Quality Ingredients
Our 14 teas include over 140 herbal ingredients for a wide variety of flavors and aromas. We use fresh, pure, natural roots, bark, wood, stems, leaves, flowers, seeds, and fruits and nothing else. We insist upon growing and sourcing the highest quality herbs available in a sustainable manner and do not compromise on these standards. Our teas contain 100% pure dried herbs with no extracts, fillers, additives, chemicals, or preservatives. We favor certified organic herbs when possible and work with a small groups of farmers, herbalists, and a handful of herbs and spice companies who we trust and have relied upon for years. We process many of the herbs ourselves to ensure the freshest and highest qualities ingredients available.
No Flavorings or Additives
Many of big tea companies add natural and artificial flavorings to their teas. This gives tea an unnatural, processed, and perfumey taste and aroma. Often such flavorings are added to mask the flavor of low quality tea or herbs. Herbal extracts are used by many organic companies whose products are purported to be “all natural.” Such extracts are in fact, not natural, but the result of processing which is not necessary if high-quality herbs are used. They are really not much different than "natural flavorings" added to processed foods. Like chemical and natural flavorings, they can increase flavor and potency of low quality herbs. But many subtle nuances of flavor and many natural healing properties are lost in the process. During the extraction process, certain constituents are isolated and concentrated while others are left behind. Though centuries of use have taught people the properties of many useful herbs, when herbs are processed by such unnatural means, we do not know what the effects will be. Fresh herbs do not require extraction to enhance their taste or effects.
Traditional Ayurvedic Herbs
We rely on some of the traditional Ayurvedic Indian herbs, but in many cases substitute available Western herbs. Ayurveda classifies herbs by their flavor, their hot or cold energy, their actions, and other principles for use in healing. The Ayurvedic system of herbology may be applied to all herbs and not just those grown in India. Ayurveda has traditionally made use of many herbs grown outside India for thousands of years (like cloves and nutmeg).
Siddhi Tea uses certified organic or Virginia-grown Indian Ayurvedic herbs. There are still relatively few, high quality Ayurveda herbs available in the West. Though there are surely many Ayurvedic herbs with unique and remarkable healing properties, there are many great herbs Native to or Naturalized in North America as well. We favor the use of local herbs when possible, prepared according to the traditional Ayurvedic methods.
Due to the threat of extinction for many of the traditional Ayurvedic herbs in their natural habitats on account of reckless over-harvesting in India, it is not always possible to use traditional Indian herbs in good conscience. When buying herbs from India, the only way to ensure purity and sustainable harvest is to demand certified organic herbs.
Siddhi Tea uses certified organic or Virginia-grown Indian Ayurvedic herbs. There are still relatively few, high quality Ayurveda herbs available in the West. Though there are surely many Ayurvedic herbs with unique and remarkable healing properties, there are many great herbs Native to or Naturalized in North America as well. We favor the use of local herbs when possible, prepared according to the traditional Ayurvedic methods.
Due to the threat of extinction for many of the traditional Ayurvedic herbs in their natural habitats on account of reckless over-harvesting in India, it is not always possible to use traditional Indian herbs in good conscience. When buying herbs from India, the only way to ensure purity and sustainable harvest is to demand certified organic herbs.
Purity
We insist upon a very high level of purity for our herbs. Herbs which are impure may be toxic. The flavor and aroma will be tainted and their toxic effects will obviously undermine any health benefits. We prefer whenever possible to work with people we know and trust and source many herbs from local sources we can visit and inspect. We purchase all herbs which have been important from India from companies we trust, who can document that their herbs are free from contamination and have been tested and certified for purity according to FDA standards. Whether herbs are farmed or wild harvested, we insist that they be pure and free from contamination. We endeavor to maintain a high standard of purity from chemical fertilizers, pesticides, impurities, additives, and other contaminants.
Organics
Though many of are ingredients are certified organic, as listed in our ingredients lists on our packaging, we do not necessarily favor certified organic herbs. Herbs which are not fresh will have little potency despite their certification as organic. Though there are many commercial sources for organic cardamom, for example, we have opted to buy our cardamom from one small local purveyor specializing in gourmet spices for its unparalleled freshness. Though their cardamom is not certified organic, we are confident that it is pure and it is many times fresher and more potent than any organic cardamom commercially available. Their product is considerably more expensive than other sources, but its quality is the best. Our wild harvested herbs cannot be certified as organic, because they are not cultivated. We have grown and worked with many small local farmers who grow herbs specifically for us with great care and attention on a small scale. Few people realize how expensive it is to get produce certified as organic. The process is prohibitively expensive for most small farmers. This does not mean that the herbs that they grow do not meet the standards for organic certification, only that their products are not certified. We discuss our specific standards of purity and discuss methods of fertilization, pest control, and others concerns with all of the growers and companies we deal with.
Working with People we Know and Trust
Though we are growing more and more of our own herbs, so we can have greater control over every aspect of production, it is still not possible for us to grow all of our herbs. When necessary, we like using local sources for several reasons. Ayurveda teaches that using the herbs that grow in the area where a person lives is best, because locally grown herbs will always be fresher and using the local herbs connects a people to the healing power of nature in the place where they live. For this reason, herbs grown in North America will generally be more effective for Americans than herbs grown in India. Also we like working with people who we know and see frequently, because we know they are honest and reliable and we can ensure that they maintain the standards they claim. Also, we can continually actively influence them toward higher standards for their products.
We like working with small farmers when possible, and in some cases this is necessary to source the special herbs we use in our tea range. The Karpura variety of Tulsi, is not yet commercially available, and so we have grown this herb ourselves and have several local farmers growing it also. We like to support small local farmers growing herbs with love whenever possible. We value their efforts much more than the documentation possessed by many larger companies who do not produce their herbs with the same care and attention.
We like working with people we know. Eva, from Left Fork Farm in West Virginia grows wonderful tulsi (Holy basil). Her product is so much fresher and more fragrant than anything available from stores or herb companies. And its aroma is so fresh and uplifting. We get extremely excited whenever we get a new batch of herbs from her. We are convinced that it would be difficult to find any better product available anywhere in the world than what she grows.
We like working with small farmers when possible, and in some cases this is necessary to source the special herbs we use in our tea range. The Karpura variety of Tulsi, is not yet commercially available, and so we have grown this herb ourselves and have several local farmers growing it also. We like to support small local farmers growing herbs with love whenever possible. We value their efforts much more than the documentation possessed by many larger companies who do not produce their herbs with the same care and attention.
We like working with people we know. Eva, from Left Fork Farm in West Virginia grows wonderful tulsi (Holy basil). Her product is so much fresher and more fragrant than anything available from stores or herb companies. And its aroma is so fresh and uplifting. We get extremely excited whenever we get a new batch of herbs from her. We are convinced that it would be difficult to find any better product available anywhere in the world than what she grows.
Sustainable Wild-harvesting
For a few herbs, for which there no are commercial sources, we wild-craft sustainably from the Mountains in Virginia and West Virginia according to the traditional methods of Ayurveda. The ancient Ayurvedic texts proscribe very strict instructions for selecting and harvesting herbs from the wild which include fasting and other spiritual disciplines before entering the forest.
Certified Organic herbs are not always purest or best, but when there is not a better source, this official certification is the best alternative to personally checking on the farms where our herbs are grown. In certain cases our herbs are sustainably wild-harvested. We do not favor this method unless we do the wild-harvesting ourselves, and we encourage the cultivation of herbs for commercial use. We have relied upon commercially available, wild-harvested herbs in a few cases when necessary.
To really understand our exacting standard of selecting the highest quality herbs available, a person must taste our teas. Whatever our source, we go to great lengths to ensure that our teas are made from the highest quality herbs available for the best possible flavor and effects to support peace, health, and happiness.
Certified Organic herbs are not always purest or best, but when there is not a better source, this official certification is the best alternative to personally checking on the farms where our herbs are grown. In certain cases our herbs are sustainably wild-harvested. We do not favor this method unless we do the wild-harvesting ourselves, and we encourage the cultivation of herbs for commercial use. We have relied upon commercially available, wild-harvested herbs in a few cases when necessary.
To really understand our exacting standard of selecting the highest quality herbs available, a person must taste our teas. Whatever our source, we go to great lengths to ensure that our teas are made from the highest quality herbs available for the best possible flavor and effects to support peace, health, and happiness.