The benefits of herbal drinks for body health have been believed for a long time. Drinks made from steeping herbs and herbs are also often used to treat various diseases. In addition, there are still many benefits that can be obtained by consuming herbal drinks.
Indonesia is known to be rich in spices and medicinal plants. These ingredients are often processed into herbal drinks that are rich in benefits and good for the health of the body.
Herbal Drink Ingredients and How to Make It
Herbal drinks are often called healthy drinks because the ingredients used have many health benefits. The following are some types of spices or herbaceous plants that are commonly used in making herbal drinks:
- Rhizomes, such as ginger, turmeric, kencur, and temulawak
- Leaves, such as betel leaf and aloe vera
- Stems, like lemongrass
- Bark, like cinnamon
- Flowers, such as chrysanthemums (chrysanthemum)
- Honey
How to make herbal drinks is quite easy. You can brew one or mix some of the above ingredients.
For example, if you want to make a herbal drink that is efficacious to increase immunity or endurance, you can prepare 2 segments of red ginger, 1 lime, 3 cinnamon sticks, brown sugar, and 3 cups of water.
Here is how to make it:
- Wash all ingredients.
- Mash red ginger until flat.
- Bring the water to a boil, then add all the ingredients and boil for 15 minutes.
- After the stew is slightly cold, remove the ingredients and strain the cooking water to drink. You can enjoy this herbal drink 1½ cup per day.
In addition to the red ginger concoction, kencur rice is also known to strengthen the body's immunity. You just need to prepare 50 grams of kencur, 100 grams of rice, 3 pandan leaves, palm sugar, and water.
Here is how to make it:
- Roast the rice until golden, then puree.
- Puree the kencur and sugar, then add it together with the mashed rice into the water. Add pandan leaves, then boil until boiling.
- After boiling, cool, then strain. You can consume this kencur rice 2 times a day.
Benefits of Herbal Drinks for Health
Thanks to the ingredients used, herbal drinks have many health benefits, including:
1. Strengthen the body's resistance
Herbal drinks containing ginger or temulawak are believed to increase the body's immunity. This is because of its anti-inflammatory properties and the essential oils contained in it can fight bacteria and relieve inflammation in the body.
2. Maintain digestive health
Herbal drinks containing aloe vera, ginger, or betel leaf are efficacious in maintaining the health of the digestive tract.
Research shows that aloe vera can relieve symptoms of intestinal inflammation, such as stomach cramps and bloody diarrhea, while betel leaf can treat digestive disorders.
3. Prevent diabetes
There are several ingredients in herbal drinks that are known to be useful for preventing diabetes, such as cinnamon, chrysanthemum (chrysanthemum), turmeric, kencur, and ginger.
In addition, these herbal ingredients are also believed to lower blood sugar levels in people with diabetes.
4. Relieves menstrual complaints
For some women, premenstrual syndrome (PMS) or premenstrual syndrome is quite disturbing, it can even affect daily activities. Herbal drinks containing turmeric are known to relieve pain and disorders mood caused by PMS.
5. Prevent cancer
Excess free radicals in the body can cause cancer. Well, the ingredients contained in herbal drinks, such as turmeric, kencur, temulawak, and ginger, are generally rich in antioxidants that can fight free radicals.
6. Relieves cough
The addition of honey in herbal drinks can relieve coughs. You can also make herbal drinks from betel leaves to treat coughs and colds.
There are many other benefits of herbal drinks, including lowering cholesterol, maintaining a healthy liver, and preventing chronic disease. This is because herbal drinks containing spices and herbaceous plants contain many antioxidants, especially flavonoids and polyphenols.
However, in making herbal drinks, you need to pay attention to the type and composition of the ingredients used, as well as the dosage. Processing and presentation must also be done properly so that the benefits of herbal drinks can be maximized.
In addition, the herbal drinks that you make should be used immediately and not stored for too long.
If you are unsure or don't have the time to make your own herbal drink, you can buy packaged herbal drinks or modern herbs sold in the market. However, make sure to buy products that have been registered with BPOM so that their safety is guaranteed.
Choose products made from natural ingredients, without preservatives, without deposits, and processed hygienically so that quality, safety and benefits are maintained.
Although there are many health benefits of herbal drinks, keep in mind that these drinks cannot be used as medicine to treat diseases. Consult your doctor first before consuming herbal drinks if you are taking medicines from a doctor, have certain medical conditions, are pregnant, or are breastfeeding.
