Ivan tea: beneficial and medicinal properties of the “miracle drink”, how to brew it?

The main event of early July for those who prepare herbs is the flowering of fireweed, or fireweed. Once upon a time, during the Soviet years, they were forced to replace the much-desired “tea with an elephant,” which, due to shortages, was not always possible to obtain. Our mothers and fathers sighed bitterly as they sipped fireweed infusion on long winter evenings. And they didn’t understand their happiness, but our ancestors only drank fireweed. Moreover, they were supplied to Europe in huge quantities. Fortunately, today times have changed. And Ivan tea is prepared not only as a native Russian drink that has become fashionable again, but also as a healthy product.

Ivan-tea is already blooming

Many will say: why collect, because everything is for sale? Indeed, in stores today you can buy ready-to-eat fireweed. The cost of a small package (depending on the additives) ranges from 160 to 300 rubles per 100 grams. But why pay for what you can get for free? Plus, by harvesting the plant yourself, you will be sure that your tea was collected correctly and in an environmentally friendly place. As for the store, one can only guess.

The author of this text became interested in fireweed tea five years ago and tried many recipes. And I settled on one, my favorite, which I’ll tell you about a little later. But I constantly communicate with “colleagues-procurers”; we exchange some interesting nuances. And on the eve of the new summer season, biologist, herbalist and mother of many children, Irina Mityushina, shared with me her secrets of fermenting Koporye tea (another name for this wonderful drink) . In her family, herbal infusions have been prepared exclusively with their own hands for many years, including by children.

Irina Mityushina, biologist and herbalist

And not so long ago we filmed the program “Point on the Map” at the Museum of Russian National Drinks (Gavrilov Posad, Ivanovo Region). The founder of the museum, an expert on Russian drinks, Igor Kekhter, not only told us the dramatic story of the revival of Koporye tea in Russia, but also shared his signature recipe for fermenting the leaves, as they did in the old days in the villages. But first things first.

About the fireweed plant

Blooming Sally

(Koporo tea) is a drink that has a very pleasant taste and color, and has a powerful healing effect!

Even in Rus', an infusion of Ivan tea was used as a drink and medicine for various ailments. This inconspicuous-looking herb is many times superior to even seaweed in its medicinal effects and healing properties, taking into account its unique chemical content.

This is what the leaves and flowers of Ivan tea look like

Fireweed is a perennial plant that produces abundant color. It can reach a height of one and a half meters. The inflorescences look like brushes; they are represented by small flowers of various colors: pink, white, red and purple. The root system is well developed. Ivan-tea blooms from May until the end of summer.

The seeds ripen in August. Together with the fluff, they fly out of the box and spread over several kilometers. If you walk past the thickets of Ivan-tea at this time, you might think that many feather beds have been ripped apart over the field.

One plant can produce up to 20,000 seeds. They are extremely volatile. A seed placed in the soil can remain there for several years, waiting for suitable conditions for germination.

Europe very quickly appreciated the merits of this tea for its unique content. It contains 3.5 times more vitamin C than lemon. In 100 g of leaves its content reaches 200-400 mg. Ivan tea is rich in B vitamins, which remain in it even after brewing.

In addition, there are tannins - up to 20 percent, a large amount of flavonoids, mucus and pectins. Therefore, it is also a powerful antiseptic and anti-inflammatory agent. According to these characteristics, it is superior to many medicinal herbs. Therefore, this product was exported from Russia (before the 1917 revolution) to Europe in huge quantities.

What is Koporye tea?

It is made from plant materials - fireweed leaves. This occurs by analogy with the production of black tea from green tea. The preparation of delicious and healthy tea begins with fermentation - 24-48 hours. The smell, color and taste of the product that will be obtained as a result of all manipulations depends on the time of fermentation and the current temperature. The color of the tea becomes different - green, yellow or completely dark. The black mixture has no competitors on the tea market! Fermentation will be discussed in more detail below.

Herb fireweed in nature

The traditions of gathering and self-healing with the help of herbal medicine are gradually being lost. The main difficulty for those who want to collect and dry plant materials themselves is the process of plant identification.

Before collecting and preparing raw materials, you need to find out what fireweed looks like. Wikipedia can provide information. The names of the plants entered into the search engine produce numerous photos of the grass. The photograph helps give a general idea of ​​the plant, and the description of the crop includes information about where and when it can be found to begin harvesting.

Where does it grow in Russia

Perennials grow everywhere in the temperate climate zone. They choose places of former fires and breed on the banks of small rivers and lakes. Seeds are carried by the wind and spread by animals, so grass can sometimes be found in the most unexpected places.

Information! Fire grass grows in forests. Habitats are clearings made during harvesting.

In Donetsk region

In the south and east of the region, fireweed chooses areas where the steppes border on lowlands in which small rivers flow. Ivan tea, a photo of which can be viewed in advance, is visible from afar during flowering.

History of Russian tea. Why did Ivan tea get such a name?

Ivan tea is a plant with a long history. The first information about him is found in ancient Russian manuscripts. It turns out that people drank it even during the construction of Moscow.

The plant is mentioned in the description of the events of 1241, when Prince Alexander Nevsky fought with the German crusaders in the city of Koporye, near Veliky Novgorod. Its residents not only brewed and drank Ivan tea, but also prepared a powder based on it, which they sprinkled on their wounds. The drink itself was already considered healing in those days, so it was offered to soldiers after battles.

Subsequently, it was Koporye that became the main supplier of Ivan tea for the entire country. This happened in the 13th century. Therefore, you should not be surprised by the second name of the drink – “Koporie tea”.

Why did “Russian tea” lose its popularity?

In the 19th century, licenses to supply Ivan tea to England were issued by Alexander I himself. Although Great Britain at that time had its own East India Company engaged in the sale and production of Asian tea, the British preferred the Russian “Koporo” drink. There was an opinion that it was he who gave a person strength and protected from various diseases. Therefore, England bought tons of it from Russia.

Ivan tea was loved not only by residents of Great Britain; it was drunk all over the world. And every year the drink gained more and more popularity. This continued until Koporye tea began to seriously compete with the East India Company. When its owners realized that the market was occupied by Russian tea, active measures began to be taken.

Accusations have been made that the quality of Ivan tea is extremely low. The news was artificially inflated that white clay, which is harmful to health, is mixed into dry raw materials. Although the real reason for such “news” came down to ordinary market competition. As a result, the East India Company achieved its goal: sales of Ivan tea in England fell.

In the 20th century, it was the East India Company that became the organizer of World War I. Its leaders sponsored the revolution and civil war in Russia. Lenin was personally given a large sum of money, for which the leader of the world proletariat stopped the production of Ivan tea in Russia. Today it is no longer a secret that many of the punitive measures of the Bolsheviks were aimed not at the “good” of the people, but at the destruction of the tea industry in the country. Behind all their actions were foreign companies fearing serious competition.

With all their maneuvers, the British tycoons pursued a single goal - to reshape the global sales market, liquidate companies, deprive them of their competitive ability and increase their own turnover.

The purchase of tea in Russia stopped completely in 1917, when England entered the Atlanta military bloc, and the revolution ended in our country. Moreover, during that turbulent time, Ivan tea was no longer only exported, but also sold to its own citizens. Its production was completely stopped, and Koporye was ruined.

Therefore, it is not surprising that now few people know that until 1916, every resident of Russia drank not ordinary black tea every day, but Ivan tea. However, the glory of this healing drink was completely erased and given over to oblivion during the troubled revolutionary times.

Continuation of the story, and the appearance of “tea dust”

When the real threat of the Second World War arose before the USSR, the country's leadership began to realize that the study and practical application of the beneficial properties of Ivan tea was a real opportunity to improve the health of the country's population. Therefore, in those years it was decided to open a research base in Koporye.

By decree of Beria, Ivan tea began to be produced in the town again, from where it was supplied to pharmacies and medical institutions in the country. German intelligence reported this to its leadership as soon as possible. It was found that it is on the basis of this plant that medicinal products are prepared in Russia to improve the health of soldiers. As soon as the opportunity arose, German troops launched a powerful attack on the laboratory in Koporye. This happened in the summer of 1941, and a little later, breaking through to Leningrad, the Nazis took the Koporye Fortress. Having occupied this reliable shelter, Nazi troops began to await the order to continue the defense of Leningrad. However, the commander of the “North” group, Field Marshal General Fon Lei, gave an instruction that surprised them - to go to Koporye and destroy the facility, which at that time functioned under the name “river of life.”

What exactly was hidden under this phrase was discovered only recently. It turned out that we were talking about a biochemical laboratory that was creating a drink based on Ivan tea. It studied ancient recipes, and a remedy had already been practically developed that could increase the endurance of Red Army soldiers.

To get to Koporye, the Nazis made an impressive detour. When the laboratory was found, it was razed to the ground, all documentation was completely burned, and the company’s employees were shot.

This fact is mentioned by historian Alexander Seregin. He writes: “During the Second World War, enemy troops demolished Koporye with their tanks, trampled the fields of Ivan tea with caterpillars, destroyed all the laboratories, and killed the scientists who were studying this plant.”

To eliminate production in Koporye, German troops even disrupted the Barbarossa plan. A. Seregin writes: “In terms of benefits, Ivan tea surpassed all known forms of food. It contains amazing substances that have an effect similar to alkaloids, but they do not intoxicate, but lift your spirits and clear your mind.”

Studying history, one comes to understand why Ivan tea was erased from the life of Russians, why its second name “Koporie tea” was forgotten. A healthy drink with healing properties has been replaced by Asian tea, which stimulates the mind and increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Many Russians don't even know what they're brewing in their cups. The fillers in tea bags are dust, which is also sold in the form of granules. To improve the taste and aroma, flavorings and dyes are added to this dust. Another little-known fact is that infusion of black tea leaves is simply dangerous to health. Even in the most expensive premium tea, purines and phenols are formed, which lead to metabolic disorders, causing glaucoma, gout, and high blood pressure in people.

Ivan-Chai, or a forgotten miracle of nature

People love to spend time with a cup of tea! It has long been the custom in Rus' that drinking tea itself became not just a quencher of thirst, but a unique manifestation of social life. Tea in Russia was a reason for a long, leisurely and good-natured conversation, a way of reconciliation and resolving business issues. Russian people believed that drinking tea together supported love and friendship between family members, strengthened family and friendly ties, and a samovar boiling on the table created an atmosphere of comfort, prosperity and happiness. Over tea they decided on family matters, concluded trade deals and marriages; without a cup of tea, it seems, they did not discuss a single serious issue. Russian people drank tea both in festive and everyday settings: “after the bath,” “out of the cold,” “out of fatigue,” “on the road.” No matter what time the guest arrived, a samovar was set for him, and the hosts, according to custom, had to drink tea with him.

Have you ever wondered what exactly our ancestors considered tea and what they brewed in their samovars?

In the old days, there was no Indian or Chinese tea in Russia. Our great-great-grandmothers and great-great-grandfathers, sitting at the table with a samovar, drank original Russian tea, the basis of which was the leaves and flowers of fireweed, or, as it was called later, Ivan tea. The ancestors knew a lot about herbal teas, infusions and decoctions, possessed special secrets and knew how to properly prepare different plants, and even more so how to brew and drink them correctly. Following the recipe, currant leaves, strawberries, raspberries, linden flowers and other plants were also added to the fireweed.

What is this forgotten plant Ivan-tea, what does it look like and where can you find it?

Ivan tea, or fireweed, is perhaps one of the most common plants in Russia. Grows on fresh sandy and loamy soils, in coniferous and mixed forests, along country roads, in meadows and clearings, in dry sandy places, often on the edges, near crops, near water, on damp soil, on drained peat bogs, even along railway embankments and ditches. It is difficult to find a person who does not know what Ivan-tea is. Elegant pink fields, “dressed up” with this plant, can be found almost everywhere.

Fireweed is unpretentious and, in addition, is a pathfinder; its beautiful, gently pink colossus can be found first in grass burning areas, forest fires and clearings, which speaks of its amazing inner strength.

Ivan tea is a perennial, abundantly growing plant. Its height reaches 150cm. The small flowers are collected in racemes of various colors, from the common red with a purple tint to pale pink or white. The roots of the plant are creeping and well developed. Its flowering period lasts from June to August.

Ivan tea seeds, collected in a small box, ripen in August. When ripe, they fly out of the fruit boxes with fluff. Over the thickets of fireweed and far around, fluff flies - as if several feather beds had been torn apart. Up to 20,000 seeds can ripen simultaneously on one plant, the distinctive feature of which is the presence of a white tuft (down). These seeds are surprisingly volatile (the wind carries them tens of kilometers) and have the ability to grow even several years after ripening and falling into the soil.

What is the chemical composition and what are the benefits?

Although Ivan tea is a fairly common plant in Russia, few people know about its enormous benefits. Fireweed tea is one of the oldest and healthiest drinks on the planet. Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky believed that without Russian tea it was impossible to raise a healthy male warrior. And this is not surprising, because the range of trace elements of Fireweed is simply unique!

In 100 gr. green mass contains:

• iron -2.3 mg.,
• nickel - 1.3 mg.,
• copper - 2.3 mg.,
• manganese - 16 mg.,
• titanium - 1.3 mg.,
• molybdenum - 0.44 mg.,
• boron - 6 mg.,
• and potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, lithium, etc. are present in significant quantities.

It contains from 69 to 71 beneficial microelements depending on the area. This is 2/3 of the periodic table.

No plant can boast such a set of microelements!

Also in 100g. Ivan tea leaves contain from 200 to 400 mg. ascorbic acid, i.e. 5-6 times more than in lemons, and B vitamins are very well preserved in it at all stages of production.

And most importantly, it is an unsurpassed antiseptic. It has been scientifically proven that Ivan tea is superior to all medicinal plants in its anti-inflammatory properties!

The list of beneficial properties of Fireweed that affect the human body is simply impressive! So, let's list:

• improves the process of hematopoiesis,
• increases the body's protective functions, stimulating the immune system.
• is a tranquilizing, expectorant and enveloping agent.
• indicated for peptic ulcers, gastritis and colitis, enterocolitis, flatulence, as it normalizes the gastric mucosa, normalizes metabolism and intestinal motility;
• indicated for hypertension, atherosclerosis, anemia, gout and salt metabolism disorders;
• regulates the nervous system during stress, helps get rid of migraines and insomnia, relieves restlessness and anxiety (for which in Rus' they called him “dremukha”);
• calms and improves performance;
• alkalizes, cleanses the blood;
• indicated for vegetative-vascular dystonia;
• helps remove toxins from the body;
• has a beneficial effect on the oral cavity, is an excellent prevention of periodontal disease and caries, and normalizes the condition of the oral mucosa;
• is an effective analgesic and antipyretic;
• is an astringent and anti-inflammatory agent;
• restores strength when exhausted;
• indicated for stones in the liver, kidneys and spleen diseases;
• strengthens hair roots;
• normalizes blood pressure;
• indicated for internal bleeding, painful menstruation;
• effective for diseases of the genitourinary system;
• antitumor agent;
• helps get rid of prostatitis and prostate adenoma;
• enhances potency;
• useful for normalizing the condition after alcohol intoxication, it is used even for delirium tremens;
• helps reduce alcohol consumption;
• relieves food poisoning;
• a powerful cancer prevention agent;

It is not for nothing that Russian healers called it “hog potion” for its powerful healing properties.

The history of the oblivion of Ivan-tea

But how did it happen that now black Indian and Chinese tea is extremely popular in Russia, and not the tea that our ancestors drank? How is it that the most useful plant Ivan-chai remains unnoticed, despite the fact that it grows in large quantities right under our feet?

But first things first

Ivan tea has been known in Rus' for more than ten centuries. This drink is mentioned in ancient Russian manuscripts; it was drunk during the construction of Moscow.

The next mention of Cyprus - Ivan-tea refers to the event of 1241, when Prince Alexander Yaroslavovich (later Nevsky) and his retinue liberated the city of Koporye, the northwestern outpost of Veliky Novgorod, from the German crusading knights. Residents of this city not only treated wounds with Ivan tea, sprinkling them with powder from crushed leaves, but also gave tea from this plant to restless, anxious, battle-weary Novgorodians. It was Koporye, on the territory of the present Leningrad region, that later in the 13th century turned into a “world factory” for the production of the traditional Russian drink “Ivan-tea”. That’s why they began to call the drink, and later Ivan-tea itself, “Koporie tea.” Hundreds of pounds of this product were used in Russia. Later it became the most important component in Russian exports. After special processing, fireweed was sent by sea to England and other European countries, where it was also famous, like Persian carpets, Chinese silk, and Damascus steel. In terms of volume, exports of Koporye tea were in second place after rhubarb, followed by hemp, furs and gold. Abroad, “Ivan-tea” was called Russian tea! It was a trademark of Russia. In Europe they have always known and drank Russian tea, but Asian tea appeared there only three centuries ago. And he took root with difficulty and for a long time. This is what the daughter-in-law of the French king Louis XIV wrote in her letter of 1720: “The taste of Asian tea is reminiscent of hay with manure. God, how can you drink such bitterness! Or maybe it’s herbal tea from Russia!” And our Russian sailors, going on a long voyage around the world (1803-1806), under the command of Ivan Kruzenshtern, produced according to old recipes and took “Ivan tea” with them in order to drink it themselves and as gifts in foreign ports.

Chinese tea first came to Russia in the first half of the 17th century, when Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov, the Russian Tsar, was the first to taste it in 1638. Tea was brought as a strange drink. In 1676, an agreement was concluded with China to supply it to Russia. This was the beginning of the tea and coffee world expansion! Caravans with tea traveled along the Kyakhtinsky tract (Tea Road) to the Moscow Kremlin for about a year. In Russia, the new drink took root with difficulty: Russian people were wary of it, as, indeed, of everything foreign. Moreover, it cost a lot of money. Russian “tea makers” began to brew Ivan tea in such a way that it began to resemble overseas tea in taste and color. There were also unscrupulous merchants who used fireweed to counterfeit Chinese tea. They mixed Ivan tea leaves into it and passed off this mixture as an expensive oriental curiosity. But it must be said that in pre-revolutionary Russia, and even after the revolution until 1941, adding other plants to subtropical teas was considered unscrupulous falsification, fraud and was prosecuted by law. Therefore, such merchants were most often caught in such unseemly acts and brought to justice, sometimes even holding high-profile trials.

However, even such cases could not deprive Koporye tea of ​​popularity, and already in the 19th century it became a huge competitor to Indian and Chinese teas.

At the beginning of the 19th century in St. Petersburg, Tsar Alexander I issued licenses for direct supplies of Koporye tea directly to England. And by this time Great Britain owned the most powerful East India Company for the production and sale of tea from Asia. She sold Indian tea from her vast plantations, but the British themselves preferred to drink Koporsky tea, purchasing tens of thousands of poods of it from Russia every year.

It was believed that regular consumption of Ivan tea makes a person strong and protects against a variety of diseases.

The whole world drank Russian “Kapori tea” with pleasure, until its popularity gradually increased so much that it began to undermine the financial power of the East India Company. The company's owners could no longer tolerate such a strong competitor in the tea market. The British crown realized that the tea market was completely captured by Russian producers and rushed to attack Russia. At first, they stirred up scandals, falsely accusing Russia of reducing the quality of tea, allegedly Russians grind tea with white clay, which, they say, is harmful to health. While the real reason was that the owners of the East India Company needed to remove the most powerful competitor from their own market in England - Russian tea!!! The company finally achieved its goal, and the purchase of Russian tea in England was reduced.

And at the beginning of the twentieth century, the East India Company became the organizer of World War I and one of the sponsors of the revolution and civil war in Russia. Lenin was personally paid so that Russia would not produce any more Ivan tea. And now it is already obvious that behind the punitive actions of the Bolsheviks, who were engaged in the destruction of the Russian tea industry, were foreign companies that were afraid of competition.

Everything that was done by the British crown was done with one goal - the redistribution of sales markets, supplies, the elimination of competitors, in order to obtain maximum profits.

But even before the revolution, scientist Pyotr Badmaev, an expert on medicinal herbs and Tibetan medicine, studied fireweed. He opened a clinic for the aristocratic and secular elite, which was attended by famous people, for example: Rasputin, Yusupov, Prokopovich and the entire imperial family. Not only the entire world of the Russian Empire was treated with Badmaev’s wonderful powders, made from herbs; foreigners came to the Russian capital specifically for this. Badmaev himself took a herbal elixir that contained Ivan-tea, and claimed that elixirs based on Ivan-tea could extend life to at least 200 years. It is possible that he really would have set a longevity record, but at the age of 109 Pyotr Badmaev was arrested by the Petrograd Cheka and accused of counter-revolutionary activities. A few months later he was released, but cruel torture undermined his health. The doctor died without revealing the secret of his elixir. Other specialists who were involved in the research of Ivan-tea were subjected to severe repression and many were shot.

Thus, after the revolution of 1917, when England entered the Entente military bloc, the purchase of tea in Russia ceased completely. Under the guise of the revolution, Ivan tea was stopped being produced, exported and even sold to its own population. Koporye went bankrupt. And now few people know that before the revolution of 1916, every resident of Russia drank Ivan tea, “Koporsky” tea. The black deed against Russian tea was completed by the complete destruction of Russia.

However, in the pre-war years, the leadership of the USSR came to its senses and began to understand that further study and use of Ivan tea could significantly improve the health of Soviet citizens, so a unique research and production center was created in that very town of Koporye. And there, by personal order of Beria, Ivan tea was produced according to ancient Russian recipes and supplied to pharmacies and hospitals. German intelligence learned that a powerful medicine was being created based on Ivan tea, which could significantly strengthen the defense capability of our country. And at the first opportunity, Germany struck at the secret laboratory. This happened at the end of the summer of 1941, the German army was advancing on all fronts, the most fierce battles took place in the northern direction. The Nazis rushed towards Leningrad, trying to encircle it with a siege. On September 1, they take the Koporye Fortress, which served as a reliable shelter for the Red Army soldiers. German tanks are waiting for instructions to continue moving towards Leningrad, but the commander of the North group, Field Marshal Fonley, gave a strange order - to enter Koporye and destroy the object code-named “river of life”. And only recently has it become known what is hidden under this poetic name. These were experimental biochemical laboratories of the Koporye tea factory, where, according to an ancient recipe, based on Ivan tea, work was carried out to create a unique drink that was supposed to increase the endurance of the Red Army soldiers. The tank column made a special detour to stop at Koporye; they had a clear task, to destroy everything related to Ivan-chai. All documentation, information, recipes were deliberately burned and people who worked in the laboratories were shot.

Historian Alexander Seregin testifies: “During the Great Patriotic War, Nazi troops entered Koporye and literally demolished the city with tanks, literally trampled the fields of Ivan tea with caterpillars, destroyed all the laboratories, killed everyone who worked on Ivan tea.”

But why did German strategists decide to postpone the siege of Leningrad and jeopardize the Barbarossa plan? In order to destroy several laboratories and a tea factory? Modern researchers explain this by the unique properties that Ivan tea has. Alexander Seregin: “In terms of its usefulness, Ivan tea was ahead of all known forms of food; it contains amazing substances that are comparable to alkaloids, the latter having the properties of not intoxicating, but elevating the mood and not clouding, but clearing a person’s brain.”

And so it turned out that the tradition of tea drinking remained, but the tea was replaced... And even the name “Koporie tea” disappeared from the memory of the Russian people. And instead of the healing, wonderful, unique Russian drink, they began to drink stimulating, dehydrating, leading to strokes and heart attacks, Asian tea. The majority of the Russian population, most likely, simply from lack of information, still prefers to drink tea dust

in the form of granulated and bagged teas, and recently, to improve the taste, also colored and flavored. And few people know that, perhaps, one of the most dangerous for humans is an infusion of tea tree leaves (in everyday life - just tea). And that even in high-quality elite tea, after brewing, slightly or insoluble phenolic and purine compounds are formed, which disrupt metabolism and are dangerous for patients with gout, hypertension and glaucoma.

In addition, this tea began to be cultivated in the Caucasus. Like the Ivans, who do not remember their kinship with their land, we Russians continue to grow and import slow-acting poison in beautiful boxes, now not only from abroad, but also from the Caucasus.

But, fortunately, relatively recently, some people began to remember the healing drink “Ivan-tea”. For example, the famous solo traveler Fyodor Konyukhov always uses “Ivan-tea” in all his travels! And the USSR pilot-cosmonaut and twice Hero of the Soviet Union V.A. Dzhanibekov said: “If I once again went to work in orbit, I would take the Russian Ivan-Chai with me.”

An ancient recipe for making Koporye tea

Let us remember that the original Russian tea for the Slavs and other peoples inhabiting the current territory of Russia was the drink “Koporo tea” from the fermented leaf of the Cyprus herb, the very one whose purple-red fields bloom vigorously in July-August. throughout the territory of our native land.

You can prepare it yourself. Of course, if you have free time and knowledge of technology.

So, how to prepare the famous “Koporto tea”:

1.

In mid-summer, when the magic fireweed herb blooms, go to the forests and fields, away from highways, and collect raw materials for tea. You should collect strong, green, juicy leaves, and you can also add a handful of flowers.

In ancient times, it was customary to collect Ivan tea during Kupala week. And on the night of Ivan Kupala, it acquired special power and was considered a remedy for 100 diseases.

2.

Next, rinse and leave for 12-20 hours (but no more than 24!) in the shade, in a dry place, so that the leaves dry out and become slightly wilted. You need to constantly monitor their moisture and stir the layers. The main thing is not to dry it out! There should be enough juice left in the leaves for subsequent fermentation.

3.

Rub the leaves and flowers between your palms, forming small spindly sausage cigars from the leaves. It is better to grind with force so that the cells burst. On a wooden board, you can roll it over the leaves several times with a wooden rolling pin.

Our ancestors believed that it was possible to enhance the effect of tea by casting appropriate spells while grinding the leaf, in this way you can get protective tea, cleansing tea from unnecessary unnecessary influences, love tea or tea for profit.

4.

Next is the most important thing! Tea fermentation! Fermentation determines what kind of tea you get - green or black. Fermentation time depends on the ambient temperature. The hotter it is, the faster all processes go. Notice! It is fermentation that turns green tea into black: in the oven, no matter how much you roast the leaves, they will not turn into black tea.

For the fermentation process, the leaves need to be laid in layers (layers up to 5 cm wide) in a wide enamel bowl and covered with a thick, damp cloth. Place the dishes in a warm place (24-27°C) for a period of 6 hours to 5 days. Depending on what kind of tea you want.

Green tea: aged 6-12-24 hours.

Black tea: aged for 2-3-5 days.

Here you need to make sure that the leaves do not ferment and periodically moisten the fabric. Sometimes, they need to be tossed so that they ripen evenly. During this time, oxidation of the secreted cell sap will occur with darkening.

You can control the fermentation process by smell; when it is completed, instead of the usual herbal smell, a very pleasant, floral-fruity or candy aroma appears.

5.

After fermentation and ripening, you need to start drying. To do this, a rolled leaf of fireweed should be finely chopped and spread in a layer of 1-1.5 cm on flat baking sheets covered with parchment paper, then dried in the oven at 100°C for about 40 minutes, sometimes more. It is better to keep the oven door open, stirring constantly, making sure that the tea leaves break when squeezed, but do not turn into dust. When the bulk of the tea reaches this condition, the preparation process can be considered complete. Well-dried Koporye tea has the color of black tea, but with a richer aroma.

In ancient times, in the homeland of Koporye tea, drying was carried out in a Russian oven, in clay pots. You can change the technology for preparing Ivan tea and make it more modern. After fermentation, instead of cutting the leaf, pass it through a meat grinder with a large mesh and dry on baking sheets in the usual way. You will receive granulated Koporye tea, which is not inferior to leaf tea in its specific taste and smell.

Drying is over. Leave for a while to allow the residual moisture to evaporate and pour into storage containers. Koporye tea is ready to drink. Store it in any glass jar with a plastic lid or in canvas bags. The longer it is stored, the better the taste of the tea.

Using the same technology, you can prepare tea from strawberry leaves, raspberry leaves, and currant leaves.

You have to spend more time brewing Koporye tea (10-15 minutes). The brewed infusion retains its properties and pleasant aroma for three days, and one portion of the dried plant can be used several times. You can add mint, lemon balm, rose petals, jasmine flowers, rose hips, and honey to tea.

Fermented Ivan tea can be drunk in any quantity, of any strength, cold or hot, at any age, after which you will not be in danger of staining the enamel of your teeth.

This tea is useful for teething children, as well as pregnant women and nursing mothers. Koporye tea does not contain caffeine, so it has a calming effect and perfectly quenches thirst. If you drink it in the morning, it gives vigor and strength.

Historian Alexander Seregin: “Previously, they put a large samovar on the table, and throughout the entire working day everyone ran up and drank this tea and ate practically nothing from the food. They eat a piece of home-made bread, and in the heat of the day everyone saved themselves with such a drink.”

And not just tea

Did you know that our great-great-grandmothers and great-great-grandfathers used the fireweed herb not only to prepare Koporye tea, but also ate the leaves, shoots and roots of this wonderful plant - there was a recipe for everything!

No wonder “Ivan-tea” had such a nickname as “cockerel apples.” It was so called for the taste properties of young leaves, which completely replace lettuce.

Salad with fireweed

Dip young shoots and leaves (50-100 g) in boiling water for 1-2 minutes, drain in a colander to drain, and chop. Mix with chopped green onions (50 g) and grated horseradish (2 tablespoons), add lemon juice (1/4 lemon) and season with sour cream (20 g). Salt and pepper - to taste.

Leaves and young shoots were added to cabbage soup, borscht, and soup dressings.

Green cabbage soup with fireweed

.

Immerse young shoots and leaves of fireweed (100 g), as well as nettle leaves (100 g) in boiling water for 1-2 minutes, place on a sieve to drain, chop and simmer with oil. Place chopped potatoes (200 g), carrots (10 g), and then greens into boiling water (0.5-0.7 l) and cook until tender. Add salt and spices 10 minutes before the end of cooking.

Soup dressing with fireweed

Wash fresh fireweed, sorrel and lungwort greens well, chop finely, rub with salt (5-10% of the total mass of greens) and place in a glass jar. Keep refrigerated.

And the nickname “bread girl” or “miller” was given to Ivan-tea due to the fact that its dried and ground roots, following the recommendations of traditional healers, were often added to flour for pancakes, baking bread, and making porridge from them. The roots are rich in starch, polysaccharides and organic acids.

Also, when baking bread, instead of bran, dry leaves and stems of fireweed were added to the flour, which were collected in September, when Indian summer began.

Fireweed porridge with carrots:

• 150 g of fresh Ivan tea root or 70 g of dried rhizomes,
• 2-3 carrots,
• ½ cup raisins (or other sweet dried fruits),
• 50 g butter or 100 ml sour cream,
• salt, cinnamon - to taste.

Peel the rhizome of Ivan tea and carrots and grate them on a coarse grater, rinse the dried fruits thoroughly. Place carrots, fireweed root in layers on the bottom of the pan and dried fruits on top, add water to cover all layers. Bring to a boil, cook for 3-5 minutes, then cover with a lid, remove from heat and leave for 10-15 minutes. Serve with sour cream or butter.

In addition, Ivan tea was widely used for household and cosmetic purposes. A decoction of Ivan tea was used to wipe the face and use it as a body wash, and masks were made from crushed dry leaves to rejuvenate the skin.

Ivan-tea face mask:

3 tbsp. Grind Ivan tea into powder, add 2 tsp. starch, 2 tbsp. kefir and 0.5 tsp. olive oil. Mix well. Apply the resulting mixture to your face for 10-15 minutes. After time, wash off the mask with warm water.

Ivan tea will strengthen the walls of blood vessels, kefir helps increase the elasticity of facial skin, olive oil will soften, and starch will cleanse pores.

The name “down jacket” was given to Fireweed because pillows and mattresses were stuffed with down. And “wild flax” - because of its bast properties: its stems were dried in the fall, crushed like flax and hemp, and fibers were obtained from which yarn could be made and ropes could be twisted.

The Russian bath, as another tradition, also could not do without the use of Ivan tea. When steamed, its flowers and leaves emit a very pleasant and healthy aroma, which is why fireweed was used to make brooms in combination with birch branches.

Ivan tea is one of the best honey plants. Fireweed honey, according to experts, is the sweetest, and if fresh, then the most transparent. Its flowers attract many bees. It is estimated that from a hectare of “Kipreyny” land, bees can store up to a thousand kilograms of honey.

And this is not the entire list of the uses of the wonderful plant Ivan tea by our ancestors and not all the nicknames received by the people, which once again confirms its former high popularity.

Let's together revive wonderful ancient traditions, finding application for them in modern life. After all, once you start following the advice of your ancestors, you can easily feel their wisdom and care for our generation. Ivan tea is one of these traditions. And if we try to remember it and apply recipes from this invaluable plant in our lives, then perhaps we will take another step towards finding that same harmony with nature that our society so greatly lacks.

Useful properties of fireweed tea

The taste of Ivan tea is distinguished by pleasant and aromatic characteristics, it tones the body, encourages and adds vitality. It has a healing effect on the entire body as a whole. In the heat, there is no better way to quench your thirst, regardless of the temperature of the drink. The main thing that makes this drink the most popular, especially for people leading a healthy lifestyle, is that its composition differs from various caffeine-containing drinks and black tea.

It, unlike regular black tea, does not contain such negative elements as oxalic acid, purine bases and caffeine.

Chemical composition

The composition is represented by fresh leaves of fireweed.

Calories 103 Kcal

• Fat:
  2.8 g
• Proteins:
  4.7 g
• Carbohydrates:
  8.6 g
• Water:
  71 g
• Ash:
  2.3 g
• Fiber:
  10.6 g

Other important compounds per 100g:

• Tanning compounds

  - 6.12-10.1 mg

• Anthocyanins

  - 1.01-1.81 mg

• Lignin

  — 8.67-13.8 mg

• Chlorophyll a

  — 5.11-8.02 mg/l

• Chlorophyll b

  — 9.34-13.56 mg/l

• Flavonoids.

  Especially high in quercetin and kaempferol.

• Phytosterols
• Coumarins
• Organic acids

What else is Ivan tea useful for?

• Helps to normalize digestion and metabolism, improves all types of metabolic processes, especially lipid and carbohydrate;
• It has powerful antiphlogistic and antiseptic properties, and is effective as a healing and prophylactic drug in the overall treatment of infections and inflammations. In this regard, the leaves and flowers of this herb are significantly superior to such familiar powerful natural antiseptics as willow bark, oak bark and bear ears. This specific effect of the plant is associated with the content of flavonoids, tannins, carotenoids, vitamin C, organic acids, triterpenoids, and trace elements;
• Prolongs the active life of the male body, maintaining and improving the function of the “second heart” - the prostate gland. In addition, the state of men's health in general significantly improves: it increases potency and normalizes erectile function. It’s not for nothing that Ivan tea is called a “male” herb;
• Has a mild diuretic effect, normalizes water and electrolyte balance, while reducing blood pressure;
• Thanks to the magnesium, B vitamins, and flavonoids contained in fireweed, it is an effective non-synthetic sleeping pill and sedative, normalizes the psycho-emotional state (reduces nervousness, excitability, relieves headaches, normalizes night rest);
• Since Ivan tea contains tannins, mucus, pectins, etc., it is able to improve and restore the functioning of the digestive system, eliminating constipation, heartburn, and dysbiosis. This is achieved through enveloping, anti-inflammatory and reparative effects;
• Due to the presence of organic acids in Koporye tea, together with magnesium and flavonoids, a choleretic effect is manifested;
• Acts on viruses and resists allergies;
• The reparative (that is, wound-healing) effect is achieved due to the presence in the herb content of elements such as chlorophyll, tanning mixtures, carotenoids, which accelerate granulation and epithelization of skin lesions;
• The gradual analgesic effect of Ivan tea occurs due to the alkaloids, mucus, flavonoids, and magnesium present in the flowers and leaves;
• Has lactation qualities, prolonging breastfeeding and thereby improving the health of babies;
• Flavonoids and pectins from Ivan tea leaves are natural adsorbents and cleanse the body of toxic elements;
• Endocrine organs work harmoniously and more efficiently;
• The herb has especially gained success as an antitumor agent due to the antioxidant effect of hangrol and other antioxidants - carotenoids, flavonoids, tannins, copper, organic acids, manganese, vitamin C, magnesium. During scientific research, it was found that angustifolia fireweed contains low-toxic and high-molecular substances that show “interest” in relation to cancer cells;
• Slows down early skin aging, making it elastic and firm. All this is thanks to substances that stimulate the natural processes of collagen synthesis (phytosterols, vitamin C, flavonoids, carotenoids, organic acids and copper).

Ivan-tea for men

Of course, the healing properties of the plant help everyone - men, women, children, but, having the ability to cure prostatitis and prostate adenoma, fireweed has earned the unconditional trust of men.

Ivan-tea for women

This is an unsurpassed remedy for the treatment of cystitis, thrush and other diseases of the genitourinary system in women.

On this topic:

Best Herbs for Women's Health

Medicinal properties of Ivan tea

With constant use, Koporye tea is used in the general and preventive treatment of the following diseases:

• Anemia (anemia);
• Gastritis, ulcerative formations in the duodenal bulb and stomach, enterocolitis, colitis, disorders of the biliary system, pancreatitis;
• Inflammatory diseases of the urinary system in men (prostate adenoma or prostatitis);
• Infertility, regardless of gender;
• Too high blood pressure of various origins;
• Urolithiasis, including foci of inflammation in the bladder and kidneys;
• Changes in the respiratory system and ENT organs: tracheitis, pharyngitis, bronchitis, sinusitis, pulmonary tuberculosis. Thus, the positive effect of using infusions and decoctions is due to such qualities of fireweed as expectorant, anti-inflammatory, and fever-reducing;
• Pathology of the spleen;
• Dermatology;
• Herpes;
• Metabolic and inflammatory skin diseases.

Drinking Koporye tea is also recommended for:

• Poisoning and intestinal dysfunction;
• Disturbances in the nervous system - neuroses, alcoholic psychoses, hysteria, depression;
• Epilepsy;
• A general course of rehabilitation from alcoholism to relieve hangover syndrome;
• Increased psycho-emotional pressure and chronic stress;
• The effect of constant fatigue, overwork;
• In dentistry - in children during the appearance of milk teeth, in older age with looseness and inflammation of the gums;
• Endocrine disorders in women of various origins (problems with the menstrual cycle, existing uterine bleeding, menopause, premenstrual syndrome);
• As an adjuvant after manipulations to combat tumors and cancer (chemotherapy and radiation exposure) during the recovery period;
• In the treatment of blood diseases (leukemia or lymphogranulomatosis) as an adsorbent;
• With decreased immunity (immunodeficiency state);
• For vitamin deficiencies, especially vitamin C and group B.

[Video] Dr. Evdokimenko - amazing TEA for GASTRITIS, ulcers, colitis and for NERVES: to relieve tension and anxiety:

How to brew Ivan tea correctly?

No matter how good Koporye tea is, the taste, smell, and color of the drink are largely determined by the quality of the water. Anyone who has ever drank tea with spring or melt water will never forget this taste.

Ideally, one person should consume 5-8 grams of Ivan tea per day - this is 2 tablespoons of dried tea leaves. It makes four to five cups of concentrated drink. The tea can be brewed several times, but please note that the concentration of beneficial properties and taste will decrease.

Proper brewing of fireweed leaves is one of the two main components that ensure the preservation of all medicinal properties.

Recipe for brewing ready-made fireweed tea

2 tablespoons (5 - 8 grams) per 1 liter of boiling water. Its holding time is 10-15 minutes. Lovers of strong tea can increase it to 40 minutes or more.

This tea contains essential oils, so the drink does not spoil within three days, but it is best to drink it freshly prepared. The concentration largely depends on your taste preferences.

You can also drink the tea chilled. If you want to reheat, do not allow it to boil under any circumstances. The subtle aroma will disappear immediately. Drink tea with raisins, dates, dried apricots, honey, halva.

The brewed infusion retains its properties and pleasant aroma for three days, and one portion of the dried plant can be used several times. You can add mint, lemon balm, rose petals, jasmine flowers, rose hips, and honey to tea.

Recipe for a decoction of fresh fireweed leaves

Fresh fireweed leaves are placed in an enamel bowl with a layer of 3–5 cm, then poured with purified water at room temperature (up to 10 cm), after which the infusion is placed on low heat and heated. The next step is to infuse the resulting composition for 10 minutes.

As a brew, you can also take a mixture of leaves and flowers: for half a liter of boiling water, a mixture of flowers and leaves of Ivan tea 2:2 (teaspoons).

Collection and storage of fireweed tea

How to collect fireweed

The collection is carried out during the flowering of fireweed (in July–August). Once the bushes begin to fluff, they will irrevocably lose all their healing properties. When harvesting this plant, it should be collected, fermented and dried. If everything is done correctly, then you will be able to preserve and increase the medicinal properties of fireweed.

To collect raw materials, you should choose a sunny day. Collection is carried out after 10 a.m., when all the dew has dried on the foliage. If the weather is hot outside, then this procedure is recommended to be performed in the evening. Hold the bush with one hand by the peduncle, while with the other you should grab the shoot and draw it from above to its middle, while all the foliage should remain in your hand. There is no need to tear off the leaf plates located below, as they are very rough. You also need to leave 3 or 4 tiers of foliage under the flowers, since the plant still needs them. Dirty, dusty, or disease-affected specimens are not suitable for collecting raw materials. And during collection you need to try not to injure the shoots. You should also be very careful to avoid bedbugs getting into the raw materials. So, just one such foul-smelling insect can spoil up to several kilograms of raw materials. If desired, you can make a separate collection of flowers, which are recommended to be put in tea.

Drying rules

In order for the collected raw materials to begin to ferment, it must be dried. First, sort through the foliage, removing all damaged and diseased. After this, it must be distributed in a dark room on a moistened cotton or linen towel, and the layer thickness should be from 30 to 50 mm. The room temperature should be maintained between 20 and 24 degrees. The duration of the fermentation process is at least 12 hours, and for uniform drying, the raw materials must be stirred regularly. To understand that the fermentation process has come to an end, you need to take one leaf plate and bend it in half. If at the same time you hear a crunching sound as the midrib breaks, this means that the raw material has not yet reached the required condition. Properly dried leaves, when compressed into a ball, should not straighten.

Fermentation conditions for fireweed tea

It is necessary to understand in more detail the processes through which fireweed foliage becomes a fragrant medicinal tea. After the leaves have dried properly, it is necessary to destroy the structure of the leaf plates, due to which they will begin to release juice, and it contains special substances that promote fermentation. If there is not enough juice, this will have an extremely negative impact on the fermentation of the raw material, which will not have the best effect on the smell and taste of the tea.

Carefully mash all the foliage, rolling it between your palms. After this, 3 liter glass jars should be filled very tightly with the raw materials, which are covered with a moistened cloth on top. The raw materials are kept for at least 36 hours, and they are put in a dark place at room temperature. The raw materials removed from the cans should be loosened and dried in the oven, setting the temperature to 95 to 110 degrees; there is no need to close the door. The foliage must be stirred systematically. For storage, the finished tea is poured into a plastic or glass container, which is tightly closed with a lid. This tea can be stored in a dark place for about 3 years.

If there is too much raw material and there is no extra time, then instead of grinding it by hand, it is passed through a meat grinder. But then the medicinal properties and taste of the finished tea will not be so strong. The raw material crushed in this way is covered with a moistened cloth on top and kept for 6–8 hours at room temperature. Feel the raw material, if its consistency is similar to soft rubber, then you can start drying. The foliage is placed on a baking sheet in a thin layer. To dry, set the oven temperature to 100 degrees; remember that the door cannot be closed, and the raw materials must be systematically mixed. When the drying process comes to an end, the temperature should be slightly increased, in which case the tea can be calcined (this is what you do with coffee beans). This helps improve the color and taste of tea. To avoid burning of raw materials, the bottom of the oven must be lined with ceramic tiles. The tea mass will dry for no more than 2 hours.

Collecting Ivan tea, when and why angustifolia fireweed, preparing Ivan tea yourself. Simple Method

How much can you drink Ivan tea? Can I drink it every day?

You can drink Ivan tea every day in unlimited quantities. The drink is consumed hot and cold, with various additives. Ivan tea does not stain tooth enamel.

Koporye tea is given to children during teething. It is offered to pregnant and lactating women. It contains no caffeine, it perfectly calms the nervous system and quenches thirst. In the morning, Ivan tea helps to cheer up and gain strength.

Historian Alexander Seregin

suggests that there used to be a large samovar with Ivan tea on the table throughout the day. People ate practically nothing, but drank this invigorating drink. Ivan-tea and a piece of bread - this was enough for the working people.

When to collect and how to properly dry fireweed?

Ivan tea is collected during the flowering period; it is important to collect the grass at a time when the flower cluster has not yet fully blossomed. Flowering begins at the end of June and continues until autumn. In August, beans ripen on the lower branches of fireweed, inside of which there is unpleasant fluff; it should not be included in the harvest.

It is recommended to collect in dry weather; do not start immediately after rain. Dusty, dirty, diseased and damaged plants are not suitable for collection. Ivan tea, growing along busy roads, is not intended for medicinal preparations.

The young tops of plants, collected in May, are so fragile and sensitive that structural changes begin even during compaction in the container.

The above-ground part of the plant is suitable for preparing medicinal infusions and decoctions, so during collection it is cut or broken in the middle, sometimes closer to the ground.

Next comes the process of fermentation of Ivan tea.

Application of fireweed tea

Healing infusions and decoctions have anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, astringent, diaphoretic and enveloping effects.

Ivan tea has a pronounced sedative effect on the body (according to the mechanism of action and therapeutic effect, the infusion of this plant is close to the effect of valerian officinalis). It is used for neuroses, increased excitability, aggression, insomnia, frequent awakenings at night, anxiety and sudden mood swings.

The water infusion is used as an anesthetic for headaches, as an enveloping agent for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (ulcers, colitis, gastritis, dysbacteriosis, etc.).

The anti-inflammatory effect of fireweed is successfully used in the treatment of diseases of the genitourinary system, including chronic and acute cystitis and inflammation of the urinary tract. For men, the use of medicinal infusions will help cope with chronic prostatitis and prostate adenoma.

The antibacterial effect of the medicinal plant is used for diseases of the oral cavity - sore throat, stomatitis and gingivitis.

The chemical composition of fireweed tea includes ascorbic acid, manganese and iron, which make it possible to use the plant infusion as an adjuvant in the treatment of iron deficiency anemia.

Application for:

• During pregnancy
• Ivan tea for children
• In cosmetology

Ivan tea during pregnancy

Ivan tea is a plant for which no contraindications have been identified to date, so pregnant women can take it if necessary.

Tea prepared on the basis of fireweed is a natural remedy for the treatment of hyperacidity gastritis, colitis, and stomach ulcers. The plant has an anti-inflammatory effect, helps overcome headaches, nasopharyngeal diseases, and sore throat.

The vitamins and other beneficial substances that make up fireweed have a positive effect on wound healing and contribute to the normal course of pregnancy, which further confirms the safety of its use for pregnant women.

Ivan tea for children

Ivan tea is recommended for infants at the time of teething. Possessing excellent anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects, it greatly facilitates this difficult process.

The plant has antiviral properties and is used as a prophylactic agent during exacerbation of seasonal diseases (influenza and ARVI).

Application in cosmetology

Recipe No. 1 – infusion.

Fireweed flowers (1 tablespoon) should be poured with 1 glass of boiling water. Used as a steam bath before a cosmetic massage. The procedure is carried out every 10 minutes every day for 1-2 hours a day.

Recipe No. 2 – anti-inflammatory mask.

To prepare the mask, you need to take 10 ml of tincture of fireweed flowers with vodka, a pinch of “Extra” salt and oatmeal. Mix the ingredients (you should have the consistency of liquid sour cream). The mask should be applied to the face for 10 minutes.

What are the benefits of fireweed tea?

The benefits and harms of fireweed have been studied for a very long time. This knowledge came to us from our ancestors and has been preserved to this day.

First, let's discuss the beneficial properties of the herb. This plant does not include caffeine and oxalic acid, which may be present in Ceylon tea, and the vitamin C found in this plant can strengthen the body's immune system.

The beneficial properties of fireweed are that it:

• keeps the body young;
• reduces irritability;
• serves as a preventive method in the treatment of cancer;
• strengthens hair follicles;
• reduces migraines;
• contains protein that improves tone;
• reduces the level of infertility in men;
• eliminates irritability and treats insomnia;
• normalizes blood pressure and promotes weight loss.

In addition, it perfectly heals wounds and is useful during acne. However, before being treated with fireweed, you should consult your doctor.

Recipes for specific diseases

Infusions of fireweed leaves are recommended for treating and calming the nervous system, treating the reproductive system in women and men, and bleeding. Infusions are also used for headaches and insomnia.

Ivan tea for prostatitis.

To use the infusion for prostatitis and prostate adenoma, use the following recipe: 15 g of crushed medicinal raw materials (aerial and underground parts of the plant) are poured into 200 ml of boiling water and infused for 1 hour, after which the resulting infusion is filtered and taken 15 ml (1 tablespoon ) 3 times a day.

From otitis media, stomatitis and tonsillitis.

For external use of the infusion (for otitis, stomatitis and sore throat): 2 tablespoons of dry medicinal raw materials are poured with 400 ml of boiling water (it is better to use purified water) and infused for 6 hours, after which the resulting infusion is filtered and used as needed.

For diseases of the genitourinary system.

For use in various diseases of the genitourinary system, including chronic cystitis and inflammation of the ureters: 1 tablespoon of dry crushed raw materials (leaves) is poured into 200 ml of boiling water and left for two hours, then filtered into a clean container. Use 1/3 cup (50–60 ml) 3 times a day.

As a sedative.

To use the infusion as an analgesic and sedative (including for insomnia): 1 tablespoon of crushed raw materials (root with rhizome) is poured into 200 ml of boiling water and infused for 45 minutes, after which the resulting infusion is filtered into a clean and dry container. Take 15 ml (1 tablespoon) 3 times a day.

From alcoholism.

To reduce cravings for alcoholic beverages, as well as to restore the psyche after giving up alcohol, you need to drink Ivan tea mixed with dry thyme herb in a ratio of 5:1. When you feel the desire to drink an alcoholic drink, add honey to the tea and take 5-7 servings a day.

To reduce cravings for tobacco.

The psyche of a person who gives up cigarettes becomes more vulnerable to even the slightest irritants. In addition to increased nervousness, insomnia may occur. However, this is not a reason to start smoking again. It is enough to prepare an infusion of fireweed, which helps normalize the psyche.

Recipe:

• Mix 1 dessert spoon of Koporye tea and peppermint.
• Add 0.5 liters of boiling water and soak for 15 minutes in a water bath.
• Cool the drink and take 100 ml 5 times a day.

Ivan tea helps eliminate toxins, normalizes sleep, and calms the nervous system. Improvement can be noticed after 14-20 days of regular use.

Recipe for kvass with Ivan-tea

Kvass based on Ivan tea tastes no worse than bread kvass, but in terms of benefits it is many times superior. This drink helps cope with thirst and saturate the body with amino acids and microelements. It can be used as a base for making okroshka.

Recipe:

1. 18 g of Koporye tea (about 6 tablespoons) are poured into a glass teapot and filled with 2 liters of clean water.
2. Close the kettle with a lid, place on the stove and bring to a boil.
3. Boil the drink over low heat for 5 minutes.
4. Infuse the decoction for 6 hours.
5. Place 3 tablespoons of sugar into a glass jar.
6. Add yeast-free starter (about 1/2 tablespoon) to it, pour in the strained decoction of Ivan tea and mix.
7. Place the jar in a warm place to ferment for 2-3 days.
8. To saturate the drink with carbon dioxide, pour 1 teaspoon of sugar into a 1.5 liter bottle and pour fermented kvass into it through cheesecloth.
9. Place the bottle of kvass in the refrigerator for a day. During this time, it will be saturated with carbon dioxide and will be completely ready for use.

Video recipe for “atomic” kvass:

How to ferment?

There are also several methods here; our experts and I have tried all of the following, so we feel free to share.

Method No. 1. Meat grinder. The easiest way is to pass the collected leaf mass through a meat grinder and send it for drying. You can dry it in a regular oven at a temperature of no more than 60 degrees or in a special dryer, which has special modes for herbs, vegetables, and fruits. The cost of such a unit varies from 1,500 to 4,000 rubles. It quickly pays for itself if you dry not only fireweed.

The dryer has several modes and is easy to work with.

Next, we leave the resulting tea for about six months. We store either in glass jars or in canvas bags. Pillowcases are also suitable.

Method number 2. Knead with your hands. I use this method myself. After collecting, I send the leaves to the first round of fermentation (in a pillowcase and in a bag). After a day, I carefully crush the leaf with my hands and leave it for another day (I don’t forget to stir it a couple of times, otherwise it will suffocate).

You can ferment in a pillowcase or in a bag

Then I cut it with a regular knife (you don’t have to cut it, otherwise you’ll end up with a large-leaf drink) and put it in the dryer. Then into glass for the final stage of fermentation, which lasts about 6 months. That is, the tea that we prepare now will only be finally ready in the New Year. But you can start drinking it earlier, but the taste will be less mature.

You can crush the tea leaves with your hands

Method number 3. Country style. Wrinkle through the fabric. , Igor Kekhter, told us about this method The fundamental point here is the method of processing the sheet. There is an opinion that meat grinding and kneading with hands is a very rough influence on delicate leaves, so you need to use a more gentle (old-fashioned) method, which our ancestors used in the villages.

• Fireweed leaves were laid out on canvas.
• Next, it was rolled up and gently crushed through the cloth so that the plant gave juice.
• This was the key to successful fermentation.
• Then the tea was left in the cloth for 2 weeks.
• After which it was dried.

Contraindications to the use of fireweed tea

If you drink tea for more than one month continuously, gastrointestinal dysfunction is possible.

Use fireweed tea (infusion, decoction) with caution in cases of blood coagulation disorders (thrombophlebitis and varicose veins).

There is an opinion that Ivan tea is not recommended for children under 2 years of age, but this fact has not been confirmed in any way; on the contrary, there are facts about the benefits of its use (in small quantities!)

Fleicher's fireweed

Fleicher's fireweed is a European representative of the Ivan-chai genus. This perennial herbaceous plant is represented by bushes whose height is 10-45 cm . It has a rather thick woody rhizome and numerous spreading stems, with a lot of foliage.

You may also be interested: Time and duration of flowering of Ivan-Chaya

Photo.

The leaves are bright green, narrow, linear-lanceolate, with sharp (less often blunt) edges. The length of the leaves of this fireweed is 1.5-4 cm, width - 0.3 cm. The color of the flowers is dominated by bright pink, lilac-pink and violet shades. The plant is decorative and is considered frost-resistant because it can withstand temperatures down to minus 20°C. Its main flowering period is from July to August.