Meals That Heal – Earl Grey Ice Cream
At about 4 pm in the afternoon – I love my Earl-Grey tea. Must be my English roots.
Imagine my surprise when someone shared a recipe for Earl Grey Ice-Cream. So thought I would share because late Summer doesn’t get any better than this!
Eastern View: Well known to the world as an incredible ingredient of Earl Gray tea, Bergamot and its essential oil have been in the history of various cultures for its medicinal and culinary uses.
The name Bergamot is said to have come from the Italian province in Lombardy known as Bergamo. Few sources also state that this name is derived from the Turkish word ‘beg-armudi’, meaning ‘prince of pears’ or ‘prince’s pear’ or ‘the lord’s pear”. Bergamot essential oil is effective in treating addictions and depression. It is also an excellent aid for digestion and congestion.
Bergamot is a wonderful antidepressant and is a boon for people who suffer due to depression and are unable to experience and enjoy the richness of life, which reflects itself in liver congestion and gall bladder obstruction.
Bergamot and its essential oil have been recommended in the Ayurvedic treatment for healing skin rashes, sores, acne, fever, obesity, depression, eczema, gingivitis, sore throat, flatulence, loss of appetite, bladder infections and compulsive behaviors.
Bergamot is a cross between a grapefruit and an orange fruit. These pulpy and juicy fruits are often used in cooking and the most popular dessert with Bergamot in the Middle East countries and America is Turkish delight. Bergamot juice has been used in traditional Calabrian medicines for the treatment of malaria and other chronic fevers.
This nutritious fruit and its essential oil are used for treating fever, urinary tract infections, acne, psoriasis, respiratory disorders, cystitis, depression, digestive problems, cold sores, chicken pox and anxiety.
Western View: Earl Grey Tea contains very high levels of catechin, an antioxidant that fights oral infections. Earl Grey tea has been known to improve digestion. It aids in the digestive process and helps relieve painful indigestion, colic and nausea. It is also used to treat intestinal problems such as worms. Because it helps the digestive process, it can also help to keep you regular.
The bergamot in Earl Grey tea has been known to have a calming effect on people, as well as boost a person’s mood. This is due to bergamot’s natural aromatherapy qualities. In this way Earl Grey is a good natural solution for people suffering from depression, stress and anxiety.
Earl Grey tea may not have as much as a kick as coffee, but it does contain enough caffeine to give you a nice little afternoon boost without keeping you up all night.
Earl Grey contains high quantities of antioxidants, which help our bodies to fight off free radicals that cause diseases such as cancer. On a slightly less serious note, antioxidants also help your skin to stay healthy and looking young. Again, this is due to fighting free radicals that can damage your skin.
Unsurprisingly, one of the most popular effects of Earl Grey tea is weight loss. This is primarily due to its citrus extract. It’s because of this that many people believe that citrus fruits in general can induce weight loss.
Good news everyone! Apparently, drinking three cups of Earl Grey tea daily may help lower your risk for heart disease. A study published in 2012 in Preventative Medicine found that people who drank three cups of black tea daily dramatically lowered their blood triglyceride levels and increased the ‘good cholesterol’ HDL after three months.
The participants also had increased levels of antioxidants, which, as we now know, fight against free radicals that damage your cells.
Further research conducted by the University of Cantanzaro in Italy has also yielded positive results. A study of over two hundred patients with high levels of blood fats found that LDL (also know as ‘bad cholesterol) ‘bad’ cholesterol (LDL) was reduced by 39 per cent after a month of taking Earl Grey extract. It also reduced blood sugars by 22 per cent and raised ‘good’ cholesterol by 41 per cent. The reduction in blood sugar also shows that Earl Grey may be highly beneficial for those suffering with diabetes.
Earl Grey Ice-Cream
Ingredients:
1 can coconut milk (full fat, because you want creaminess)
2 teaspoons Earl Grey tea, ground to powder in a coffee or spice grinder
“Caviar” seeds from 1 vanilla bean pod (or 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract)
Pinch sea salt
1 teaspoon navel orange zest
2 teaspoons navel orange juice
1/4 cup raw honey
Directions.
Grab an orange, zest it, and juice it. Place all ingredients together in a high-powered blender and mix until thoroughly incorporated.
Chill in the fridge for 2–3 hours and process in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Freeze again if necessary for 1–2 hours. Thaw to scoopable consistency and enjoy.
No ice cream maker? Just freeze the mixture, enjoy,
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In health,
