Natural Collagen Booster: Bamboo Leaf Tea

God made everything on earth and gave it purpose.  Some varieties of things, although beautiful, He obviously meant to only be where He originally put them (Asian Kudzu, Chinese Bamboo, Chinese Wisteria, Japanese Stiltgrass, etc.).  Unfortunately, we have spread some of these that we shouldn’t have and they now grow as invasives in parts of the world they don’t belong.  I have an appreciation for all the wonderous things that He made, so when we can take the leaves of something like Chinese bamboo that is non-native to our region and competes with our native varieties, and make it into something good, it just puts a different light on it.

All bamboos (the invasive, and our native Rivercane and Switch cane) are rich in antioxidants, but more importantly, are also known for having one of the highest concentrations of vegetable silica.  This type of silica is a building block for collagen, the protein responsible for healthy skin, hair and nails.   Silica also enhances calcium absorption, making it beneficial for bone health.  All these things make a cup of bamboo leaf tea pretty appealing.  Because our native bamboos are already stressed by the invasive’s competition for space, it’s best to leave them be and go after the plentiful Chinese bamboo leaves.

Bamboo tea is caffeine-free and has a light grassy flavor, a little like green tea.  Some people find it slightly sweet on its own, but I like mine with a little sugar. (as all tea should be, lol)  Honey is good too.

You can order dried chopped bamboo leaves, where you would use about 2 Tablespoons of leaves per 12-16 ounces of water, but you can also just pick some if it’s growing around you.  Make it as strong or as weak as you like.  The recipe below is kind-of in the middle.

Bamboo Leaf Tea

*15-20 fresh, green bamboo leaves, lightly chopped (can be more or less to your taste)

*12 ounces +/- of water

Bring water to a boil in a pot on the stove.  Turn the heat off and add the leaves.  Cover with a lid and let steep about 5 minutes.  Strain the leaves and sweeten the tea to taste. 

With all the current hype over collagen supplements, making your own collagen boosting bamboo tea is an easy, cheap way for improving skin elasticity, strengthening hair and fingernails and supporting bone health.  Because its caffeine-free, you can drink it anytime, morning or evening.  

Genesis 1:29  And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.