Number 9 - Green Tea

Recently increasing in popularity in the West, Green tea is produced from the Chinese plant Camellia sinensis.

Teas that can also be created with this plant are white tea, green tea, oolong, pu-erh tea, black tea and kukicha tea. It depends on the maturity of the plant in which tea is made, however kukicha tea is made with branches.

The tea has many health benefits including helping decrease cholesterol  levels, blood pressure, body fat and weight, and possibly helpful to Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and cancer. However, it can cause liver damage, and it is more harmful when digested on an empty stomach.

It is most popular in teas; in premade mixtures and teabags. It also can be used in flavouring food.

Twinings Green Tea (Source Unknown. Product of Twinings)

Number 7 - Dandelion

A surprisingly useful herb, the Dandelion (Taraxfum officinale) is the weed we see in our back gardens and parks, and often remove with weed killers.

It can be used to treat liver and gall bladder problems, and its leaves can treat skin conditions such as eczema. The leaves can also be eaten in salads. However, like many herbs, it can affect other medications being effective.

It can be applied as a tincture, can be eaten as it is, but can also ingested as a tea which has blood purifying properties. It is also sold commercially as this tea, and also in the popular soft drink, Dandelion and Burdock.

A box of dandelion tea (Source Unknown. A Product of Clipper.)