What inspired me to create our first line of products at Laka, the Drips, was the ease it provided by way of herbalism.
During my herbalism studies, I gravitated towards the concept of easy herbalism as that's what most of our fast-moving, time-starved society needs to even get a food into the door with the plant, fungi, and bacterial kingdom.
I leaned into simple ways to practice herbalism like vinegar and water infusions, single-serve electuaries, and adding dried herbs to literally any meal I could justify.
In pregnancy, my body craves the minerals and hydrating lightness herbs can provide! I keep a heavy bulk stock of dried herbs like hibiscus, nettle, rose, chamomile, moringa, dandelion, lavender, red clover, and raspberry leaf.
This hydrating kingdom of plants made it into my body in 3 ways:
1. Herbal Ice
I developed a severe craving for ice in my third trimester (non-iron related, just a weird pregnancy pica scenario) and became infatuated with freezing different herbal tea infusions into cubes and eating them to keep cool throughout the day, pouring afternoon matcha over them, or using to boost my daily water intake.
2. Herbal Vinegar
The sexiest salad? One drenched in herbal vinegar. I would take a bottle of our re: light vinegar and infuse it with a blend of whatever dried herbs I had on hand that were supportive during that stage of pregnancy. Simply infuse for as little as overnight, strain herbs and compost, and enjoy a splash or few tablespoons in mocktails, dressings, and elixirs. Try this recipe here.
3. Herbal water
At all times, I have a half gallon mason jar of herbal tea infusing in my fridge. Herbal water is so refreshing and again, such an effective way to get both hydration and minerals into your cellularly transforming body while pregnant! The combinations are endless. Infuse herbs of choice in 64 oz pure water overnight or in the sun, strain, and enjoy as a base for smoothies, iced matcha lattes, or alone.