In the growing market for organic herbal teas, one product has quietly built a dedicated following among health-conscious consumers across Europe: Bio Jiaogulan Tee from Bioherby. This single-ingredient tea, made from the leaves of Gynostemma pentaphyllum, represents a fascinating intersection of traditional Asian herbalism and modern organic agriculture.
The story behind Bioherby
Founded in 2014, Bioherby is a Netherlands-based herbal tea brand that has carved out a niche in the specialty tea market. The company's focus is remarkably singular: bringing high-quality, organically certified Jiaogulan to European consumers. Unlike many tea brands that offer dozens of blends and varieties, Bioherby has chosen to specialize, positioning itself as an authority on this particular plant.
The brand operates primarily through its online shop at bioherby.de, serving customers throughout Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and other EU countries.
What is Jiaogulan?
Before examining the product itself, it helps to understand the plant at its center. Jiaogulan (Gynostemma pentaphyllum) is a climbing vine from the Cucurbitaceae family—the same botanical family that includes cucumbers and melons. Native to the mountainous regions of southern China, northern Vietnam, and parts of Thailand, the plant has been used in traditional medicine for centuries.
In German-speaking countries, Jiaogulan is often called „Kraut der Unsterblichkeit" (herb of immortality), a nickname that stems from stories about communities in southern China where regular consumption of the plant was associated with unusual longevity. While such claims remain anecdotal, they have contributed to the plant's mystique and commercial appeal in Western markets.
What sets Jiaogulan apart from many other herbal teas is its chemical profile. The plant contains gypenosides, a class of saponin compounds that are structurally similar to the ginsenosides found in ginseng. This has led some to call Jiaogulan "poor man's ginseng" or "southern ginseng," though it belongs to an entirely different plant family.
From Thai mountains to European teacups
Bioherby sources its Jiaogulan from the mountainous regions of northern Thailand, where the climate and altitude create favorable growing conditions. According to the company, the tea comes from small-scale organic farms that practice traditional cultivation methods.
The production process is deliberately minimal:
- Hand harvesting: Workers pick the leaves by hand, selecting mature leaves while allowing younger growth to continue developing.
- Gentle drying: Rather than high-heat processing, the leaves are shade-dried or dried at low temperatures to preserve their natural compounds.
- Minimal processing: The dried leaves are cleaned and cut for use as loose tea, with no roasting, flavoring, or blending with other ingredients.
The result is a product with a single ingredient: 100% dried Jiaogulan leaves.
Organic certification and quality standards
One of Bioherby's key selling points is its organic certification. The tea carries certification from a Thai organic control body (designated with codes such as TH-BIO or TH-ORG on the packaging), indicating compliance with organic farming standards that prohibit synthetic pesticides and herbicides.
Beyond organic certification, Bioherby emphasizes several quality control measures:
- Laboratory testing for pesticide residues and contaminants
- Batch-level analysis for microbiological safety
- Single-origin sourcing from identified farm partners
- Traceability through batch numbers on each package
For consumers concerned about the provenance and purity of their herbal products, these measures offer a degree of transparency that mass-market teas often lack.
Brewing and tasting
Preparing Bio Jiaogulan Tee follows the conventions of most herbal infusions, though with a few specific recommendations. The company suggests using water that is hot but not quite boiling—around 80-90°C—and steeping the leaves for several minutes. One distinctive feature of Jiaogulan is that the same leaves can be infused multiple times, with each subsequent brew revealing slightly different flavor notes.
As for the taste experience, Jiaogulan offers something quite different from more familiar herbal teas like chamomile or peppermint. The flavor profile is often described as:
- Mildly sweet with subtle bitter undertones
- Herbaceous and slightly grassy
- Fresh and vegetal, sometimes compared to young spinach leaves
The brewed tea produces a light to medium-golden liquor, depending on steeping time. It's naturally caffeine-free, making it suitable for evening consumption or for those avoiding stimulants.
A word on health claims
Any discussion of Jiaogulan inevitably touches on its purported health benefits. Traditional use in Asia has associated the plant with various wellness properties, and modern research has investigated its gypenoside content for potential effects on metabolism, cardiovascular health, and stress response.
However, it's important to maintain perspective. Bioherby, like other responsible producers, includes disclaimers noting that its tea is a food product, not a medicine. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Consumers with medical conditions or those taking medications should consult healthcare professionals before adding concentrated herbal products to their routine.
European food law is strict about health claims, and Bioherby navigates this by presenting Jiaogulan's traditional use and scientific interest without making therapeutic promises.
Practical considerations
Bio Jiaogulan Tee is available in various package sizes through the Bioherby online shop, typically in resealable pouches designed to protect the tea from light and moisture. Storage recommendations are straightforward: keep the tea in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.
Pricing positions the product in the premium segment of the herbal tea market, reflecting its organic certification, single-origin sourcing, and specialized nature. For consumers accustomed to supermarket tea prices, it represents a significant step up—but for those specifically seeking quality Jiaogulan, the focused expertise of a specialist brand may justify the premium.
The bigger picture
Bio Jiaogulan Tee from Bioherby represents a broader trend in the specialty food and beverage market: consumers increasingly seeking products with clear provenance, minimal processing, and organic certification. The success of niche brands like Bioherby suggests that there's meaningful demand for this approach, even in a market dominated by large multinational tea companies.
Whether Jiaogulan delivers on its "herb of immortality" reputation is something science continues to investigate. But as a caffeine-free herbal tea with an interesting history and a distinctive flavor profile, Bio Jiaogulan Tee offers something genuinely different for adventurous tea drinkers willing to explore beyond the familiar.