Linden Tea -- A Relatively Unknown Help for Chest Cold and Congestion

© Ugur Akinci

My sweet grandma used to put a pinch of linden leaves and flowers into a boiling cup of water, seep it for a minute or two, and then filter out its water and have us kids drink it on those cold winter night to fight off anything from coughing to chest cold. Still to this day I make myself a cup of linden tea from time to time to savor its unique herbal taste and gentle flavor.

In case you've never seen a linden plant before, this is what a linden plant looks like.

And this is how it looks like when it's dried up, ready for brewing.

You can either buy it by weight and then add it your self to a boiling pot of water (keep it in for only two minutes) or use pre-made linden tea bags.

The color of your linden tea should be a medium golden-wheat brown and it should be clear, not cloudy.

It's a great soothing tea for parched throats or if you have a slight cold and want a healing touch from inside.