Sweet Chocolate Mint Herbal Tea Recipe
When clouds blanket the sky and a frigid ambience chills your skin, there is no better remedy than a soothing and sweet mug of chocolate mint tea. While alternatives such as hot cocoa embody a cloying measure of overwhelming sugar, this herbal tea will satisfy your sweet tooth without the heavy sweetener.
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Why Herbal Tea?
Not only is this recipe naturally free of caffeine (except the small quantity that exists in cacao, which is negligible), it utilizes the inherent sweetness of several plants, provides vitamins and nutrients missing in hot chocolate, and realigns your taste palette so that you can enjoy clean foods without the need for extra sugar.
The Ingredients and Their Benefits
Listed below are all of the ingredients in this tea, their benefits, and how to tweak the recipe for personal preferences. When mixing this tea, grind each dried ingredient in a mortar and pestle separately so that you can monitor particle size. Note that the smaller the particle, the easier it will escape your strainer or tea bag, which can be irritating to the throat. When drying or buying herbs, keep the leaves whole, as this will preserve flavor and oils longer.
When tweaking the recipe, start with the suggested proportions (or scale it down by half), then brew a cup and allow the flavor to sit on your tongue. Try to identify each ingredients’ unique contribution, then decide which ingredients need to be increased. Store your tea in a clean and dry container, preferably glass, and keep it in a dark and dry place, such as a cupboard or box.
Brew between a half tablespoon up to two tablespoons of your tea at between 180 and 212 degrees Fahrenheit and your mixture steep in a strainer or reusable tea bag for 5-10 minutes. The longer it steeps, the bolder the flavor! Add in a sugar-free almond milk creamer (or your creamer of choice) and enjoy!
This recipe will make 10 cups of tea if each cup uses one tablespoon of the mixture.
1/4 cup Mint Leaves
Rejuvenating and full of nutrients, mint leaves provide an abundant amount of Vitamin A, antioxidants (which put stress-oxidative free-radicals back in balance), and aids in digestion.[1]8 Health Benefits of Mint, Healthline
When mixing tea for long-term storage, dry leaves are a necessity. As such, the menthol oils in the mint leaves become weaker, and a higher quantity will be needed. This is why mint is the most prominent ingredient in this recipe, but if you find that the mint flavor is too overpowering, add a little more of the other ingredients to balance it out.
1/8 cup Cacao Nibs
Crushed cacao beans, called cacao nibs, provide the chocolate flavor of the recipe. These nibs are significantly less processed than commercial chocolates and work better for teas, as they are not powdered and won’t thicken your brew. Naturally low in sugar, these nibs will provide a rich yet bitter taste, which will be balanced by other included ingredients.[2]What Are Cacao Nibs? Nutrition, Benefits, and Culinary Uses, Healthline
Most cacao nibs are roasted, which adds a deep warmth to the flavor. However, crush these well in your mortar and pestle, otherwise they will need a longer and hotter brewing as a bean (opposed to a leaf, which breaks down at higher temperatures) to release their flavor. If you find you need more of a chocolate flavor in your tea, feel free to add a teaspoon of Dutch-processed cocoa powder, but keep in mind you may need to add more sweet ingredients!
2 tbsp Rosehips
A natural diuretic, rosehips are the late-autumn fruit of a myriad of rose plants, and have many nutritional benefits. High in Vitamin C and antioxidant properties, rosehips are immune-boosting, weight-loss assisting, heart-disease protecting, and generally support healthy skin.[3]8 Surprising Health Benefits of Rosehip Tea, Healthline
Rosehips provide a slight yet tangy tartness to the tea, but I personally think, when brewed, it adds a subtle warm sweetness. You may not notice the rosehip flavor, but with the other ingredients, it compliments the overall depth of the chocolate mint.
2 tbsp Rooibos
Packed with powerful antioxidants, this fermented leaf plant often replaces black tea as a non-caffeinated and low-tannins ingredient.[4]5 Health Benefits of Rooibos Tea (Plus Side Effects), Healthline Rooibos comes primarily from South Africa and have a rich and sweet earthy taste. Red rooibos compliment the chocolate flavors of this blend, while green rooibos (non-fermented) add a more delicate flavor.
1/2 tbsp Licorice Root
A common ingredient in candies and medicines, licorice root carries some health concerns that I want to address first. It’s recommended that a person does not ingest more than 2 ounces of licorice per day for over two weeks, as the active component glycyrrhizin may result in kidney issues. However, note that 1/2 tablespoon is only 0.25 ounces, and when mixed with the other ingredients, the amount of licorice becomes nearly negligible, unless you’re consuming the maximum recommended amount separately.
Also note that glycyrrhizin is an antioxidant, is anti-inflammatory, and has antimicrobial properties.[5]What Are Licorice Root’s Benefits and Downsides?, Healthline This component also adds a major sweetness to the tea, and the subtle flavor of licorice agrees with minty chocolate.
If you wish to avoid the health risk of licorice, I recommend adding another sweetener to take its place, such as additional stevia leaves, or adding your sweetener of choice to the brewed tea.
1 tsp Cinnamon
Another familiar spice, cinnamon is a circulatory-stimulating bark that is full of antioxidants, reduces inflammation, and regulates blood sugar. Cinnamon is also antimicrobial and fights aging.[6]12 Impressive Health Benefits of Cinnamon Tea, Healthline
Cinnamon adds a warm spice to any tea. As a bark, some varieties may add a slightly astringent taste, which can be unappealing and too bold. However, ground commercial cinnamon may seep through the strainer and coagulate as a thick sludge at the bottom of the tea. I recommend grinding Ceylon cinnamon sticks for a more refined spice that avoids the bitterness.
1 tsp Raspberry Leaves
High in Vitamin C and antioxidants, red raspberry leaves contain several beneficial minerals such as potassium, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus and iron, and neutralize carcinogens via ellagic acids. These leaves also tone pelvic muscles, which reduces menstrual cramping and strengthens the uterus.[7]Red Raspberry Leaf Tea: Pregnancy, Benefits and Side Effects, Healthline
Fruity yet earthy like Earl Grey black tea, raspberry leaves are sweeter than chamomile and compliment rosehips splendidly.
1 tsp Stevia Leaves
Naturally sweet and significantly less processed than the stevia-byproducts sold commercially, whole stevia leaves, fresh or dried, are a wonderful ingredient to add to tea blends. In this recipe, opt for dried leaves and grind them to release the sweet oils.
With almost no calories, this nonnutritive sweetener may help regulate blood sugar as well as aid in weight loss and possibly lower bad cholesterol. However, the whole leaf has not been studied enough to warrant any side effects, though the FDA has recognized the plants byproducts as generally safe for use.[8]Everything You Need to Know About Stevia, Healthline
Stevia leaves taste very similar to licorice but without the risky component glycyrrhizin. More stevia may be added to the mix, or a preferred sweetener may be used instead.
1/4 tsp Vanilla Bean
Harvested from the pods of Vanilla planifolia orchids, raw vanilla bean far exceeds its processed substitute in taste and tone. Though often expensive in its raw form, buying this ingredient will last for a very long time, as only a small amount is used at a time. Vanilla is antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, and cancer-preventative.[9]6 Benefits of Vanilla Extract and Vanilla Beans, Healthline
The flavor of vanilla is warm, complimentary to any sweet treat, and enriching to chocolate. I would not skip out on this ingredient! You can often find whole beans to grind yourself, or pre-ground beans that are slightly moist from the natural oils. If this is the case, allow a small amount to fully dry before you add it to the other dry ingredients (this will help avoid mold growth).
1/4 tsp Chicory Root
A member of the dandelion family, chicory root is a common component in natural medicines, and is a regular replacement for coffee. Composed mostly of the fiber inulin, chicory root acts as a prebiotic beneficial to gut bacteria and promotes healthy digestion. High in this fiber, chicory root aids in weight control, appetite management, regulation of blood sugar, and decreases inflammation.[10]5 Emerging Benefits and Uses of Chicory Root Fiber, Healthline
Often roasted to dry, chicory root adds a warm woody taste, similar to coffee, which deepens the chocolate flavor. A little goes a long way with this ingredient, so if you find your drink too nutty and woody, add more sweetening ingredients to balance it out.
References
