NATIVE AMERICAN TEAS More of the Story

The Native American Tea Company produces teas made of blends of all natural ingredients.  Each tea is based on Indian stories.  All the herbal tea blends are natural, gluten and caffeine free.

Chief’s Delight – Based on the fact that the Chief would be served an herbal tea while sitting by the fire during tribal council meetings. The tea was supposed to help him think clearly and make good decisions for the good of the tribe. This tea has the following ingredients:  Strawberry Leaf, Myrtle Leaf, Blackberry Leaf, Rose Hips, Hibiscus Flower, Juniper Berry, Natural Strawberry, Blackberry & Raspberry Flavor.  The tea is rich in vitamins A, D, E and B. 

Indian Love Tea – When a young man admired an Indian girl he would bring gifts to her father and play music outside the girl’s teepee.  If the feeling was mutual the girl would prepare a special blend of tea and bring it to the young man.  This tea has the following ingredients:  Blackberry Leaf, Sarsaparilla Root, White Oak Bark, Rose Flower, Ginseng Root, Muira Puama, Elecampane, Angelica Root, Marjoram, Licorice Root, Missouri Snake Root, Ginger Root, Damiana and Bergamot Oil. 

Teepee Dreams – At the end of the day it was customary to sit by the campfire, tell stories and relax with a cup of herbal tea.  This tea has the following ingredients:  Peppermint, Chamomile, Catnip, Strawberry Leaf, Linden Leaf & Flower, Passion Flower, Scullcap, Licorice Root, Valerian Root and Orange Peel.

Victory Tea - Horses were prized by many Indian Tribes and they would conduct raids to obtain them from other tribes.  After a successful raid they would celebrate with a Victory Tea.  This tea has the following ingredients:  Wild Cherry Bark, Hibiscus Flower, Rose Hips, Orange Peel, Spearmint Leaf, Lemon Grass, Licorice Root, Natural Cherry Orange Flavor. 

Warrior’s Brew – The Indian tribes had messengers who would run many miles between camps.  The teas they made were to give them more energy to aid in their tasks.  This tea has the following ingredients:  Orange Pekoe Cut Black Tea, Orange Peel, Rose Hips, Coriander, Cinnamon, Ginger, Rosemary and Star Anise.  * Note that this tea does contain caffeine. Additionally available are Green Tea and Orange Pekoe Cut Black Tea. Read More...

NATIVE AMERICAN TEAS

The Native American Tea Company was originally established in 1987 by a family of Turtle Mountain Chippewa Indians.  Each herbal tea blend was created based on a Native American legend, story or myth and the box shows artwork that reflects this.  The teas were mixed and bagged by hand in Montana and became extremely popular.  The company grew until when in 1990 it relocated to South Dakota.  In 2007 the company was sold to the Aman family.  The Aman family has connections with Sitting Bull College and 5% of the profits from the teas are dedicated to a scholarship fund for the college. 

The company continues to grow and has added both green and black teas to the herbal tea blend selections.  Native American Teas are sold in all 50 states, have been on QVC shopping network, and are featured at the Smithsonian and Mount Rushmore amongst other venues.  Each box not only shows the beautiful artwork showcasing the legend the tea blend is based on, but also tells the story and tradition associated with it. 

Each tea consists of all natural ingredients and there are both naturally caffeinated and non-caffeinated teas.  The teas are all natural and also gluten free with on artificial flavors, colors, flavorings or preservatives. 

Some of the teas produced by the Native American Tea Company are:  Warrior’s Brew, Chief’s Delight, Good Medicine, Indian Love Tea, Teepee Dreams and Victory Tea.  Some, but not all, of the natural herbs and ingredients included in the tea blends are: Chamomile, Cinnamon, Ginger, Ginseng, Juniper Berry, Lemon Grass, Orange Peel, Passion Flower, Rose Hip and Spearmint.  There are other leaves, roots and flowers included in some of the blends and these will be reviewed in more detail in future postings, along with the benefits each provides. 

WAKAME SEAWEED – WHAT IS IT AND WHAT ARE IT'S BENEFITS?

Wakame (sometimes called sea mustard), scientific name Undaria pinnatifada, is a thin, stringy brown seaweed which is a deep green color and is very common in Japanese and other Asian cuisine.  It is used in making miso soup, used in casseroles and salads.  It has been described as an edible sea vegetable with a delicate, briny flavor.  Wakame is sold either dried or fresh.  When used in cooking wakame is best cut with kitchen shears as it is difficult to cut with a knife.   

The leaves should be cut into small pieces as they expand when cooked.  The thick stem of the seaweed is not edible.  If not cooked, it can also be eaten raw.  Use in moderation; however, as it is high in sodium content. 

Wakame is an invasive and aggressive species which can grow up to an inch per day and can choke beaches and edge out local marine life; however, it is cultivated in Japan where they grow it on ropes tied to offshore rafts. Very low in calories, wakame has only about 4 calories per 10 grams of raw seaweed. It is low in carbohydrates and fat and rich in vitamins and minerals, including manganese, sodium, magnesium, calcium, folate in addition to traces of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, thiamine, niacin, vitamin B12 and the rest of the B vitamins.  Also antioxidants and the amino acids tryptophan, threoninie, leucine, valine, alanine, aspartic acid and glutamic acid.  It is a rich source of eicosapentaenoic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid. 

Wakame seaweed has been used traditionally in Oriental medicine to purify the blood and strengthen intestines, skin and hair, reproductive organs and menstrual regularity.  Some health benefits associated with wakame are possible weight loss.  Studies in animal show that a compound in this seaweed, fucoxanthin, seems to reduce the accumulation of fat.  Fucoxanthin stimulates a protein that increases fat burning.  It has also been found to reduce LDL cholesterol (which is the bad cholesterol) and improve triglyceride levels (which affect metabolism).  If fucoxanthin is shown to be as effective in humans it may lead to new types of medication to combat obesity. Additionally, it appears to have anti-cancer properties due to it being rich in iodine, which has been shown in studies to suppress and even kill breast cancer cells.  It is a diuretic, helping reduce the amount of water in the body, preventing bloating.  Due to the fact it is packed with calcium and magnesium it is also touted as being able to help prevent osteoporosis.  Wakame can be used in topical beauty treatments.  Studies have shown it may be of benefit for acne vulgaris by reducing sebum production.  Brown seaweed extracts have shown benefits for cancer in mouse studies.  Animal studies of these extracts show they exert anticancer activity for several types of cancer including leukemia, breast cancer and lung cancers.  Heart disease, diabetes, high cholesterol and hypertension may also be helped by intake of brown seaweed.  It also contains several compounds that can protect your skin from UV rays and pollution.  The antioxidants help protect your body and support general overall cellular health.  The B vitamins in the seaweed have anti-inflammatory properties. - http://www.mainesealhttp://www.mainesealiving.com/product-category/maine-sea/iving.com/product-category/maine-sea/

PICKLING VEGETABLES WITH THE PERFECT PICKLER

The Perfect Pickler is a kit which allows the user to pickle using a mason canning jar.  The kit includes fermentation lock, special wide mouth lid, gasket and o-ring, brine overflow cup, instruction-recipe book and sea salt.  Great for the home gardener or for anyone who wants to add more healthy vegetables to their diet.  Most recipes for use with the Perfect Pickler are Paleo diet friendly and gluten free.  All you need to do is fill the Perfect Pickler with water, sea salt, vegetables and whatever herbs or spices you wish and you will have fresh pickled dishes loaded with health benefits.  This is all done with no heat as is used in canning.

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Brine pickling boosts vitamins into forms that are easily absorbed by the body, as well as creating additional vitamins.  Minerals also become more absorbable  and you get additional minerals from the sea salt and the plants used.  Enzymes which help pre-digest foods while you eat are also created with pickling.  Beneficial microcultures, known as probiotics, are created which aid in our immune system function.

In technical terms, brine pickling uses beneficial bacteria to bring down the pH to a level where the organisms which cause food spoilage cannot survive. Salt binds to the water creating an environment where there is none of the needed moisture available to the spoilage organisms.  The beneficial bacteria are able to flourish and once the pH gets to below 4.7 the spoilage organisms will die.  The process takes approximately four days.  Once completed you can open and close the jar as often as you would like and there will be no spoilage.Some of the recipes you can create with the Perfect Pickler are condiments such as salsa, chutney or catsup, sauerkraut, slaws and others. Do you have any special recipes using the Perfect Pickler?  Please share them with everyone if you would like! - http://www.mainesealiving.com/ 

WHAT TEAS ARE GOOD FOR YOU?

We are looking to carry more herbal teas. Currently, we have Organic Dragon Herbal Tea, Colorado Grown Hemp Tea Loose http://www.mainesealiving.com/product-category/tea-coffee/ . This tea is considered as the most tender tea leaves and buds are hand-picked in the early spring and a certified organic. 

We like to add more variety of herbal teas that we can offer to market. We all know for thousands of years, herbal teas have been made with fresh or dried flowers, leaves, seeds or roots, by letting them steep in hot water for a few minutes. Made from the best ingredients that contains a range of health benefits. Having different types of herbal teas available in the market will help many people choose the best teas for their health. 

Help us provide your satisfaction! for you, what do you drink?  We would love to hear what herbal teas you include in your diet.  Please tells us what herbal teas you would like to be able to purchase and weather you prefer tea bags or loose.

If you have any other ways to enjoy your Chaga let us know. http://www.mainesealiving.com/

BENEFITS OF SEAWEED SUPPLEMENTS

Seaweed is a rich source of micro-nutrients, amino acids and trace elements.  As the minerals are in plant tissue they are easily digested by people all over the world as well as by our pets and animals.  Recommended by leading animal care professionals seaweed improves overall health, performance and well-being. www.MaineSeaLiving.com/Product-Category/Vitamin-Sea. We feed our dog a daily ration of seaweed and have been very pleased with the results.

Here are some thoughts as to why it is important to feed your pets and livestock sea vegetables.  We all know that daily nutritional balance is the basis for growth and health.  But did you know that important natural nutrients are missing from soils regardless of the lands management.

Yet the ocean provides these nutrients in a constant, sustained amount.  These nutrients, “Seagreens” are colloidal (readily absorbed) by our pets and animals from their natural state as a whole food.  Seaweed provides the entire range of micronutrients that aid in grown and performance while preventing disease without the danger of toxicity that may accompany traditional land based products and their formulated feed additives.   Using seaweed we can increase the beneficial bacteria that in turn will lead to enhanced immunity.  Nutrients are something lacking in many, low grade, foods given to our pets and animals.

The benefits from eating from the sea are many and numerous from debility and recovery, fertility, reproduction, and gestation are just a few.  Add to that inter-related benefits as coping with stress and its affect on disposition,  general well being and the list goes on.

Has anyone else fed their dogs, cats or horses seaweed supplements? www.MaineSeaLiving.com We would love to hear from you as to the type of seaweed supplements you use and your success stories.

ENJOYING CHAGA

As I sit here today I am looking out across the Hudson River at dark, damp, icy weather and I can imagine myself sitting in front of a wood burning stove or in front of a fireplace with a pot of Chaga heating or boiling per your choice.  Now that is the point of discussion for this blog post as you have so many ways to prepare a Chaga tea.  There are many methods for brewing and preparing this brown mushroom that grows on birch trees.  I will make an attempt to give you a broad overview of what I have found and welcome your input to put together more great ideas for preparation.

Here’s a cool new way to enjoy your Chaga.  When you have finished using your Chaga grounds put them into a Jar with Vodka.  The Vodka breaks down the waxy membrane that is around the chaga and it will release more nutrients.  You will need to let it sit in a dark place for 2 weeks for the process to complete.  When completed remove the grinds from the Vodka and make yourself another great tea.  In fact in Russia this is a recipe that is used with their Siberian Chaga and huge Vodka market.  Russian peasants have used Chaga for centuries; more than likely they were boiling water to make their tea.  

I have read many blogs and articles on the internet on how best to prepare Chaga.  Some suggest a high boil to activate the anti cancer attributes.  Others proclaim that it is best to heat on low or even a simmer anywhere from 1 – 6 hours so as not to destroy the nutrients.  The longer you brew your Chaga the darker and stronger it will get; and with a stronger, earthier flavor.  I have even read about people who take several chunks, add water to a jar or sun tea bottle, sit it on the window sill for the day and let the suns rays prepare this drink.

Chaga can have an earthy bite that some people dislike but they still want the benefits of Chaga.  So what other recipes for drinking Chaga exist?  I have found numerous examples for ways to consume this nutrition laden drink.  Just some that I have found are adding it to beer, I’m not sure how that would work, anyone who has done this please notify as I have not been able to find many details for this.  More common blends are mixing in honey, raw organic agave, maple syrup, stevia and some add Ginger Ale.  Other unique ideas are to make a hot chocolate Chaga.  You can add 2 – 3 tablespoons of a raw cocoa powder to each cup of Chaga and then mix and add milk.  How about this popular drink – Chaga Coffee – typically you will make a pot of Chaga and pot of coffee and combine one half of each add your sweetener and / or your milk of choice and you are ready to go.  This is just one way to make your Chaga coffee, the various methods and ingredients are endless.  

www.MaineSeaLiving.com  If you have any other ways to enjoy your Chaga let us know.