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Hi'iaka's Healing Herb Garden : Column Index : 2003 : May03
Coming Soon...
Green Tea: #1 Medicinal Plant That Can and Should Be Grown Commercially in Hawai`i, Part 2
Last month I wrote about the Top 10 medicinal plants that I have had success growing and which I believe have commercial potential here in Hawaii. To refresh your memory, here's the list again:
10. Mints
9. Chamomile
8. Lemon Balm
7. Stevia
6. Mugwort
5. Valerian
4. Fo-ti
3. Soy beans
2. Siberian motherwort
1. Green tea
This month we'll focus on number one -- green tea. Green tea (Camellia sinensis) is a member of the camellia family and has small white flowers that look like miniature camellias. It's a good-looking shrub that thrives in very little soil on my pahoehoe. I sometimes toss a shovelfull of compost at the base of my single plant, but have never fertilized. Chinese rose beetles like to munch on the leaves, but the new growth is unaffected, which is just fine because the medicinal part is the young leaves. When it doesn't rain for two weeks or more, I water it if I remember. So it's a good drought tolerant plant to include in this Water issue of the Journal! Other than that, I consider it to be a hardy survivor and a good candidate for commercial production. Every year its increased sales put it on the list of the top-selling herbal products in the mass market, probably due to studies that have demonstrated that it is effective against the formation of certain types of cancerous cells.
Properties and Uses
According to Michael Tierra in The Way of Herbs, green tea is a stimulant (it has caffeine), diuretic (increases urination), and an astringent (constricts or binds, meaning that it's useful for stopping hemorrhages and secretions). It also halts diarrhea. Green tea mouthwash inhibits the growth of cavity-associated bacteria. Most importantly, several clinical studies have proven that green tea helps to prevent certain types of cancer, especially cancers of the pancreas, colon, small intestine, stomach, breast and lung. (Physician's Desk Reference for Herbal Medicines) Recent research shows that green tea may also be useful in preventing osteoarthritis by blocking the body's enzyme that destroys cartilage. (American Botanical Council, www.herbalgram.org)
How It's Processed
When you buy Lipton's black tea bags or Celestial Seasonings' Honey Lemon Ginseng Green tea, the teas both come from the same plant. What makes them different from each other is in the way that they are processed. Green tea is produced by steaming the fresh-cut leaf, while the leaves for black tea are allowed to oxidize. Oxidation doesn't happen with green tea because the steaming inactivates the enzymes responsible for oxidation, making its anti-oxidant activity six times greater than that of black tea.
No health hazards are known in connection with the proper administration of designated therapeutic dosages. Side effects of too much tea consumption can be heart palpitations, insomnia or anxiety, similar to the effects of drinking too much coffee.
Where to Buy Seeds
I get most of my medicinal herb seeds from two companies, both certified organic, and both in Oregon:
Horizon Herbs (the "Strictly Medicinal" seed company): www.horizonherbs.com. 541-846-6704.
The Thyme Garden: www.thymegarden.com. 541-487-8671. Tell Rolfe and Janet that Barbara referred you--they're good folks who have visited my garden.
Idea for Selling Green Tea
I am not a marketing guru, but here is a possible source for selling green tea:
Frontier Natural Brands Co-op, located in Iowa, contracts with growers and buys bulk herbs for their large catalog. They are my chief herb supplier. The green tea I just ordered cost $11.25 per pound at wholesale, twice that for retail, but high-quality tea can fetch $50 a pound and more. Frontier will send you a "Grower's Information Packet" which details the requirements for becoming a producer of herbs for them. Call them at 1-800-669-3275 to request your packet. Their web site is www.frontiercoop.com.
The Pros Here Are Already Growing Green Tea
Green tea growing is already starting on this island: the US Department of Agriculture and the UH College of Tropical Agriculture have been conducting field tests and researching markets for beginning an industry in Hawaii. A company called the Tea Chest, in Iwilei, is growing rapidly, according to president Byron Goo. And Francis Zee, a horticulturist with USDA, says that farmers stand to improve their standard of living when they grow crops that yield more income. "That's the difference between commodity and niche marketing," he said in a Tribune-Herald article in 2002. I say, let's explore all possible markets and get on the bandwagon in this exciting agricultural development.
A Recipe For You to Try
You can purchase loose green tea at any natural foods store by the ounce or the pound. Here's one of my favorite ways to use it:
For a 4-cup teapot, slice about 6 pieces of ginger and/or turmeric ('olena), place 4 or more teaspoons of green tea into a tea ball or strainer, add 3-4 sprigs of mint or flavored basil (I love the clove-scented Holy Basil), and fill the pot with boiling water. Let it steep for 10 minutes, then pour and enjoy. The health benefits of the ginger and other herbs make this a great way to start your day-- plus, you'll get a little caffeine boost as well.
Green Tea: #1 Medicinal Plant That Can and Should Be Grown Commercially in Hawai`i, Part 2
Last month I wrote about the Top 10 medicinal plants that I have had success growing and which I believe have commercial potential here in Hawaii. To refresh your memory, here's the list again:
10. Mints
9. Chamomile
8. Lemon Balm
7. Stevia
6. Mugwort
5. Valerian
4. Fo-ti
3. Soy beans
2. Siberian motherwort
1. Green tea
This month we'll focus on number one -- green tea. Green tea (Camellia sinensis) is a member of the camellia family and has small white flowers that look like miniature camellias. It's a good-looking shrub that thrives in very little soil on my pahoehoe. I sometimes toss a shovelfull of compost at the base of my single plant, but have never fertilized. Chinese rose beetles like to munch on the leaves, but the new growth is unaffected, which is just fine because the medicinal part is the young leaves. When it doesn't rain for two weeks or more, I water it if I remember. So it's a good drought tolerant plant to include in this Water issue of the Journal! Other than that, I consider it to be a hardy survivor and a good candidate for commercial production. Every year its increased sales put it on the list of the top-selling herbal products in the mass market, probably due to studies that have demonstrated that it is effective against the formation of certain types of cancerous cells.
Properties and Uses
According to Michael Tierra in The Way of Herbs, green tea is a stimulant (it has caffeine), diuretic (increases urination), and an astringent (constricts or binds, meaning that it's useful for stopping hemorrhages and secretions). It also halts diarrhea. Green tea mouthwash inhibits the growth of cavity-associated bacteria. Most importantly, several clinical studies have proven that green tea helps to prevent certain types of cancer, especially cancers of the pancreas, colon, small intestine, stomach, breast and lung. (Physician's Desk Reference for Herbal Medicines) Recent research shows that green tea may also be useful in preventing osteoarthritis by blocking the body's enzyme that destroys cartilage. (American Botanical Council, www.herbalgram.org)
How It's Processed
When you buy Lipton's black tea bags or Celestial Seasonings' Honey Lemon Ginseng Green tea, the teas both come from the same plant. What makes them different from each other is in the way that they are processed. Green tea is produced by steaming the fresh-cut leaf, while the leaves for black tea are allowed to oxidize. Oxidation doesn't happen with green tea because the steaming inactivates the enzymes responsible for oxidation, making its anti-oxidant activity six times greater than that of black tea.
No health hazards are known in connection with the proper administration of designated therapeutic dosages. Side effects of too much tea consumption can be heart palpitations, insomnia or anxiety, similar to the effects of drinking too much coffee.
Where to Buy Seeds
I get most of my medicinal herb seeds from two companies, both certified organic, and both in Oregon:
Horizon Herbs (the "Strictly Medicinal" seed company): www.horizonherbs.com. 541-846-6704.
The Thyme Garden: www.thymegarden.com. 541-487-8671. Tell Rolfe and Janet that Barbara referred you--they're good folks who have visited my garden.
Idea for Selling Green Tea
I am not a marketing guru, but here is a possible source for selling green tea:
Frontier Natural Brands Co-op, located in Iowa, contracts with growers and buys bulk herbs for their large catalog. They are my chief herb supplier. The green tea I just ordered cost $11.25 per pound at wholesale, twice that for retail, but high-quality tea can fetch $50 a pound and more. Frontier will send you a "Grower's Information Packet" which details the requirements for becoming a producer of herbs for them. Call them at 1-800-669-3275 to request your packet. Their web site is www.frontiercoop.com.
The Pros Here Are Already Growing Green Tea
Green tea growing is already starting on this island: the US Department of Agriculture and the UH College of Tropical Agriculture have been conducting field tests and researching markets for beginning an industry in Hawaii. A company called the Tea Chest, in Iwilei, is growing rapidly, according to president Byron Goo. And Francis Zee, a horticulturist with USDA, says that farmers stand to improve their standard of living when they grow crops that yield more income. "That's the difference between commodity and niche marketing," he said in a Tribune-Herald article in 2002. I say, let's explore all possible markets and get on the bandwagon in this exciting agricultural development.
A Recipe For You to Try
You can purchase loose green tea at any natural foods store by the ounce or the pound. Here's one of my favorite ways to use it:
For a 4-cup teapot, slice about 6 pieces of ginger and/or turmeric ('olena), place 4 or more teaspoons of green tea into a tea ball or strainer, add 3-4 sprigs of mint or flavored basil (I love the clove-scented Holy Basil), and fill the pot with boiling water. Let it steep for 10 minutes, then pour and enjoy. The health benefits of the ginger and other herbs make this a great way to start your day-- plus, you'll get a little caffeine boost as well.
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