Cold infusions: all its properties and benefits

cold infusions quench thirst, rehydrate the body when we need it most and they provide us with all the medicinal properties of plants with which they are made. They can be taken at any time of the day and keep for up to three days in the fridge. Infusions with theine are more recommended to accompany breakfast or after meals, while those with a bitter touch, such as rooibos, tend to be more effective in eliminating the sensation of thirst. The same goes for infusions with an intense flavor or a spicy touch.

drinks with substance

A healthy alternative to commercial sugary soft drinks are cold infusions. They provide the therapeutic benefits of the medicinal plants they contain, such as flavonoids and anthocyanins –present in their pigments–, with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capacity; coumarins, with venotonic effects; saponins, with expectorant and diuretic virtues; or tannins, with astringent and hemostatic action, together with other healthy nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and unsaturated fatty acids.

The aromatic plants such as hyssop, lavender, thyme, mint or sage are rich in essence, and show a digestive, antiseptic and expectorant action of high therapeutic value.
The umbelliferae –celery, anise, fennel, caraway or cumin– stand out for their carminative and also digestive, antispasmodic and diuretic power, which is given to them by the essential oil, flavonoids and sterols that are among their most valuable active ingredients.
Lots of fruits and berries -arbutus, blueberry, blackthorn, plums, blackberries and raspberries- contain pigments in their skin that exert an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory action.
· Flowers of mallows, hibiscus or violas carry mucilages and behave as anti-inflammatory, mucolytic and laxative.
and some spices such as cinnamon, ginger or turmeric, also very rich in essential oils, also provide their stimulating, antiseptic and balsamic effects.

How to prepare them

To preserve the active principles of medicinal plants, the infusion must not be subjected to excessive boiling, which would degrade them. There is also the possibility of preparing infusions or macerations directly with cold water, for which plants that may involve a minimum of toxicity or irritating potential should be discarded, such as horsetail, nettle, juniper or passion flower. Some interesting suggestions may be the infusion of rooibos tea with lemon balm and lemongrass, the hibiscus and ginger with a touch of citrus; that of ginseng with cinnamon, or a relaxing lime blossom, verbena and poppy cocktail, among infinite possibilities.