Dr Stuart talks herbs, health and hangovers.

Many of us have used a dock leaf to treat a nettle sting or sipped a cup of chamomile tea to help sleep, but the health benefits of the plant kingdom have been supported and promoted most decisively by Dr Malcolm Stuart, PhD. Dubbed ‘The Father of Modern Herbalism' as a result of his worldwide contributions to the subject of herbs, his range of teas use herbs of only the highest medicinal quality. So what sparked his interest in herbalism? What makes a great cup of tea? And how can herbal tea help us detox after Christmas? Dr Stuart talks herbs, health and hangovers with The Good Web Guide.

It says on your website that you converted from pure science after observing first hand the traditional role of plants in rural medicine in Central Africa. What was that role and why did it make such an impression upon you?

After medical college, I travelled to central Africa to set up a virus teaching unit, and spent a lot of time working in the bush. My ‘conversion', if you like, came from the Africans' glorious white teeth - and yet not a tube of toothpaste in sight! They used twigs from a certain type of bush to clean their teeth. In the laboratory we found that what was in these twigs killed the bacteria in the mouth and helped give them those happy, healthy smiles. It was this discovery that finally opened the door to a totally new world for me, one based around man's relationship with plants, and their health benefits to him.

What prompted you to start creating herbal teas?

It was quite serendipitous really. I'd just written an encyclopedia on herbs and herbalism and was contacted by a man in the tea business who wanted my opinion on whether herbal teas had the potential to take off in this country. I supported the idea and he created a successful business out of it. Later, he started to suffer from anxiety and high blood pressure. I treated him at my herbal clinic in Cambridge with a simple formulation based on herbs like limeflower, hawthorn and yarrow. Within six months, he showed good improvement. This led to me lending my name led to a range of herbal and fruit teas with real health benefits.

You go to great lengths to ensure that your herbal teas are free from pesticides, fertiliser residues and other contaminants. What does that process involve and why is it so important?

Right from the start, we decided we would need to take a high position on the quality of the raw ingredients that went into the teas. That meant only using plants which conformed to internationally recognised standards laid down in the ‘bible' of drugs, a book known as the Pharmacopoeia. This means that the herbs we use are good enough to be used in medicines, and ensures they pass the most stringent quality controls. We call them ‘Active Botanicals' and you'll only find them in our teas.

Why does drinking herbal tea improve our general health?

Firstly, most doctors would agree that we don't generally drink enough fluids, especially water, during the day. Drinking cups of herbal tea is therefore a good way of getting fluid into your body. Secondly, herbal teas may provide numerous micro-nutrients required to help maintain the overall health of the body, acting in a way as necessary "supplements" to our normal food intake. Medical opinion would also say that overstimulation from caffeine isn't a good thing. Far better to have something like a fruit or herbal tea to leave you feeling uplifted and reinvigorated completely naturally.

Is there a particular type of herbal tea that should be drunk every day or should you mix them up?

Herbal tea is a very personal thing, and as with other drinks, it is often a matter of taste. However, with our increasing awareness of personal health many people now know which herbs to choose for personal reasons: those with a more delicate stomach may prefer fennel or peppermint to help them; nettle tea is a good all-round tonic which helps to flush out the system and also strengthens hair and nails; and of course tasty chamomile is a favourite for everyday use.

Most people will have overindulged over Christmas and New Year. What detox regime would you recommend to help your body recover?

Don't be tempted to try all-out detoxing, which can be pretty drastic and not always kind to the body. Start off by thinking about your overall fluid intake and ensuring you are drinking enough water. Eat plenty of fruit and fibre and try to do some sort of exercise every day, even if just a brisk walk. Supplement this simple approach with a herbal regime that flushes the system with diuretics such as dandelion and cornsilk. It's worth remembering that detoxing is helped by slightly stimulating the system so ginger, peppers and other "warming" herbs can be introduced too. Echinacea and ginsengs in a detox routine help fight off any infections and maintain maximal body function.

Which are the most important herbs for the health of the liver and why?

Milk thistle is undoubtedly the best herb to help look after the liver and is often referred to as a liver ‘tonic'. This tall, spiny plant with white-veined leaves is rich in a very useful substance called silymarin, which actually helps regenerate the liver cells and can protect against poisoning from alcohol and other harmful substances. Artichoke leaf has a similar, though less powerful direct action on liver cells, and helps liver function and efficiency. Its use goes back to the days of Roman Festivals in which it was taken before the excesses of wine drinking. Other liver protective herbs include yellow dock root, dandelion root and leaf, boldo from South America and restharrow - a favourite in France.

How do you work out which plant or herb is best for what? For example - why is wild nettle good for cleansing the body of impurities, or peppermint good for digestion?

The reasons why certain herbs act in certain ways depends mostly upon their intrinsic chemistry and on the ways in which these substances interact with our own body functions, both in health and in illness. Although these actions can be complex, the benefits of many herbs are well documented and explained in numerous good modern publications, and can also be explained by senior staff in most health food outlets. Additionally, detailed advice on herbs and blends most suited to an individual can be obtained by consulting a qualified herbal practitioner.

Which is your favourite herbal tea and why?

Having spent many years in Africa it's not surprising that my overall personal favourite tea is of African origin - made from the Honey Bush, which is a shrubby plant with honey scented flowers looking rather like those of the broad bean or sweet pea. A second favourite is sage tea, made from simple garden sage. This has a strong medicinal flavour which I have found especially strengthening and protective when working physically and mentally very hard, and to which I add a small proportion of delicious and warming ginger root!

What process and considerations go into making a new blend?

Coming up with new blends depends partly on what consumers are looking for from their cup of herbal tea; in recent years, we've seen a move towards teas that can help you lose weight and detoxing is very big at the moment. Then there are specific health concerns that people have, such as protection and relief from colds and ‘flu. We've recently introduced blends like Liver Detox with herbs like milk thistle to help with the liver, Wild Nettle which is good for all-round cleansing and very nutritious, and Throat Relief with soothing herbs to help combat the rawness of a sore throat. Recently we've also brought back Cranberry & Raspberry tea for the sole reason that people missed it!

Interview by Emily Jenkinson

To find out more and to buy Dr Stuart's herbal teas, visit Drstuarts.com.