Thai Sappan Wood Tea
“Sappan wood (Caesalpinia sappan)[1] is a tropical hardwood tree found in Southeast Asia. Sappan wood contains a water-soluble compound, which imparts a red color named brazilin. Sappan wood is utilized to produce dye for fabric and coloring agents for food and beverages, such as wine and meat. As a valuable medicinal plant, the tree is also known for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties.”[2]
My family in Thailand drinks this tea for the traditional use of blood purification. It can be enjoyed both hot or cold. My brother calls this ‘Red Stick’ tea.
I bought the tea during my fall visit to northern Thailand.
It is brewed throughout SE Asia, and has a variety of uses beyond the health benefits mentioned above, for example as a natural dye. You can see from the photos below the bright red colour it produces when steeped. The colour reminds me of hibiscus tea from Egypt, but it has a very mild flavour that I cannot equate to anything else.
A couple of sticks are simmered in water for several minutes (the wood can be reused several times) to develop the bright red colour. A good video about brewing this traditional tea has been uploaded on YouTube by OurLand, called How to make Indian red wood sappan tea. I recommend watching it.
I had not seen this tea served in Canada before, and because of the health benefits I thought it would be nice to share. You can purchase the wood online.
I hope you get to try it!
P.S. I’ve also tried making this with the addition of a cinnamon stick, which gives it a stronger flavour. Cinnamon also has several health benefits.[3]
[1] Biancaea sappan is the current scientific name for this flowering tree in the legume family. It is also known as sappanwood or Indian redwood. iNaturalist
[2] Vij T, Anil PP, Shams R, Dash KK, Kalsi R, Pandey VK, Harsányi E, Kovács B, Shaikh AM. (2023) A Comprehensive Review on Bioactive Compounds Found in Caesalpinia sappan. Molecules. 2023 Aug 25; 28(17):6247. doi: 10.3390/molecules28176247. PMID: 37687076; PMCID: PMC10488625.
[3] Petre, A. (2023) 12 Impressive Health Benefits of Cinnamon Tea. Healthline. Posted online July 20, 2023.
