This magnolia tea is spicy, easy to brew using edible magnolia petals, soothes stress and anxiety and is delicious in a mug or in a fruit smoothie.
Making magnolia tea or a magnolia tea smoothie is as easy as going into your backyard and gathering the petals. Magnolia petals are a stunning pink but once dried or soaked, they turn brown and shriveled. That's okay though, the flavor of the tea is spicy and herbal, kind of like a gingerbread cookie. And even better, the tea like Ginger Tea, or even Golden Milk, is said to relieve stress and anxiety.
I like to enjoy it alone or in smoothies. In this post, I will share how to make this magnolia petal tea at home, and how to incorporate it into a fresh fruit smoothie.
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About Magnolia Petals for Tea
Most home-grown magnolia petals are of the Saucer Magnolia, or magnolia x soulangiana. These magnolia flowers are edible. As a rule, the lighter the pink, the more delicious the flavor. The darker the pink, the more bitter the tea. [source]
While the most commonly grown magnolia is the saucer magnolia, there are some magnolia varieties, less commonly grown, that aren't edible, or are at least bitter. The best way to identify your own is to visit this page, which gives more detail on how to identify your type. [source]
Once you've found your flower, make tea and a smoothie!
Why You'll Love this
Magnolia tea reduces stress. Magnolia petals contain a component called linalool which works as a natural sedative and support stress reduction and even helps with healthy sleep cycles. [source] The magnolia flower is an ancient flower, said to appear before bees on the planet, and thus magnolia tea has long been used by ancient civilizations for medicinal purposes, primarily for depression and respiratory ailments.
Magnolia petals are edible. Magnolia petals can be eaten whole (be careful the trees weren't sprayed with insecticide or fertilizer) and are known for clearing sinuses and having a rapid effect on soothing anxiety. You should take care however to only make tea off petals found on a tree that is free of fertilizer.
Make Magnolia Petal Tea
Two ways to make magnolia blossom tea! Infuse the petals in cold water overnight, or dry petals in a low-heat oven until dehydrated or at least browned.
Gather petals. Gather 2 cups of Magnolia petals off a tree you know was not exposed to fertilizer or insecticide. Hand wash the petals with water very gently. I put them in a strainer and run cold clean water over them, turning gently.
To Make Infused Tea
- Boil 3 cups of water in a pot, turn off the stove, and add the 2 cups of the Magnolia petals to the water.
- Put the pot in the refrigerator covered overnight and let the petals steep further.
- The next day, strain off the leaves, and store your concentrated tea in the refrigerator.
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To Make Tea from Dehydrated Tea Leaves
- Spread lightly rinsed petals on a baking sheet.
- Bake for 1 hour at the lowest heat setting - I baked them at 150 F. Or use a dehydrator.
- Remove the pan, allow the petals to cool and dry until crispy. Gather them in a container and store them in a cool dark place. To make tea, add a few tablespoons to a mug and pour on hot water. Steep for 2-3 minutes, strain and enjoy.
You can stop there, and enjoy your tea or you can continue on and make a smoothie. Here's how:
Ingredients for Smoothie
- Magnolia Petal Tea, homemade
- Raspberries
- Dairy free yogurt
- White or black chia seeds
- Lemon juice
How to Make Smoothie
1. Blend all ingredients until smooth.
2. To prepare the smoothies as shown, fill half your smoothie container with yogurt, pour on the Magnolia smoothie, and make swirls by carefully dipping in your spoon and dragging up and around.
3. Enjoy the boost of calm that should come after a first few sips!
Storage
Store the smoothie for 24 hours in the refrigerator, stirring if there is separation. To store longer, add the smoothie to an ice cube tray and freeze to be blended later.
FAQS
While a good bit less tasty, the bark can also be used, and is said to be a stronger source of linalool and thus can also help reduce stress eating.
Yes! To make tea with magnolia flowers, either dry the petals in an oven at a low heat for an hour, and steep some in hot water, or add petals to water and refrigerate overnight, strain off the petals and the liquid is a floral, spicy magnolia tea.
Magnolia tea is has components that relieve anxiety and stress, but also support weight loss by triggering fat burning, sooth digestion and constipation, and even show signs of eliminating headaches and sinus pain.
Tea made from the bark has a component honokiol that has a sedative effect, however that component is not present in tea made from magnolia petals.
According to Webmd.com, most petals are considered safe taken for the short term. They were also used as a malarial treatment by the Native American culture.
More Healthy Drinks
- Apple Cider Vinegar & Lemon Juice
- Ginger Shots
- Celery Juice Recipe
- Benefits of Lemon Water
- Turmeric Shots
- Golden Milk
- Homemade Aloe Vera Juice
If you tried this recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
📖 Recipe
Magnolia Tea & Stress Smoothie
Ingredients
Magnolia Smoothie
- 1 cup homemade Magnolia tea (See instructions on how to make Magnolia Tea below)
- 1 cup dairy free yogurt
- ¼ cup raspberries
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
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Instructions
Gather Magnolia Petals
- Gather 2 cups of Magnolia petals off a tree you know was not exposed to fertilizer or insecticide. Hand wash the petals with water very gently. I put them in a strainer and run cold clean water over them, turning gently.
Make Tea from Infused Magnolia Petals
- Boil 3 cups of water in a pot, turn off the stove, and add the 2 cups of the Magnolia petals to the water.
- Put the pot in the refrigerator covered, and let the petals steep overnight.
- The next day, strain off the leaves, and capture the liquid as your concentrated tea. Store it in the refrigerator.
Make Tea from Dehydrated Petals
- Spread petals on a baking sheet.
- Bake for 1 hour at the lowest heat setting - I baked them at 150 F. Or use a dehydrator.
- Remove the pan, allow the petals to cool and dry until crispy. Gather them in a container and store them in a cool dark place.
- To make tea with dehydrated leaves, add a few tablespoons to a mug and pour on hot water. Steep for 2-3 minutes, strain and enjoy.
To prepare the Magnolia smoothie
- Prepare at least 1 cup of magnolia tea.
- Add all ingredients to a blender and process them until smooth.1 cup homemade Magnolia tea, 1 cup dairy free yogurt, ¼ cup raspberries, 1 tablespoon chia seeds, 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- To present the smoothie as I did, fill half your smoothie container with yogurt, pour on the Magnolia smoothie, and make swirls by carefully dipping in your spoon and dragging up and around.
- Drink immediately.
Angelo Majok Akot says
I have kind of this magnolia grandiflora tree at my house and I don't know how to use it.
Dee Dine says
Now you can make tea!
Nisha / @rainbowplantlife says
Mangolia flower petal sounds so elegant! What a creative and fun idea.
Dee says
Nisha! Thank you lovely!
Izzy | Pinch of delight says
Wow this is so pretty!
Izzy Bruning
Dee says
Thank you Izzy!!
Keri Lisé Wykoff says
Hello, Why is it so important not to eat flowers from trees treated with fertilizer or insecticide? I thought flowers and fruits don't carry those from the roots? Thanks in advance.
Dee Dine says
Hi Keri, I am referring to powdered fertilizer one puts directly on leaves and buds. You don't want to be consuming petals dusted with pesticides.