Recently I bought one of the most famous brands of bag teas. I think it is the first time I did this! The quality was supreme, but the price was way too high also! And I wondered, ‘is it worth it?’

Globalization made access to a variety of herbs and spices easier. Different ingredients with exotic names can be put into your mug for you to enjoy. Appropriate packaging protects all these valuable herbs, and stamps verify their safety and high quality through tests for heavy metals and that confirm their organic production, etc.

Even though I am a millennial, I know that some traditional ways are irreplaceable. And as my Yiayia Evropi said, “the easier is more expensive”. It is true. Personal contacts like farmers always provide you with the best. But what can you do in big cities?

Go organic! Most herbs are easy to cultivate in organic or sustainable ways. If it is not organic, maybe it has pesticides or herbicides (even at allowed levels, they should be avoided).

Find your source. Buying herbs that come in bags is totally different than purchasing in bulk. Plus you create a huge waste of ‘tea bags’. You definitely have a store or a farmers market near you, but you haven’t noticed yet! Spot it!

Store appropriately – high quality dried herbs and spices can stay fresh for four-five years, if stored correctly. Store them in airtight glass jars away from heat, temperature fluctuations, and direct sunlight (place them in a cabinet).

Be informed! Read about how to use the herbs correctly and look in my columns for  the most delicious and healing uses!

* The above is not medical advice but mere suggestions for improving your diet. Before reach herbal use you should consult your doctor, especially those who have health issues, are pregnant or are under the age of 6.

Evropi-Sofia Dalampira holds a PhD in Agricultural Economics and an MSc in Botany-Biology.