Mountain tea
Sideritis türleriTürkiye is one of the richest centres of the genus Sideritis; most of the species that grow there are found only in Anatolia.
What is Mountain tea?
Mountain tea (Sideritis türleri) is a plant of the Lamiaceae family. Traditions that use it: Anatolia and the Mediterranean. Part used: flowering aerial parts.
What is Mountain tea used for?
Traditional use: Flowering stems gathered in late summer on the Taurus and western Anatolian highlands are brewed as a winter tea for colds, coughs and upset stomachs; in many places it is simply called “sage”. Scientific evidence: traditional. The EMA recognises mountain tea as a traditional remedy for cough with colds and for mild digestive complaints; this rests on long use, not on clinical trials.
Is Mountain tea safe?
Safety label: generally safe. Generally considered safe as a tea. For lack of data it is not recommended in pregnancy, while breastfeeding or for young children. Over-harvesting threatens some endemic species, so tea from cultivated plants is the better choice.
Traditional use
Flowering stems gathered in late summer on the Taurus and western Anatolian highlands are brewed as a winter tea for colds, coughs and upset stomachs; in many places it is simply called “sage”.
Known as mountain tea in Greece and as the tea of the Pirin mountains in Bulgaria; village households keep it for winter.
In nature
Mix-up risk
Most tea sold as “sage” in the Taurus is actually mountain tea. True sage (Salvia) has broader leaves and a sharper smell; mountain tea has silvery, hairy leaves and yellow or white flowers.
Preparation
A handful of dried flowering stems is steeped in boiled water for 5–10 minutes, with lemon and honey if liked.
What science says
The EMA recognises mountain tea as a traditional remedy for cough with colds and for mild digestive complaints; this rests on long use, not on clinical trials. Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects have been shown in the lab. A handful of small human studies, mostly on attention and cognition, give limited results.
Safety
Generally considered safe as a tea. For lack of data it is not recommended in pregnancy, while breastfeeding or for young children. Over-harvesting threatens some endemic species, so tea from cultivated plants is the better choice.
Similar plants
Sources
- EMA monographSideritis herba: European Medicines Agency herbal assessment
- ResearchSideritis spp.: uses, chemical composition and pharmacological activities, a review (J Ethnopharmacol 2011)
- ResearchGenus Sideritis, section Empedoclia in southeastern Europe and Turkey: ethnopharmacology and biological activities (Daru 2019)
- BookBaytop T. Türkiye’de Bitkiler ile Tedavi: Geçmişte ve Bugün. 2. baskı. İstanbul: Nobel Tıp Kitabevleri; 1999.
- Botanical recordKew Plants of the World Online: Sideritis
- Titles of research sources are summarised in Turkish on the Turkish page; links open the original English publications.
Written by Edanaz Tınmazlar · Last reviewed: · Türkçe