Tag: Comfrey tea

While tea is often celebrated for its health benefits, research has shown that not all teas are created equal, and some can pose significant health risks. The most unhealthy teas are often those with high sugar content, unregulated herbal blends, or certain varieties that contain dangerous compounds or contaminants.

For over 2,000 years, comfrey has been known by the folk name "knitbone" for its purported ability to heal bone fractures and wounds. However, the modern understanding of comfrey is bifurcated, with its use as an herbal tea for humans now widely considered unsafe due to liver toxicity, while its application as a nutrient-rich garden fertilizer is highly effective.

Despite its reputation as a well-rounded plant food, dried comfrey leaves have an NPK ratio typically around 1.8-0.5-5.3, indicating that comfrey tea is not particularly high in phosphorus compared to its potassium content. The plant, known as a dynamic accumulator, is especially adept at pulling minerals from deep in the soil to concentrate them in its foliage.

In 2001, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advised manufacturers to remove oral comfrey products from the market, yet some people still wonder if they should drink comfrey tea. Despite its traditional use, modern medical understanding has identified significant health risks associated with internal consumption of comfrey, making the practice highly discouraged.