The ginseng we use in our Kitchen Table Ginseng Leaf Tea has been
locally harvested. The majority of it has come from right here on our land! The green tea we add is full-leaf Numi organic gunpowder green tea.
Wild
ginseng has been used for thousands of years by people of the Orient and native
Americans in this area. It is believed that ginseng was discovered in the
mountains of Northern China (Manchuria) over 5000 years ago. It was probably
first used as a food. Records, however, show that ginseng was used for medicinal
purposes over 3,000 years ago. The old Chinese Canon of Medicine states that
ginseng strengthens the soul, brightens the eyes, opens the heart, expels evil,
benefits understanding and if taken for prolonged periods of time will
invigorate the body and prolong life. There was also a belief that the ginseng
root resembled the human body!
Because Chinese emperors revered ginseng and were more than
willing to pay for ginseng with its weight in gold, a flourishing industry
sprung up centuries ago, attracting diggers, traders and robbers. China’s demand
for wild root afforded Korea the opportunity to maintain a thriving export
business that dates back to the 3rd century AD. Unfortunately, this lucrative
trade practically wiped out wild ginseng in Asia and eventually came to a halt.
In the sixteenth century Korea started began experimenting and cultivated the
world’s first farmed root.
In America, ginseng was used by several
North American Indian nations. The Iroquois, the Menomonee, the Cherokee and the
Creeks all valued ginseng for its curative powers and life enhancing
capabilities. It is estimated that American settlers discovered ginseng in the
mid 1700’s in New England. By the late 1700's shipments of ginseng were being
sent to China and considerable fortunes were being made. By the mid 1850’s a
half million pound were being harvested from America's wild ranges and exported
to Asia. By the turn of the twentieth century, ginseng was almost extinct in
this country. Over harvesting had almost wiped out American's natural range.
Early attempts to cultivate ginseng in America failed until the early
1900’s when many Eastern farmers began cultivating small gardens of the plant.
The methods of ginseng cultivation spread West to the farms and woods of
Wisconsin. Located in north central United States, Wisconsin has ideal growing
conditions that make it a leader for ginseng production. Now known as “home of
the World's Finest Ginseng Root” some say they used to be called the “Dairy
State!”.
Green tea and ginseng are two of the oldest medicinal
beverages, and both have numerous health benefits. You can take them together as
a tea for a potent boost in energy and mental clarity. Both have
health-promoting antioxidants that help prevent free-radical damage in the body,
making ginseng and green tea a delicious and powerful concoction.
As a slow growing perennial and a preference for deep forests ginseng
became known throughout the world as ‘the plant that hides from man’. Ginseng’s
unique properties and incredible popularity have lead to the over-hunting of
wild ginseng and makes it hard for the ginseng to hide. In Asia, highly sought
after wild ginseng has been hunted and harvested to near extinction.
Ginseng fairs somewhat better in the United States partly due to the
passage of protection laws which regulate it’s harvest. Still, there is very
little wild ginseng left in America. Currently, 99% of the world ginseng crop is
cultivated; grown in gardens and on small farms. A form of cultivated ginseng
know as ‘woods-grown’ ginseng is also planted and cared in by farmers under the
naturally sheltered conditions.
Antioxidant Power
Green tea is widely recognized as an excellent source of
powerful antioxidants called catechins, according to Harvard Health
Publications. A number of studies show that green tea may reduce the risk of
several cancers, including skin, lung, breast, colon, esophageal and bladder.
According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, ginseng tea may help
lower the risk of developing lung, liver, pancreatic, ovarian and stomach
cancers and may slow the growth of tumors. An article published in “Food and
Chemical Toxicology” in September 2011 revealed that ginseng increased the
levels of key antioxidants such as glutathione.
Cardiovascular Support
Both ginseng and green tea support cardiovascular health as
well. According to Harvard Health Publications, regularly drinking green tea
prevents the oxidation of low-density lipoprotein -- or “bad” cholesterol --
raises beneficial high-density lipoprotein levels, improves artery function and
reduces hypertension. Add ginseng to the mix and you get LDL-lowering effects,
according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Ginseng is controversial
for high blood pressure, however, because studies have shown ginseng to both
lower and raise blood pressure, depending on the dose and other factors.
Other Benefits
Ginseng has been found to improve mental and physical
performance, increase stamina, promote sexual health and support healthy aging,
according to research published in the August 2000 “Fitoterapia.” Ginseng also
seems to support the immune system by improving the number of immune cells in
the blood, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Thus, ginseng
may reduce your risk for getting a cold and lessen the severity of a cold or the
flu if you do get sick. Green tea has been shown to strengthen bones and improve
bone mass, according to research published in “Nutrition Research” in July 2009.
Green tea may also support oral health and protect the brain, along with it
numerous other health benefits, according to a review published in the “Journal
of the American College of Nutrition.”
Health Warnings
The combination of ginseng and green tea may improve health;
however, there are known side effects of both substances. Green tea in excess
can cause anxiety, insomnia and irritability due to its caffeine content,
according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Green tea should be
avoided in pregnancy and lactation, and if you have heart problems, high blood
pressure, kidney or liver problems, stomach ulcers or psychological
disturbances. Ginseng should also be avoided in pregnancy and lactation, as well
by those who have bipolar disorder, insomnia and autoimmune disorders. Check
with your doctor before taking Asian ginseng if you are taking pharmaceutical
medications. High doses of ginseng have been known to cause side effects that
may include anxiety, restlessness, diarrhea, vomiting, headache, vaginal
bleeding, high blood pressure and nosebleeds.
Measure flour, blend with butter and powdered sugar. Press mixture into bottom of 8x8 pan. Bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Beat remaining ingredients together and pour over crust. Bake an additional 20 - 25 minutes. Do not overbake! Filling puffs up a little while baking then flattens when cooled. Sprinkle with powdered sugar when you remove it from the oven.