# Comfrey tea???? for drinking



## Danaus29

Probably a pretty stupid question, I mean tea is tea right? But has anyone ever made comfrey tea for drinking? If so how did you make it and how did it taste? 

Yes I have read the reports about liver cancer, rats fed the extract of comfrey root which comprised 1/3 of their diet. I have also read reports that say a cup of tea or even several cups of tea a day are not harmful to human health and are even beneficial. 

So does anyone have any first hand experience? Please share your experience if you don't mind. Thanks a bunch.


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## SquashNut

i was just wondering the same thing, looked it up and found out about the cancer.


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## mekasmom

I am not an herbalist, so I don't know for sure, but I found these links. I would tend to believe naturalist type people before I believed the government's opinion or a pharmaceutical on a supplement.
http://herbalreleaf.com/herbal-tea-comfrey/102/
http://www.your-cup-of-tea.com/comfrey.html
http://herbs.lovetoknow.com/Comfrey_Tea


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## Danaus29

Thanks for the links. I could make the tea and use the leaves on my foot. I won't try too much at once. I don't want to have to run to the bathroom on crutches!

As far as external use goes, I've been using it on my broken foot for a little over a week now. Used it fresh the night after I broke it and daily since my doctor gave me a walking boot, boiled a couple times, lately I've been steaming it. He was shocked yesterday that I had so little pain in the area that I had been walking on that foot. I thought it was a _walking_ boot. :shrug: He said no, I need to stay off that foot. Only reason it was hurting last night was that I had the ace bandage around the poultice wrapped too tight.


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## Danaus29

I used 3 whole leaves, boiled a little water, dropped the leaves in, stirred then left steep for 20 minutes (got the time from one site which did have tea info on it). It made about half a cup so I put in a spoon and a half of sugar. The taste was not anything which would make me crave it but it wasn't horrible. I'll let you know if there are any nasty reactions.


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## motdaugrnds

Danaus29, "three" whole comfrey leaves? They are huge! (Wondering to self if Danaus29 will ever be on our forum again!)


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## mekasmom

Danaus29 said:


> I used 3 whole leaves, boiled a little water, dropped the leaves in, stirred then left steep for 20 minutes (got the time from one site which did have tea info on it). It made about half a cup so I put in a spoon and a half of sugar. The taste was not anything which would make me crave it but it wasn't horrible. I'll let you know if there are any nasty reactions.


I doubt you would have any reactions from the tea if you only use it once in a while. I am not a herbalist, so I can't say for sure, but I do doubt there will be an issue. Acetaminophen is deadly to the liver, but people take it all the time. As long as they don't over do it, and don't take it every day for a long time, they don't go into complete liver failure. I can't imagine a tea with a couple of leaves is going to be any worse than that. You are smart enough not to eat salads of the stuff.

I hope your foot is better soon.


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## goatsareus

when we first found out my husband had stomach cancer, I was making comfrey root tea by the half gallon. I would scrub, then finely chop the whole root and add the bits to simmering water and simmer about 5 minutes. Then strain the tea into a glass jar and store in the refrigerator. The taste was minimal and pleasant. You can drink it straight, hot or cold. It does have a consistency factor. The root is definitely slimy, but the tea is not. My husband drank gallons of the tea in the early stage of his cancer because he believed it helped coat the tumor in his stomach and protected his stomach from acid.


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## Danaus29

motdaugrnds, not 3 huge leaves, 3 little ones from near the top of the plant. No nasty reactions noted. 

mekasmom, exactly what I was thinking. So many "medicines" we take can have long term horrible effects if they are overdone or taken for an extended time period. 

goatsareus, I haven't tried the root yet. The one place I would be willing to dig the roots from is the one place I don't want anyone digging around it because some people can't tell plants from weeds. They can tell the comfrey by the leaves but I wouldn't trust them to bring me a comfrey root.


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## motdaugrnds

I just don't trust comfrey yet for human consumption. I planted some to bring nutrients up to my fruit trees; but that is about all I'm willing to do. I'm sure I'm overly cautious; however, "safe rather than sorry" is something I like as a baseline for anything I'm not REAL familiar with.


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## marinemomtatt

I mix Comfrey leaves in with my Nettle infusion sometimes. Two fists of Nettle two fingers of Comfrey leaf (from flowering plant) one qt. of water (steeped 4-8 hours, takes that long to get the medicinal benefit). I DO NOT use Comfrey daily, Nettle? yeah, sure, you betcha!
IMO the root should only be used externally, the majority of herbalists advise the same. The root can cause Liver congestion (congestion in hepatic veins).
Comfrey leaves can be eaten, battered and fried.


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## mekasmom

goatsareus said:


> My husband drank gallons of the tea in the early stage of his cancer because he believed it helped coat the tumor in his stomach and protected his stomach from acid.


Is your husband still living? If so, you may consider looking up Essiac Tea too. There's really not a lot alternative medicine can do after someone goes through heavy chemotherapy because it destroys the immune system, and that is how alternative medicine works, by supporting and encouraging the immune system to fight off cancer cells. But if you have someone who doesn't go the chemo route, a lot of alternative means help. Essiac Tea is wonderful for cancer patients.

[ame]http://www.google.com/search?q=essiac+tea&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-USfficial&client=firefox-a[/ame]

I mean, people can still use herbs, vitamins, and other therapies along with the regular western medical things, but it does work by using the body's own immune system. And if it is pretty much destroyed, it puts the person in a bad position.


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## ChristieAcres

Danaus29 said:


> Probably a pretty stupid question, I mean tea is tea right? But has anyone ever made comfrey tea for drinking? If so how did you make it and how did it taste?
> 
> *Yes, I drink Comfrey Infusion almost every day, just one 8oz glass, for over a year now & healthy as can be. I enjoy the taste hot or cold, put nothing in it. The type of Comfrey I use is Bocking14, never first growth leaves, but later growth leaves. I make it by the quart, Susun Weeds way. Google Susun Weed on YouTube and find out what she says about Comfrey Infusion (also can google her site). She is an Herbalist who has been drinking C I for 20 years with zero ill effects using late Spring leaves, never the roots, for her Infusions. BTW, tea is not just tea. Rooibus is the most highly anti-oxidant and beats out Green Tea.*
> 
> Yes I have read the reports about liver cancer, rats fed the extract of *comfrey root* which comprised 1/3 of their diet. I have also read reports that say a *cup of tea or even several cups of tea a day are not harmful to human health and are even beneficial. *
> 
> *Never use the root to make Comfrey Infusions OR Tea, as it contains PA's in much higher amounts, which can cause Liver damage. Even though I drink Comfrey Infusion, I will post every time that the FDA recommends against internal consumption due to this study. Also, BTW- if you noticed the sheer amount those rats were fed, you could just about interject anything and it would have caused ill effect. Who would eat 30% of their diet of any one thing? Yes, I put in bold what I have read and believe.*
> 
> So does anyone have any first hand experience? Please share your experience if you don't mind. Thanks a bunch.


*Just did. I have tried Comfrey cooked, but don't care for it. The Comfrey Infusion tastes like cucumbers to me. My chickens get 10% of their food in Comfrey. My rabbits get closer to 20%. All are healthy & happy! They are only fed Spring leaves/flowers/stalks, NEVER roots.*


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## Danaus29

I have no intention of eating the roots or making tea from them. Nada, zip, zero, zilch. And I don't think the leaves would be good to eat after being on my foot all night. I was going to drink the water which I used to heat the leaves last night but dh didn't explain that to dd and she dumped the water. Oh well. I have the Bocking 14 too. 

I'll have to check out susun weed. It's not like I can do much besides set on the couch and play on the computer.


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## TroutRiver

I would not recommend taking comfrey for any kind of cancer. Comfrey promotes cellular regeneration, which makes it great for injuries, bruises, burns, sores, etc. But be careful using it for serious infections, tumors, etc, as it can encourage/help the growth of those cells, too. 

Danaus29 - instead of drinking tea, try wrapping your hurt foot in comfrey leaves under your ace wrap. It will be prickly and uncomfortable at first, but believe me, it works wonders! Or if you can dig up some fresh root, make a STRONG "tea" out of the fresh root (it gets really slimy) and soak your foot in it.


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## Danaus29

I have been using the leaves on my foot. I don't like using the fresh leaves because they prickle too much and I can't pound them enough to soften the leaves. I've been experimenting with different ways to soften the leaves and read several different accounts of how people have used the leaves. Some sites say to steam, some boil, some use raw but blended (lost part of my blender so I can't do that). So far to me it seems the ones soaked in boiling water work the best. 

I really wouldn't want the tea the way susun weed does. The floaters would gag me, bleh.


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## marinemomtatt

Floaters?

The Comfrey prickly doesn't go away once its dried, I have to wear gloves when I'm putting the dried leaves in the jars.
I need to harvest my flowering plants but the bees and bumble bees are loving the flowers and who am I to deprive them...~lol~...


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## motdaugrnds

This is my first year to grow Comfrey. These were the "Blocking 14" I purchased from Lorichristie. I don't plan on doing anything with them this year but nurture them and let them develop as best they can. At the moment one is about 3 ft tall (with same spread); but the others are still less than a foot tall. 

My plans are to use them for poultice (on humans), mulch/fertilizer and to bring nutrients up to fruiting plants. Am interested in watching how they do throughout the different seasons.


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## ChristieAcres

marinemomtatt said:


> Floaters?
> 
> *+1 (????) I prepare my Comfrey Infusion the same as I do any other herbal infusion, then pour it through a metal mesh coffee strainer, drink a cup while still warm, then put the rest in the fridge. I dump the strainer contents in the compost bucket. The term "floaters" has me curious, too. *
> 
> The Comfrey prickly doesn't go away once its dried, I have to wear gloves when I'm putting the dried leaves in the jars.
> 
> *I don't wear gloves when harvesting it, never thought about it as it doesn't bother my hands. It must be a skin issue as my hands aren't very calloused.*
> 
> 
> I need to harvest my flowering plants but the bees and bumble bees are loving the flowers and who am I to deprive them...~lol~...


It is great harvesting, except I also feel for the bees, so harvest sporadically, never all at once. I find Comfrey in bloom rather pretty and miss it, after harvesting. 

Side note- When Comfrey is boiled, the Allontoin is destroyed. That is the healing compound! Most faster heat prepared Salves/Oils are ineffective due to this, as the temps got too high in their processing.


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## Danaus29

susun weed used the powdered dried leaves and boiling water but never said if she strained the powdered leaves out. If you don't strain you have floaters.

Well pfooey! Boiling does destroy the allantoin! BAH! Where's the blender???? Also says flowering tops have the most allantoins at 4.7% and roots have more than the leaves. I have to have some sort of processor or chopper somewhere around here. If nothing else I could just chop the stems real fine with a paring knife.

That's what I love about this site. So many different views. I learn so much from people here!


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## marinemomtatt

I make my infusions in a French Press. I prefer to work with whole herbs then lightly break up prior to use. Keeps the 'goody' in the stored herb better and longer. (don't buy cut and sifted medicinals)

When I make a salve with Comfrey I use the double boiler method with real LOW heat. It may take a couple days but its better than doing it the solar method only to find goo growing on top. (sometimes I'll take several days to make the salve, adding new herb every few hours)


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## ChristieAcres

When I prepare Infusions, I use whole herbs, also! Also, I make Comfrey Infusions by the quart, and my French Press is 1/2 quart. So, I use a glass pitcher, pour boiling water in, cover, and four hours later, I pour it through a metal mesh coffee strainer into another glass pitcher. I use fresh Comfrey which I have grown myself. In the Winter, I use my own dried Comfrey, as well. All other teas/infusions I grow my own herbs for, except for Nettles, which I get from Romysbaskets here on HT. 

I use a 5 week cold infusion process to make my Comfrey Oil and then prepare my Comfrey Salve using it. I have tried the other heat method (double boiler) and found the longer method produces a superior Infused Oil. Since it takes so much longer, I make larger quantities.


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## God_blessed

Danaus29 said:


> Probably a pretty stupid question, I mean tea is tea right? But has anyone ever made comfrey tea for drinking? If so how did you make it and how did it taste?
> 
> Yes I have read the reports about liver cancer, rats fed the extract of comfrey root which comprised 1/3 of their diet. I have also read reports that say a cup of tea or even several cups of tea a day are not harmful to human health and are even beneficial.
> 
> So does anyone have any first hand experience? Please share your experience if you don't mind. Thanks a bunch.


Yes, I drink comfry tea out of dried leaves only (root to potent). I was diagnosed with chrons disease with Irritable bowel syndrome in 2010 and suffered all up to about a week ago. 3 surgeries and believing that I was just going to die from something that no one can say where it came from or no known way to fight back. I tried the chemotherapy type of treatment and should have already had my next surgery due to severe flare up for past two years. Was admitted twice in less than 5 months because they thought it would not fix itself. We were juicing only (mean green recipe) and it helped to keep me ok but the pain was so bad I had to start smoking pot just to be able to not just cry the whole time I was awake.
I dried my comfry leaves and use about 1"X3" piece cut up with lemon, ginger, ginseng, mint tea. I steep it for at least 10-15 minutes and add local honey 1 1/2 tablespoon and put into travel mug and drink throughout the day.
I had swelling and discomfort in my stomach, gut, and rectum. After 3 days of tea I'm not nauseous every day, hemorrhoids are completely gone, I can eat without crying after, I ate white pepper and peppers and I wasn't affected at all. Chilli didn't keep me up all night and I am now having bowel movements without crying, bleeding.
This is an amazing plant that seems to work at reversing inflammation that no drugs on the market could fix.
I was in a desperate situation and decided to take a chance on this plant.
A lot of natural medicine shops have teas with comfy you might be able to find it there if not get roots online pretty cheap because seeds take 2 years to germinate.
I pray many get healed from this post in Jesus name I pray, Amen


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## wdcutrsdaughter

Susun Weed hosted a Comfrey Conference last May - it is still available at her site, wise woman school . com

it was a three day event with speakers and video shorts, I haven't finished it yet, once you purchase (it was free for a period of time) it always remains in your account on the website, so you can go back to it whenever you want.


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