Known for its benefits to human health, linden does more harm than good when consumed incorrectly. Sivas Cumhuriyet University, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Lecturer Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Aşkın Akpolat made statements about the well-known mistakes in linden consumption.
Stating that the linden plant has many benefits for human health, Akpolat said that it is harmful to brew the linden in boiling water for hours, and that the correct use is to take the water that reaches 80 degrees Celsius from the stove and put a handful of linden on it, waiting for a maximum of 10 minutes.
NOT EVERYTHING NATURAL IS HARMFUL
prof. Dr. Stating that everything natural is seen as harmless among the people, Akpolat said, “When the winter months are approached, linden is one of the most consumed products, especially in these months. It is consumed for its sedative and diuretic properties, to cure colds, to relieve cough and sputum, and to protect the immune system. Since it is consumed very often, some mistakes are made. If we use it correctly, we benefit from a high performance. But if there is a usage error, it will do more harm than good. Among the people, everything natural is seen as harmless. The linden we buy must be fresh and must be collected at the same time. There should be no powdery soil, especially in closed bags, and the linden should be used with its flowers and leaves.
IT SHOULD NOT BE BOILED FOR HOURS
prof. Dr. Saying that linden should not be boiled for hours, Akpolat said, “One of the mistakes made when we are going to brew the linden we have bought is to put it in cold water and boil it for hours. When we boil it for a long time, the amount of tannin in the linden goes into the water, the color starts to darken and becomes bitter. Now, the substances in the plant that we do not want and that may do more harm than good begin to pass into this water. We do not want the linden to boil for hours. What can be done here is to wash a pinch of linden with light water to purify it from dust and soil. Another misconception is that we drink herbal teas at over 100 degrees Celsius. When it is drunk in this way, laryngeal cancer and problems in the throat can be seen.
IT IS USED MUCH BECAUSE IT IS USEFUL
prof. Dr. Akpolat said that another mistake made is that linden is thought to be beneficial and that it is wrong to consume it in high amounts and said, “If we put the water we boiled at 80-90 degrees in a porcelain teapot or teapot together with the linden flowers and leaves, close the lid, wait for 2-3 minutes and strain it, it will have a calming effect. It is possible. It can be consumed in this way on work fatigue and stressful days. If it is kept for 5 minutes, its diuretic effect becomes prominent. If it is left for about 10 minutes, it will darken a little more and is used for cough and expectoration.
The teapot should not be repeatedly burned and boiled. If one of the mistakes is more, it is necessary not to consume 10 glasses of linden a day because it is very useful. Since these products will be filtered from the pastries later, they can also be harmful to the kidneys. In many studies, it may reveal differences in kidneys, rhythm increases and blood pressure measurements. Linden should be drunk without additives. Products such as lemon, ginger, honey, sugar should not be added to it. I recommend linden to be consumed plain. Each added product may cause a different problem. We recommend simply drinking 2-3 cups at the most,” he said.