Lavender flowers not only give off a summery aroma, when you prepare an infusion with them, in addition to having a beautiful color, they produce a relaxing effect that it makes you feel good.
We give you advice on how to use it and We reveal how you can prepare a refreshing summer infusion with lavender flowers yourself.
Lavender is part of our history
When drinking a lavender infusion You benefit from the beneficial properties of this beautiful Mediterranean plant.
lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) It has been used for many years for its benefits. It was already valued by the Romans, who also used it to wash and perfume the water in their sumptuous baths.
Lavender too It played an important role in monastic apothecaries. As a healthy infusion, it has not lost its importance to this day.
Cold lavender infusion
Ingredients (for 1 cup):
- 2 heaped teaspoons lavender flowers
- 250 ml boiling water
Elaboration:
- Place two heaping teaspoons of lavender flowers in an infuser or filter to infuse.
- Pour a quarter of a liter of boiling water into the cup and let the infusion rest, covered, for ten minutes.
- Put the infusion in the refrigerator for four hours.
- You can serve it with some lemon slices.
After taking the infusion you may feel more relaxed, so you can take it, for example, when you have finished completing your tasks and are preparing to enjoy the rest of the day or night.
Drinking your cold lavender infusion can become your disconnection ritual. You can take it after dinner as a way to prepare for a good night’s sleep.
Other possible uses of lavender flowers
Using lavender for an infusion is just one of many ways to take advantage of the plant.
Especially in the field of natural cosmeticsthere are countless products that contain lavender. There is a wide range of lavender-based oils, creams, soaps and perfumes, and you can even make your own cosmetic remedies with lavender.
Lavender too It is often used in cooking. You can use it to refine dishes with vegetables, sweet recipes and sauces.
However, it must be kept in mind that lavender, whether fresh or dried, should be used in moderation, otherwise its characteristic aroma will mask other spices.
How is lavender harvested and dried to make infusion?
To make the infusion or for any other use, it is best that you purchase lavender flowers from a herbalist and that they are of organic quality. If lavender grows in your garden or on the balcony, even better.
For the plant to fully develop its properties, it is important to harvest lavender flowers at the right time. The plant has the highest content of beneficial ingredients before the small flowers of the false spikes fully develop; By this time, only some of the lower buds may have opened.
It’s better harvest lavender late in the morning cutting the stems approximately a hand’s breadth below the flowers. Then proceed directly to dry the lavender.
Bundled in small bundles and hung upside down in a dry, shady location, they usually dry within 7 to 14 days. Do this test from time to time: if the flowers crumble easily when you rub them between your fingers is that they have been dried correctly and are now ready to prepare the infusion