Natural Sweetener Stevia Rebaudiana Sweet Leaf

In my herb plant collections, I begin to collect some of the species of aromatic herbs like Lavender, Rosemary, mint and thyme for the enjoyment of making herbal healing beverages. Partly these healing herbs and its aromatic herbs really gives our body and spirits refreshing and uplifting feeling.


I have been looking for Stevia Rebaudiana (Sweet leaf) a very unique name kind of herbs plant for quite sometimes. I like brewing herbal tea from variety of herb plants, some may be easily found in dried leaves form, but seems hard to find this herb plant in fresh leaves out here.


After all, I am still lucky enough that I found one of this herb plant of Stevia Rebaudian, 'Tian Ju' in Chinese, commonly known as sweet leaf or sugar leaf, it is a sweetener and sugar substitute kind of herbs plant for tea or food. This herbal brews is rich in mineral, health giving compound for nourishing and support body, mind and spirits. It is not like those refine sugar, it won’t drain our body and it is worthwhile to try to use is as sweetener substitute. As the raw Stevia Rebaudiana leaf contain phytonutrients and volatile oils, it is good to take it fresh or in raw, when brews herbs tea remember do not overcook it or simmer for long period just to prevent the evaporation of it essence oil and volatile oil.

What is Stevia Rebaudiana

Pang Xie Jiao ~ From The Ancient Old Tea Tree

One of my friend is a “Tea lover” and I got this unique tea from her, namely “Pang Xue Jiao” or Crabs legs in Chinese, it has vivid name, as the shape looks likely to crabs legs, that’s how the name come from. That’s amazing to me.

According to my friend it’s quite an expensive tea with some medicinal properties. It’s a kind of parasitic plant of Pu’er Tea Tree that absorbs flavor and nutrients from the ancient old tea tree, one thing that still makes me wonder every "Pang Xie Jiao or crabs legs" grew steadily on the tea tree, it belongs to sickness tree, it is to say it only grew on sickness tea tree, and could find on those than more than few hundred years old tea tree.


What is Pang Xie Jiao or Crabs Legs (Articulatum Burmanum)

Pang Xie Jiao Tea, scientific name as Articulatum Burmanum. Its nature is “cool”, this is an excellent cooling tea that can be taken hot or cold. Taste with the fragrance of an aftertaste of fresh sweetness in flavor and some astringency, It is thirst-slaking “cooling and refreshing” tea.

Its vegetative cycle approximately 3-4 years, it derives nutrients from the old tea tree, because of "Pang Xie Jiao or Crabs Legs" is rare and exceptional difficulty in picking. The fresh Pang Xie Jiao (Articulatum Burmanum) appearance is color in green but after picking and seasoning, it turns yellowish brown in color. Because its growth is extremely slow, and after picking seasons, due to the quantity scarce and market price stays at a high level.

Pang Xie Jiao (Articulatum Burmanum) has contain many kinds of organic matters and the nutritional value is quite high according to some tea experts or professional, its medicinal purposes that uses in sterilizing to treats gastric disease, diabetes, may also prevent the Angiosclerosis (hardening of the walls of the blood vessels), relieve fatigue, and improve immunity system. And believed regular intake of Pang Xie Jiao or Articulatum Burmanum with pu’er tea to invigorate the spleen and inhibit “dampness” and detoxification effect. Helps reduce and clear liver heat in the stomach and descends Qi.

How to take this tea?

It can be taken solely as tea, or best steeped with Pu’er tea, takes two to three small branch of Pang Xie Jiao, puts in the tea pot brew with pu’er tea and it taste wonderful, after soaking the remaining pang xie jiao is to chew it and edible, do not waste!


As far as I know drinking pu’er tea is purported to reduce cholesterol. Most important it also helps in weight lost as well. Pang Xie Jiao adds Pu'er tea, it has medicinal function which governs the belly or stomach and it also has anti-tumor function. According to my friend and what I feel about "Pang Xie Jiao" or "Crabs legs tea" is a nutritious tea, perhaps it is a pathological change and parasitic plant from Pu’er Tea, it is good or beneficial to certain person’s physique body, and it may disadvantageous to some. This question I leave it to the Tea expert or Professional.

As told by my friend is to add a chicken and cook together with this "Pang Xie Jiao" and "Puer Tea" as chicken soup, mainly the Catechins in this chicken soup which is tasty, it has the astringency qualities and is a nutritious healthy recipe thought.

Chuan Xin Lian - Bitter Herb

Due to my tonsillitis problem, I need to safeguard myself with several home remedies herbs. From A to Z if that is alternative way of natural healing, So I have to plant some of the useful herbs at my herbs garden. 

This herb looks quite similarly to Sabah Snake Grass (SSG). But this is not SSG. It also has its other name known as "Snake Grass". You can easily found this herb nearby or beside of the flower pot, or it grows like wild weed at your garden. 

I like this bitter taste herbs, it is known as "Chuan Xin Lian" or "Ku Cao" 

Common name in English: "Herbs Andrographis paniculata". 
Also know as "King of Bitters". 



The whole plant is very useful and quite popular in capsule form that sold in China and Asia.


Its meridian channels to heart and lung. 



It claimed to be good for detoxification, anti-bacterial, removes pharynx and soothing painful sore throat, traditionally used to treat colds, diarrhea, fever, tonsillitis, diarrhea, liver disease, inflammation, herpes, cough, respiratory tract and lung infection, liver infection, and the poisonous snake or insects bite.


Andrographis, as its anti-tumor activity in the study of traditional medicine in recent concern. According to the recent and latest researches found Chuan Xin Lian or Andrographis paniculata plant extracts and compounds with antiproliferative activities or tending to suppress tumor cell growth to most colon carcinoma cell, and Colorectal cancer treatment with andrographolide as a future alternative treatment of colon cancer by andrographolide is worth more research.   

It also produced a strong anti-angiogenic activity in tumor tissue and immunomodulatory active agents, and effects on cancer cells in addition to its cytotoxic effect. Likewise this herb is also applicable to treat of breast cancer, colon cancer, liver cancer, cervical cancer, leukemia, and prostate cancer. Such a fact by using of alternative herb in treatment, this may requires certain combination therapy, through one or more compounds as it affects in multiple pathways. Although many plant molecules exhibit miraculous effect of chemotherapy, but there are also many herb compounds can act as potential anti-cancer drugs, which need to conduct a lot of research and further to work better in way of improving of immune regulation to fight against tumor cells.  
 
And I found with my own testimonial by using of Chuan Xin Lian dried leaves, as this herb is real bitter, so I dried the leaves and blended it into powder form then insert it into capsule form. So that it's easier for swallowing or consumption.

I used Andrographis or Chuan Xin Lian capsules to a friend who suffers with dermatitis type of skin problem (herpes-like pimple) around the corner of his mouth area, by taking this "Xuan Xing Lian" capsules for 2 weeks and surprisingly it healed and solved that skin problem. For here it proven this herb has highest anti-inflammation treatment result.

Chuan Xin Lian is rich in amino acids, flavonoids, polyphenols ingredients, important phytosterol and choline, it is good home remedies for cooling the blood, diarrhea, urinary tract infection, soothing the throat and solve inflammation. Especially good to use on sinus and nose syndrome too.

Instead of taking it raw I used to make it as detox tea "Ku Cha" (bitter herbal tea) whenever I am having sore throat or tonsillitis infection.

 
How to make "Ku Cha" Bitter Tea



It is very simple, just simmer 3 - 4 Chuan Xin Lian Leaves into hot water in a pot. Simmer for 1/2 an hour or more, then serve it warm.

Taste like bitter gourd juice....but nice to soothe the swollen tonsils and sore throat.

Must try..... :P