We recently got the chance to learn a little bit about olive leaf tea from Barbara Hare, co-owner of Baroness Olive Oil. Please enjoy!

( Please note that interviews do not necessarily reflect the opinions of T Ching, nor do we either agree or disagree with any scientific or anecdotal claims. )

T Ching: Do you have different ways you prepare the tea? Do you blend it with any other herbs or flowers?

In the winter months we of course like to prepare it hot.  We simply heat up a mug of water in the microwave and add 1/2 TBSP tea leaves and hot water into a tea maker, then strain it.  I like to drink the warm tea with honey.   
 
In the hot summer months I make Sun Tea: 3 TBSP leaves and 1 gal. of filtered water.  Depending on the heat of the sun, I generally leave it in the sun about 3 hours or so.  I sometimes blend the olive leaves with fresh mint leaves or dried persimmon pieces as it steeps.  We also drink the sun tea over ice with a little bit of cranberry juice, or any favorite juice to make different flavors.
 
I haven’t tried too many different blends of other naturals yet, but as time goes I would like to experiment; I just haven’t had time to focus on that.
Olive Leaf Tea - Photo of a bowl of dried olive leaves with a branch across the top

T Ching: Do you have a personal story about using the tea?

My husband’s friend knew we had an olive grove and asked what we were doing with the prunings.  At that time we were just mulching them.  The friend, a Chinese gentleman, educated us on the many health benefits of the olive leaf and suggested that we could make tea out of them.  So I did: I dried a small batch and thought I would check it out.  My plan was to not change anything else in my daily routine or diet and drink 1 cup of hot tea per day for two weeks and see if I noticed any difference.  Well, much to my delight, on the fifth day I awoke with NO pain or inflammation in my right hand.  I had been suffering [from] Arthritis in my right hand for MANY years.  Also, I noticed that an old (17-year-old injury) sprained ankle that was constantly and severely inflamed was almost like normal, and again no pain.

T Ching: We’d love to hear more if you have comments and feedback from your customers about the tea.

I have had many customers come up to me to tell me how much they love the tea. The common word they use is that it is so “refreshing” to drink, hot or cold. One customer said that he has definitely felt a difference with the pain level of his bad knee. He is now able to be comfortable and live better because of the Olive Leaf Tea. Another customer said that it helps her to sleep at night, she could not believe the difference in her sleep. Other customers say that they have replaced their coffee with the tea and feel SO much better for it. Customers have included it into their daily rituals to drink it.

Olive Leaf Tea - Photo of a bag of olive leaf tea, a teapot, and a cup of prepared olive leaf tea
The Olive Leaf Tea is so good with a little honey & soy milk. I enjoy it in the morning to give me a natural non-caffeinated boost of energy. I’ve drunk it many times throughout my pregnancy and it makes me feel great without the fear of caffeine. I also enjoy a cup of hot tea after dinner, it has a nice taste that reminds me of going to Chinatown. I’ve had the pleasure of visiting the olive grove where the leaves are from and feel so comforted knowing that it is all natural, organic, and supporting locals.
– Gabriella M., Customer

Baroness Olive Oil is a family owned farm in the heart of the Sierra Foothills in Newcastle, California, owned by Barbara and Don Hare. Our products are 100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Olive Leaf Tea and Olive Leaf Powder. Our olives are an Italian varietal: Frantoio, which is very highly rated for its QUALITY of oil. Our Olive Leaf Tea and Powder are natural antibiotics, plus so much more. We use all natural growing methods in our olive grove and care for them by hand, that’s a lot of love and hard work, but the taste is so worth it! After our first year of harvesting in 2018, our olive products were so delicious we wanted more, so we continue to work hard and bring our finest olive products to your table. Please visit our website at www.BaronessOliveOil.com

Images provided by Barbara Hare of Baroness Olive Oil and used with permission