Recipe
Brahmi tea with honey
- Herb:
- Brahmi Bacopa monnieri
- Method:
- Herbal infusion (tea)
- Plant part:
- Leaf
About 15 minBeginnerRecipe science profile
Procedure
- Pour 250 ml of water just off the boil over a teaspoon of dried brahmi herb.
- Cover and steep for 10 minutes, then strain.
- Sweeten with a teaspoon of honey and add a slice of ginger or a few mint leaves against the bitterness.
- Drink warm, preferably in the morning; a classic course runs several weeks.
Extraction
- Herb:
- 1 lžička (asi 2 g) sušené natě na 250 ml
- Solvent:
- horká voda 90 °C, 10 minut pod pokličkou
- Shelf life:
- vypít do 12 hodin
- Target compounds:
- bakosidy (triterpenové saponiny) přecházejí do vody jen částečně; nálev je hořký
Notes
A bitter infusion, traditionally drunk in the morning. Do not expect a quick effect — in the trials the extract was taken for 12 weeks. Talk to a doctor if you take thyroid medication or sedatives.
Why it works
The actives of brahmi are bacosides A and B, saponins with limited water solubility — an infusion holds less of them than standardised extracts. The meta-analysis by Kongkeaw et al. 2014 (9 RCTs, 518 people) found improved speed of attention (Trail B, reaction time) after 12 weeks of extract, but no effect on memory or other domains. The tea is therefore a traditional form, not a clinically verified dose.
Literature
- Kongkeaw C, Dilokthornsakul P, Thanarangsarit P, Limpeanchob N, Scholfield CN (2014): Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials on cognitive effects of Bacopa monnieri extract. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 151(1):528–535 — 9 RCT, 518 osob; zlepšení rychlosti pozornosti, ne ostatních domén.
Related
Brahmi — Herb card
Herbal infusion (tea) — Processing method detail