Picraena excelsa. N.O. Simarubaceae.
Synonym: Bitter Wood or Bitter Ash.
Habitat: A West Indian and South American tree, is imported from Jamaica, and the wood is obtainable in small, yellow chips.
Quassia wood is very commonly used as a bitter tonic and anthelmintic.Small cups known as "Bitter Cups" are sometimes made of the wood, and water standing in them soon acquires the medicinal properties of the wood. This water, or an infusion of 1 ounce of the chips in 1 pint of cold water is taken in wineglass doses as a remedy for indigestion and general debility of the digestive system. Quassia infusion is also given to children suffering from worms, in appropriate doses according to age. Midges, gnats, and other insect pests may be kept away by damping the hands and face with the liquid.The history of Quassia wood as an agent in non-poisonous herbal medicine is interesting. The curative properties of the wood were first brought to general notice through a negro slave named Quassy, whose people in his native country of Surinam, used it as a remedy for the various fevers to which they were subject. Quassy communicated his knowledge of the tree's virtues to Daniel Rolander, a Swede, who brought specimens to Europe in 1755.
If you want to try something new, drink quassia tea - an herbal tea from South America. Even if its taste is bitter, you won’t regret giving it a try thanks to its many health benefits. Read to find out more about quassia tea!
About Quassia Tea
Quassia tea is made from the bark of the quassia tree, which can be found in the tropical parts of South America.
Quassia is a deciduous tree which can grow up to 30m in height. Its bark is grey, and it has branches full of leaves. The flowers of the tree are yellow, while the fruits are black and pea-shaped.
Constituents of Quassia Tea
Quassia tea has plenty of health benefits. These can be found in the tea thanks to the active constituents which are transferred from the bark of the tree. Some of the important active constituents are: various quassinoids and alkaloids, beta-sitostenone, beta-sitosterol, calcium tartrate, gallic acid, mallic acid, potassium acetate, and simalikalactone D and E (SkE).
How to prepare Quassia Tea
If you’re using quassia bark to make a cup of quassia tea, add two teaspoons to a mug full of freshly-boiled water and let it steep for 10 minutes. Stream and sweeten if you wish. If you use teabags, follow the instructions on the box (steeping time should be around 5-7 minutes).
You can drink cold quessia tea, too. For this, just soak a handful of tree bark in a mug of cool water. Let it steep for about eight hours before you remove the bark pieces.
Quessia Tea Benefits
Quessia tea has plenty of health benefits, thanks to its active constituents. They should encourage you to drink this tea, despite its bitter taste.
Quessia tea promotes a proper digestion. It also helps expel parasites and lice, clean the blood, and eliminate toxins and bacteria; it is recommended if you’ve got a fever.
It is used in the treatment for various diseases: malaria, diarrhea, dysentery and gastric ulcers, for example. Quessia tea is also recommended if you’ve got a tumor.
You can drink quessia tea when you feel nervous or stressed. This tea will help you relax, as it will sedate the nerves. It is also useful if you’ve got a bad appetite, or even if you’re suffering from anorexia.
Quessia Tea Side Effects
You shouldn’t drink quessia tea if you’re pregnant or breast feeding. It can affect the baby in both cases, as well as lead to cell damage and nausea.
It is recommended to drink 3-4 cups of quessia tea a day. If you drink too much, you might get a few side effects. These include: irritation of the mouth, throat, and digestive tract, nausea, vomiting, headaches. Long-term consumption of quessia tea might lead to vision changes or even blindness.
As quessia tea can irritate the digestive tract, it’s best that you don’t drink it if you’re suffering from digestive tract diseases, such as stomach, intestinal ulcers, or Crohn’s disease. It might worsen your condition.
Quessia tea can be consumed every day with no worries. It has important health benefits which should convince you to drink it, despite its bitter taste.... discover quassia tea
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