breath fresh. These days you can find both kinds of toothpaste and mouthwashes that are yerba buena based
• Respiratory Help – Yerba Buena tea can help eliminate infections as well as reduce phlegm and mucus found in our respiratory tracts.
• Heals Wounds – Crushing up yerba buena stems into a powder and applying them to scrapes and wounds can help them heal faster.
• Weight Management – If you drink this tea regularly, it can help suppress your appetite as well as promote fat burning, leading to losing some unwanted pounds.

Common Health Benefits

Common Health benefits from Yerba buena are as follows:

• Digestive disorder.  Yerba Buena has long been used to provide relief for abdominal pain, indigestion, loss of appetite, the passage of gas, diarrhea, and stomach ache. It is known to relax the digestive tract muscles.
• Bad breath. Yerba Buena has this minty scent and flavor that can improve the foul odor emanating from the mouth. Yerba Buena or mint is widely used in commercial mouthwashes or flavoring for gums and candies.
• Skin tonic. Yerba Buena has long been used to improve the tone of the skin and is widely used to treat acne breakouts, removal of blackheads, lightening of dark spots, and dry skin.
• Insect bites. Yerba Buena leaf is crushed over insect bites and stings to alleviate itching and pain and to hasten recovery.
• Weight loss. Yerba Buena tea or mint tea is usually taken after a meal to improve digestion and burning of fat.
• Relaxant. Yerba Buena tea is taken as a relaxant to combat stress and anxiety. It is also used in vaporizers to calm the body and as scent mixed over baths.
• Nausea, Morning sickness, fainting. The scent from burning Yerba Buena leaves can calm nausea accompanied to the early stages of pregnancy. The leaves can also be crushed before the nostrils thus the scent can be inhaled.
• Menstrual cramps. Yerba Buena is taken to calm symptoms of menstrual cramps, dysmenorrhea and induce the flow of menstruation.
• Asthma. The minty scent of Yerba Buena is used to alleviate the attacks of asthma by calming the muscles in the respiratory system. The scent can come from extracted oil as used in vaporizers or by burning the leaves and inhaling the fumes.
• Antioxidant. The Rosmarinic acid found in yerba buena is a known strong antioxidant. It can counteract the oxidation of free radicals that prevent the formation of cancer cells.
• Anti-Allergy. The romantic acid in Yerba Buena inhibits the formation of leukotrienes, an agent responsible for allergic reactions. Yerba Buena is used to treat hay fever.
• Coughs and Colds. The minty scent and flavor of Yerba Buena is used in vaporizers to unclog the nasal passage due to the accumulation of phlegm and helps to relieve inflammation. It also acts as an expectorant.
• Antibacterial and Antifungal properties. Yerba Buena oil is used to treat various skin infections and conditions that include eczema, insect bites, scars and wounds, burns, scabies, ringworms, and other skin infections.
• Pain reliever. The minty and relaxing effect of yerba Buena is used as a topical aid in alleviating the pain associated with arthritis, gout, headache, and other body and joint pains.
• Tooth and mouth diseases. Yerba Buena is chewed to treat toothache and a decoction can be gargled to treat mouth sores and ulcers, gum disease, and even swollen tonsils and sore throats.

9 Tips to Grow Yerba Buena

Now that you know some of the many health benefits of yerba buena, here are some tips on how to grow your own!

• Purchase a yerba buena root ball from your local nursery or gardening store.
• In the spring, after the possibilities of winter weather and frost have passed, clear the weeds from a shaded plot of soil.
• Dig a hole about 6 inches deep and break up any large dirt clumps. This should be as deep as the root ball and twice as wide.
• Place the root ball in the hole so that it is level with the ground.
• If planting more than one, make sure to space them 4 to 6 feet apart.
• Water once a week in the summer when it is not raining. Just an inch of water a week will do the job. Once the plant has started to grow, it can survive on just rainfall as long as the weather isn’t too hot or dry.
• When leaves become dusty, spray them to keep them from drying out. This will both water the plant and make the leaves look healthier. It’s best to do this in the morning so the leaves can dry before the air becomes too cool at night.
• Use pruning shears to trim the stems whenever they start to look overgrown and intruding on neighboring plants.
• If you are planning to harvest the leaves, it’s best to cut the upper parts of the stems right before the plant blooms.
• Dry and store them in an air-tight container.

Culinary & Cosmetic Uses

Yerba buena tea is primarily used as a beverage, as it has many internal applications, but due to its high concentration of antioxidants and other active ingredients, it can also be applied topically, once it is allowed to cool. Many of the effects it can have on the skin and hair are more pronounced if the tea is used externally. For medical reasons, it is safe to consume 4 cups of this tea per day for a week.

How to Make Yerba Buena Tea?

Making yerba buena tea is quite easy, and can be made from fresh leaves if you have the time. So let us get started.

Yerba Buena Tea Side Effects

The unwanted side effects of drinking too much yerba buena tea include elevated blood pressure, problems with blood sugar regulation, complications with pregnancy, and even fertility problems. These side effects are typically only experienced when an excessive amount of the tea has been consumed, but it is best to start with small amounts and see how your body reacts. Always speak to your doctor before adding a new herbal remedy to your health regimen, particularly if you are pregnant.

Possible side effects of yerba buena tea are:

• Iinsomnia
• Nervousness
• Restlessness
• Upset stomach
• Nausea and vomiting
• Increased heart rate and breathing.

When you take in large amounts of yerba buena tea for long periods of time it might lead to some cancers. Pregnant women, breastfeeding moms, and children are advised against taking yerba buena tea.

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