I may receive a commission if you purchase through links in this post. I am not a doctor; please consult your practitioner before changing your supplement or healthcare regimen.
Herbal Tea Gummies are delicious, refreshing and satisfying. This gummy snack is simply a gelatinized version of tea: ginger, fennel or mint — so super gentle and easy to make, but yummy and fun. Perfect for Stage 1 of the GAPS diet and the elimination phase of the AIP diet … and beyond! They’re truly fun and delicious for anyone on any diet.
The need for Herbal Tea Gummies
I love meeting with folks on extreme healing diets. Praises for all of the effort, heart and hope involved with this serious commitment!
When a client or her children are struggling on the GAPS Introduction Diet, especially during Stage 1, or a mama’s having a hard time keeping everyone fed, one of the challenges is having snacks!
For those new to the AIP diet, same thing, what to eat? What to snack on?
Stage 1 of the GAPS Introduction Diet is basically just soup and tea. I always encourage plenty of fats, meats and winter squash/carrots/beets in the soups to help everyone feel full and nourished. (Here are some of my other tips for succeeding on GAPS Intro.)
But kids (and adults) often feel the need for something sweet … and a bit of variety where texture and temperature are involved.
For GAPS, tea is allowed between meals: honey-sweetened ginger tea is the most common/recommended.
This snack is simply a gelatinized version of the tea.
The gelatin helps to heal the gut. The tea is gentle.
GAPS and AIP snacks for kids and adults
The gummy bear and worm-shaped molds make the treat extra special for kids. (Find them here.)
The amount of gelatin in Herbal Tea Gummies makes them candy-like, and the amount of honey used is up to your discretion. (But I do give some advice and variations on this in the Recipe notes below.)
Make one recipe of these treats, up to 3 flavors!, and keep them in a mason jar in the fridge.
They’ll help everyone to feel more satisfied in the early days of deprivation, struggle and perseverance!
Keep up the good work! It’s leading somewhere good …
Herbal Tea Gummies for GAPS Introduction Diet and AIP
Ingredients
- 2 cups filtered water
- ½ cup gelatin see link below for discount in Recipe notes
- up to 3 tablespoons honey see Recipe notes below for quantity of sweetener, or sweeten to taste
- 2 ginger tea bags or 2 tablespoons grated/minced fresh ginger root (from about 3" of root)
- 1 licorice/fennel/anise tea bag or 2 teaspoons fennel seed
- 2 peppermint tea bags or 4 large sprigs fresh peppermint or spearmint (or 20-30 leaves of varying sizes)
Instructions
- Place 4 empty gummy molds (see link below for gummy molds) on 1-2 large cookie sheet(s). Make room in fridge for 1-2 cookie sheets. (You can use just one cookie sheet if you stack the molds 2 on the bottom and 2 on top.)
- Add water to large saucepan.
- Sprinkle gelatin over water. Stir in with fork. Allow to bloom for several minutes.
- Set out three large mugs, bowls or heat-proof cups. Add 2 ginger tea bags to one cup, 2 peppermint tea bags (or fresh mint) to second cup and reserve fennel/licorice.
- Place saucepan over medium heat, stirring continually until water is steaming hot and all gelatin is completely dissolved.
- Ladle ¾ cup hot water into each mug with tea bags. Add sweetener to all three mugs, but don't yet stir in. (See Recipe notes for how much sweetener to add.) Add fennel seeds to remaining gelatin water in pan, and keep pan over low heat. Allow all herbs to steep 10 minutes.
- Remove tea bags from each mug, or fresh herbs, and squeeze out any extra water. (If using fresh ginger, strain through fine mesh strainer pressing on solids.)
- Pour fennel seed water through a strainer into final cup with honey to remove solids.
- Stir honey into each mug, so it completely dissolves.
- Use the dropper that came with gummy molds to distribute three gummy flavors into gummy molds.
- Transfer cookie sheet(s) with gummy molds to fridge for minimum of 3 hours.
- Once gelled, unmold gummies. Serve or store in sealed containers in fridge. I like to use wide-mouth, quart-size mason jars for storage. Enjoy!
Notes
Gelatin *Discount*
- Use this link for a 10% discount at Checkout. Enter the code BEAUTIFUL10.
How much sweetener?
- You can use up to 1 Tablespoon honey for each flavor. This will make a gummy that's pretty sweet, but still tastes healthy.
- If you prefer the gummies to be less sweet, try adding 1-2 teaspoons honey and then tasting, remembering that the liquid tastes sweeter than the firm gummy.
- If you are fighting candida (or have other reasons) and want to use no sweetener, that's fine.
You might also enjoy:
- Any Fruit Juice Jello with Gelatin (can use raw juice)
Nutrition
Need more help on GAPS Intro? Read about Vitamin U and Zinc Carnosine here and the profound help they can provide.
Phasing into GAPS-legal baked goods? Check out my cookbook (eCookbook here), with a unique approach to GAPS baking, that prioritizes *digestion and *healing with every recipe. (Hard copy here.)
Emily @ Recipes to Nourish says
Those gummy molds are too cute! I’ve got to get those for my kiddos, my youngest will LOVE them and hopefully my oldest will try some too. The flavor of these sounds lovely!
Megan Stevens says
I’m amazed that even my 16-year-old loves gummies. Something about those shapes is so appealing to kids of all ages. Thank you, Emily!
Naomi says
Love the idea of making gummies with tea!
Megan Stevens says
Me too. Thank you, Naomi!
Melissa @RealNutritiousLiving says
I really need to be making these for my little. Thank you for sharing!
Megan Stevens says
You’re welcome, Melissa. Great!
linda spiker says
These are so cute! And what a great treat to work into the GAPS program!
Megan Stevens says
Thanks, Linda! Treats that don’t cheat are definitely an acceptable form of bribery/encouragement to help families and individuals succeed, in my book!
thefoodhunter says
What a great treat. I will be making these for snacks
Megan Stevens says
Great, so glad to hear! Even my teenagers can’t get enough of them. 🙂
Julia says
Such a fun looking recipe! Honestly, they look way better the the store-bought bright red, green and blue gummies.
Megan Stevens says
Yes, so true. Thank you, Julia!
Carol @studiobotanica says
These gummies sound like something I would love to try. Making with herbal tea? Well you just know that has ME written all over it. Thanks Megan as always for your creative ideas!
Megan Stevens says
Thanks, Carol! It’s so great to make gummies with herbal tea! Multiple benefits and easy.
Sarah Nicholson says
I am on the gaps diet and this sounds great, but I have a few questions. What if you only have regular gelatin packages? Is that okay or are there substitutes?
Megan says
Hi Sarah, it’s okay to use regular gelatin packets, but when they run out, it will be better to buy gelatin from a company that cares about how they raise the cattle or other animal that the gelatin comes from. Packets from companies like Knox may have compounds like MSG in them, + support really bad animal husbandry practices, so not good for our health, the animals or the environment. But the packets will work in this recipe. You can just measure out the amount needed from the packets.
Tanya says
Was wondering how this would be modified to use a premade juice? How much juice to gelatin ratio?
I’m also seeing that my tea bags aren’t steeping very well into the 3/4 gelatin. Is there anything I can do to help this?
I also saw that you noted about Knox gelatin. I had no idea so I’m going to be purchasing the one you recommended! Thank you for sharing the knowledge
Megan says
Hi Tanya, 1 cup of fruit juice to 2 tablespoons of gelatin. For this recipe, the gelatin amount is 1/2 cup, not 3/4; could that be your problem, or did you multiply it on purpose? Another method if you prefer would be to make the tea ahead of time, let it cool, then use it as the “water” in the recipe before adding the gelatin. I’m so glad you’ll now order well sourced gelatin and that that was helpful information. 🙂