Drinking tea can be good for your health. Research has shown that drinking tea may help protect against diseases such as cancer, heart disease and osteoporosis. There are polyphenols in teas which exhibit antioxidant, ant-cancer, anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties. Two popular teas here in Hawai‘i are made from leaves of the māmaki and ko‘oko‘olau plants. While both types of tea leaves may be found in stores these two plants may also be found growing wild here in the islands. If you are going to pick your own leaves, make sure it is from areas where there is no pesticide or other chemical usage.

There are several methods of drying your leaves after they have been cleaned.

1. Put in a brown paper bag (like the ones you get from the grocery market.)
2. Lay leaves between layers of clean newspaper.
3. Tie into bundles and hang in cool, dry area free of bugs

To make tea, use either fresh or dried leaves and boil in water to make tea.

Please seek the guidance of your physician or traditional healing specialist before beginning treatment of any kind. Also, please remember that Hawaiian herbal remedies are always used in conjunction with spiritual cleansing and pule (prayer).