What Is the Origin of Linden Herb?
Linden leaves arise from the tall and leafy deciduous giant trees that are commonly seen in European and Asia countries. Linden trees are also grown worldwide for their medicinal benefits. It is a fact these trees can live for as long as up to 1,000 years. Linden leaves are distinctive heart-shaped and have yellowish-colored flowers that are fragrant and delicate. Almost all parts of the linden tree have one or the other benefit in history. The tree wood leaves, flowers, and tree bark are utilized for medicinal purposes. The linden leaves are quite popular and known for their calming action and soothing effect. Currently, in grocery stores or online retail stores, one can easily come across tinctures, teas, or other beverages that have a mix of ingredients containing linden leaves or linden leaves as the main component.
What Are the Possible Health Benefits of Linden Trees?
Some of the preliminary research studies that give an insight into the growth benefits of linden tea are as follows:
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It is considered to be an antispasmodic, meaning the regular consumption of tea can help in relieving migraines, menstrual cramps, and muscle aches.
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Linden herb is also considered an anxiolytic, meaning it can reduce stress and anxiety while being a rejuvenating part of the daily routine.
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Linden's components are mainly the P-coumaric acid, kaempferol, terpenoid, and quercetin. Linden also comprises certain volatile oils ranging from citral, citronellal, citronellol, limonene, and eugenol.
Many people attribute the health or medicinal benefits of linden to the terpenoid component alone as they exert a soothing effect on the brain. Therefore, several nutrition experts also agree that because of the volatile oils alongside antioxidant and quercetin compounds in linden, it is indeed a tea with antioxidant benefits. Nutrition experts recommend linden tea as a part of an antioxidant-rich or anti-anxiety diet food. However, more nutrition research is certainly needed on both the flower of linden and the compounds found in the tree and leaves to establish its efficacy or health benefits.
How Are Linden Teas Commercially Available?
In the commercial manufacturing of tinctures, teas, or other beverages, two different linden tree leaves can be used. One of the leaves is from the Tilia cordata, which is known as the small-leafed European linden, also popularly called the winter linden. The other type of tree leaves used in some brands are obtained from the Tilia platyphyllos, also called the summer linden.
Apart from its rejuvenating or medicinal uses, linden tea is known mainly for its floral and sweet flavors with an acceptable taste for daily consumption. The tea can be consumed either hot or cold as per the preference, and individuals who prefer a stronger version of the linden tea usually prefer it to be sweeter after steeping the tea leaves.
Linden tea bags are available in grocery stores or as loose-leaf tea leaves that can be purchased. Pharmaceuticals, health markets, and online stores would commonly have linden teas for sale. Many large-scale commercial tea brands also market the popular ‘Linden flower’ tea.
How Are Linden Teas Prepared for Consumption?
If one does not want to use the store-bought variety of linden tea for health reasons, they can also alternatively prepare the tea in the comfort of their home. There are different ways to prepare linden tea in the kitchen. For instance, one can use the linden flower, bark, or leaves for making tea at home. Linden flower tea offers an easy recipe where one can steep two to three teaspoons of flowers in a cup of hot water for approximately 15 minutes.
How Safe Is the Consumption of Linden Teas?
Linden leaf is generally regarded to be safe (GRAS) by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). So far, currently, there are no established supplement or food interactions that occur along with the regular consumption of this herb. Hence, there are no safety concerns currently about linden tea for healthy individuals. The Therapeutic Research Center (TRC) also further states that it is safe for individuals to consume linden teas orally and appropriately in amounts that are normally found in dietary beverages or foods.
What Are the Contraindications to Linden Herb Consumption?
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Therapeutic Research Center recommends the consumption of linden tea or linden flower tea or herb in any form for pregnant, lactating, or nursing women. However, it is ideally recommended by nutritionists to avoid using the herb in such phases of high-risk groups like children, pregnant, and nursing because there is insufficient data regarding its safety in these groups.
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In children, especially younger infants, linden might be contaminated by the Clostridium botulinum spores that may cause botulism. Botulism is a rare but life-threatening condition that affects infants specifically. Hence, there is a very high risk of infant botulism as per current nutrition research, and thus, linden herb or linden tea are contraindicated in younger children.
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Consuming linden tea is not advisable or contraindicated in patients suffering from cardiovascular diseases or patients who are on lithium medications. According to experimental animal studies, linden leaves may be capable of inducing higher heart rate and a decrease in blood pressure. Hence, any individuals on systemic medications, specifically on heart or blood pressure medications or lithium should refrain from consuming linden tea.
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This herb or tea is also contraindicated in individuals who intake sedative drugs. It may produce drowsiness and serious side effects of sleepiness and lowered blood pressure on interacting with sedatives. Individuals are not advised to also drive or operate any machinery immediately post consumption of linden tea, to avoid these possible effects of drowsiness.
Conclusion
Linden teas are the new age rejuvenating tea that can be suited to most healthy individuals. They are contraindicated in pregnancy, lactating women, and children due to unavailability of research study data. Also, it is wiser to check with the registered dietician or nutritionist before including it in the diet, especially if one is on systemic medications or has a medical history of a certain health condition. As per the taste and as the recipe demands, one can experiment with linden leaves, flowers, and even the linden bark for preparing home tea.
