tea house
Ernst Janssen

Miracle plants of nature at the Ernst Janssen organic tea house in Westerland

Interview with tea expert Ernst Janssen: These varieties will help you feel strengthened and
to get through the winter healthy.

Close-up of a dried herb and flower mixture. — © Julia Petersen

Interview: Julia Petersen

Sylt's winter is currently showing its most magnificent side: powdery sandy beaches and dune paths, Frisian houses with artfully crafted icicles, and crisp North Sea air create a cozy island romance. But despite all the beautiful moments and scenery, this winter season is considered particularly challenging by many. Tea expert Ernst Janssen reveals in an interview which teas can support and strengthen your immune system and well-being. Together with his wife Sabine Krüger, stepdaughter Andrea Krüger, and her husband Abdi Krüger, he runs the certified organic tea shop, complete with worldwide shipping, at Strandstraße 28. Just a few meters from the sea, the family has created a paradise for nature's wonders, for all those seeking refined Frisian tea enjoyment. Golden packages line several shelves in the middle of the room, and even larger golden tins are neatly arranged and nestled closely together on the shelves along the wall of the elegant shop. On Monday evenings, this Sylt treasure trove transforms into a seminar room for tea enthusiasts, and on Tuesdays into a living room theater where Sabine Krüger presents sophisticated cabaret with her own songs and texts. It's one of those special places on Sylt where you can immerse yourself in cultures and stories and are guaranteed honest advice.

Mr. Janssen, you have been intensively involved with tea for decades, making you an experienced tea expert with a wealth of knowledge – this is very evident in your tea seminars. Do you still remember your very first conscious encounter with tea?
Ernst Janssen: When I was five years old, if I complained of a stomachache, my mother's mere announcement that she would use her secret weapon, chamomile tea, was enough to make it go away. I couldn't stand the scent of azulene, an active ingredient in the blossoms. My mother, a self-proclaimed "herbalist," was very familiar with teas and wild herbs. She knew exactly how to use them for the benefit of the family. Wild herbs, gathered on hikes through nature and dried at home in the attic, were carried throughout the land by itinerant pharmacists from Thuringia during Goethe's time and used to treat illnesses. Before Goethe's time, they were burned at the stake on behalf of the church. I myself still remember medicinal herbs from the time of agonizing famines (1943 to about 1947 in Silesia – 1947 to 1949 in Freiberg/Ore Mountains), also for the preparation of soups and sauces, and as a vital supplement. We were regularly supplied with tea mixtures made from dandelion, nettle, chamomile, sorrel and daisies.
Today, wild plants are often eradicated using herbicides like glyphosate, causing serious damage to nature. A return to tried-and-tested herbal remedies could be of significant help to many.
My affection for tea intensified after my training as a pharmacist, and around 1970 I found myself professionally immersed in a world of thousands of globally traded plant-based raw materials, chemicals, reagents, herbal drugs, spices, and even narcotics. A colorful, intensely fragrant, and captivating world with products from all over the globe. Back then, pharmacists possessed sound pharmaceutical and nutritional knowledge.

“One third of our lives is spent working. Another third is dedicated to leisure and family. A third is devoted to healthy sleep. Life is simply better with and while enjoying tea. If you don't believe me, at least try it for four weeks and then judge.”

Authentic & genuine: The teahouse by the sea

Metal tin with green label “Janssens Sylter Vanille” — © Julia Petersen

What fascinated you so much that tea continues to shape your life to this day? And what role does Sylt play in this?
Ernst Janssen: Sylt has solidified my professional identity. When you treat people here with kindness and sincerity, and provide natural products of the highest quality with a credible Sylt identity, it pays off twofold later on. Our family-run mail-order company is the only one in the region with EU organic certification, and with EU funding, we are currently implementing a complex project to fully digitize the entire company. Many Sylt vacationers show a strong interest in nature and environmental protection and are very keen to purchase premium-quality organic products. Especially since a liter of tea costs the same as coffee drinks, at 30 to 50 cents. Processing green coffee requires 1000 liters of fresh water at the source. For tea, zero liters. After more than five decades of working in over four thousand tea seminars on Sylt and around the world, I am delighted to have added a piece of "lost Frisian tea identity" back to the region. Tea seminars (“TEA WORKS”) to say that they have contributed a little to the island's identity as a "tea island".

Many people are looking for natural ways to stay healthy, especially during the winter. What role does tea, and organic tea in particular, play in this?
Ernst Janssen: Pure tea drinks regulate the acid-base balance, cleanse the blood vessels of age-promoting deposits, promote brain and heart function, enable healthy cell division, and foster a more comfortable and self-determined life. This applies equally in summer and winter. Organic tea farmers practice natural composting and mulching as an alternative to chemical treatments. Areas managed responsibly in this way absorb more rainwater, have a rich microbial community, and can proactively warn surrounding plants of impending damage. Trading in organic products or producing them according to one's own specifications is very labor-intensive these days. Hats off to those who work with conscience and a sense of responsibility.

Which types of tea do you particularly recommend for strengthening the immune system?
Ernst Janssen: Polyphenols (tannins) from plants have an immune-boosting effect. They are abundant in the South African geranium (a type of algae) and in the Mediterranean, wild-growing rockrose. Rockrose polyphenols detect masked viruses, bacteria, and fungi in the body. By breaking down their protective fibrin shells, the pathogens are no longer able to multiply within body cells. For over two decades, I have repeatedly received reports from rockrose users and journalistic investigative reports about the sensational virus- and germ-killing effects of this herb. A tea seller would not be allowed to make such reports. As a journalist, I am committed to the truth and thorough research and report independently.

The correct preparation and its effect

Hand holds loose herbal tea mixture over open metal tin — © Julia Petersen

Are there any teas you would recommend for susceptibility to colds or exhaustion?
Ernst Janssen: For prevention, there are aqueous applications of rockrose, which can be used externally for all skin problems and to repel ticks. I have written an informational leaflet about rockrose. Furthermore: Low water intake leads to a weakened immune system. Ginger and spiced teas are recommended. In addition, the body's own defenses are well-prepared when the acid-base balance is maintained. It is also important to enjoy tea without added sugar, sweeteners, or cow's milk.

What should you look for in terms of tea quality if you are drinking it for health reasons?
Ernst Janssen: I recommend buying loose teas of certified EU organic quality. The quality of the leaves is clearly visible. Fine tea particles, even in tea bags, have a higher degree of solubility of the tea's components. Brewing too strong tea with too much leaf or for too long can lead to constipation and impaired absorption of plant-based iron, especially with black and green tea.

How important is the correct preparation for the effect of a tea?
Ernst Janssen: Very important. Green, oolong, and black tea: 3-5 grams per liter, steeped at 100°C for 3-4 minutes. Herbal tea: 5-7 grams per liter, steeped at 100°C for 5-8 minutes. Fruit tea: 10-15 grams per liter, steeped at 100°C for 10 to 20 minutes. Preparing tea is simpler than making coffee. All you need is a good teapot, a properly sized tea strainer, and a kettle. People often spend thousands of euros on coffee machines to maintain their status. I drink my tea for free for years.

Are there any typical mistakes that tea drinkers can make?
Ernst Janssen: During the initial adjustment period, people tend to use too many tea leaves for an overly strong flavor. From a nutritional standpoint, milder solutions are easier to digest. An extra spoonful of tea leaves doesn't taste better, but rather worse.

Special teas for winter

Man opens metal tin of dried herbs in a tea shop. — © Julia Petersen

Do you have a personal tea ritual – especially during the cold season?
Ernst Janssen: No. I drink tea every day of the year, as needed and as I please, especially during working hours. The more often, the better. When I'm old and sitting in an armchair, then I'll have time for ritual tea drinking.

In your opinion, can tea be more than just a beverage – perhaps even a kind of medicine for body and soul?
Ernst Janssen: Tea is a remedy for body, soul, and spirit. Travelers from afar reported the following as early as the 18th century: "The natives (of Persia) never spit or blow their noses. Their brains are freed from those superfluities that burden the seat of reason."

You've spoken to countless people about tea. What does this work teach you about people?
Ernst Janssen: Tea drinkers stay younger longer, they are more capable of learning, they listen more patiently, act with less adrenaline-fueled stress, and are consistently friendly. You notice this when you spend a few hours in an organic tea house, surrounded by natural aromas.

Is there anything that tea has taught you that will last a lifetime?
Ernst Janssen: That's a difficult question. A third of our lives is taken up with work. Another third is dedicated to leisure and family. A third is devoted to healthy sleep. Life is simply better with and while enjoying tea. If you don't believe me, at least try it for four weeks and then judge.

What are your hopes for the future of tea culture in Germany?
Ernst Janssen: Increasing tea consumption in Germany changes people positively and would even result in a significant reduction in costs in the area of health and social services.

Which tea would you recommend to someone who is just starting to seriously get into tea?
Ernst Janssen: For a good start with tea, I recommend attending one of my tea seminars. I expect tea shops to provide well-informed advice free from sales pressure. Arguments like, "Take this one, I drink it too," are not convincing. Never mistake the overly artificial scent in some tea shops for freshness. Never buy teas in clear plastic bags.

If you could recommend a single tea to our readers for the winter – which one would it be and why?
Ernst Janssen: Regarding infection prevention, "rockrose herb." I have been covering this topic as a specialist journalist for years. For enjoyment, I like to drink the spiced rooibos herbal tea.Sylt love"And maybe with a little shot of rum."

Do you have a favorite tea?
Ernst Janssen: Invigorating during the day: Green/White teaPai Mu Tan“and green tea”Green Wave"Not invigorating:" Rockrose herbRooibos tea, fruit teaAronia pomegranate".
For good sleep and an active short- and long-term memory: “Greek mountain tea".

Ernst Janssen Tea House To the tea seminar

tea houseErnst Janssen

Miracle plants of nature at the Ernst Janssen organic tea house in Westerland

tea house
Ernst Janssen