Loose-leaf hemp tea and blends

What hemp tea is

Hemp tea is made from the dried leaves of the hemp plant (Cannabis sativa). Hemp and cannabis come from the same plant species, but hemp tea is made without THC, the psychoactive substance in cannabis. Like other herbal teas it does not come from the tea plant, so pure hemp tea is naturally caffeine-free.

Pure hemp or a blend

Hemp tea comes in two forms. Pure hemp tea is just the dried leaf. A blend mixes hemp with other ingredients, and the hemp teas in this category include blends with apple, rooibos and green tea. What goes into the blend makes a real difference: rooibos adds a round, sweet note, apple a fruity one, and green tea brings some caffeine with it. The ingredients list on each product tells you exactly what is in your cup.

What it tastes like

Hemp leaf gives a green, herbal flavour with a slightly spicy edge, and many varieties leave a faint tingle on the tongue. That spice and tingle are exactly what fans of hemp tea like about it, but they are not to everyone's taste. If you are trying it for the first time, a blend is a softer introduction: the apple or rooibos rounds off the spice. Because pure hemp tea has no caffeine, it suits the evening as well as the afternoon; a blend with green tea is better kept for earlier in the day.

How to make hemp tea

Make it as you would most herbal teas. Put a heaped teaspoon of leaves per mug in an infuser or teapot, pour on freshly boiled water and leave it to steep for about five minutes. Taste it and give it a little longer if you like it stronger. A fine mesh infuser works best, because crumbled leaf slips through a coarse strainer. If your blend contains green tea, let the kettle stand for a minute or two before you pour, because boiling water brings out bitterness in green tea. Hemp tea takes a little honey well, and it works cold too: brew it strong, let it cool and pour it over ice.

Before you try it

If you take regular medication, check with your GP or pharmacist before you drink hemp tea. If you are allergic to hemp, give it a miss.

Storing hemp tea

Keep the leaves in a closed tin or jar, away from light, heat and damp. Store them away from coffee and spices too, because dried leaves pick up the smell of whatever sits next to them. Hemp leaves are light and dry, so reseal the pack after each use rather than leaving it open on the shelf.

More herbal teas

If you like the rooibos in a hemp blend, have a look at our rooibos tea. For other caffeine-free cups, browse our herbal teas, or see our green tea and the full range of teas.