At this point, it’s pretty common knowledge that herbal teas offer numerous antioxidants and health benefits to ward off diseases like cancer or inflammation. Essiac tea, however, is said to go beyond immune-boosting, preventative measures and actually help rid the body of these diseases.
What Is Essiac Tea?
Essiac tea is a concoction discovered by a Canadian cancer nurse, Rene Caisse, in the 1920s. With the help of Dr. Charles Brusch, Essiac tea was tested and tweaked to make it the tea it’s known as today.
Essiac tea is made up of four main ingredients: burdock root, sheep sorrel, slippery elm, and Indian (or Turkey) rhubarb root. These four ingredients offer many powerful health benefits, including anti-inflammatory properties, antioxidants, and detoxification abilities.
Essiac Tea Benefits
The reason Essiac tea is believed to be such a miracle tea is that many cancer survivors report that Essiac tea helped them beat cancer. While other teas like green tea, for instance, have antioxidant and cancer-fighting properties, it’s believed that Essiac tea can actually help get rid of the toxins causing cancer in the body and help with cell renewal.
Some of the benefits that are commonly reported from drinking Essiac tea include:
- Cancer-fighting
- Fights inflammation
- Strengthens immune system
- Detoxifies the body
- Improves gastrointestinal problems
- Fights diabetes
These benefits, however, do not have scientific studies to back them up. Nurse Rene Caisse and Dr. Charles Brusche conducted several clinical studies to create Essiac tea, but testimonials and reviews of the tea are strictly a result of consumers who have shared their personal experiences.
Essiac Tea Side Effects
Like the benefits, the side effects of Essiac tea are mostly based on what patients and tea drinkers have reported. Some of the side effects that have been associated with Essiac tea include:
- Increased bowel movements
- Frequent urination
- Swollen glands
- Skin blemishes
- Flu-like symptoms
- Headaches
While side effects don’t always occur for every single person who drinks Essiac tea, it’s believed that side effects are typically associated with high consumption of the tea or a high dosage of the tea.
For mild ailments, people typically consume two ounces of Essiac tea per day. Those who are dealing with more serious diseases like cancer tend to have Essiac tea up to three times a day, each serving being up to three ounces of tea.
Where to Buy Essiac Tea
Many health stores and natural food markets sell Essiac tea. Compared to some other herbal teas, Essiac tea is typically not very expensive.
You can find Essiac tea in a few different forms. As a tea bag, Essiac tea is often labeled as Ojibwa tea. Essiac tea can also be found in powdered form or capsule form.
The tea can be made at home with a recipe, however, the process can be a lengthy one and require access to the individual ingredients needed to make Essiac tea.
Word of Caution
Because Essiac tea’s benefits are simply based off testimonials and reviews rather than scientific evidence, it’s important that Essiac tea is only consumed under the advice and supervision of your doctor.
While Essiac tea may provide benefits for certain conditions, these benefits are not guaranteed, therefore, it’s imperative to discuss all treatment options with your doctor before solely relying on Essiac tea for healing.
Quick FAQs
What is Essiac tea good for?
Essiac tea is believed to provide a variety of health benefits, including fighting cancer, boosting the immune system, and detoxifying the body.
Where to buy Essiac tea?
You can typically find Essiac tea at health stores and natural food markets.
How to make Essiac tea?
Essiac tea requires that you have the four main ingredients needed to make the tea, as well as following a period of storage and specific brewing instructions.
