{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,28]],"date-time":"2026-01-28T13:29:59Z","timestamp":1769606999950,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":45,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"11","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,5,26]],"date-time":"2022-05-26T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1653523200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Funda\u00e7\u00e3o para a Ci\u00eancia e a Tecnologia, I.P. (FCT), Portugal","award":["UIDB\/04035\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UIDB\/04035\/2020"]}]},{"name":"Funda\u00e7\u00e3o para a Ci\u00eancia e a Tecnologia, I.P. (FCT), Portugal","award":["UIDB\/00239\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UIDB\/00239\/2020"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Plants"],"abstract":"<jats:p>This study evaluated the elemental composition of 25 herbal tea plants commonly used in infusions by Portuguese consumers and the contribution to the elemental daily intake of some essential elements. Hydrocotyle asiatica (L.), Matricaria chamomilla (L.), and Melissa officinalis (L.) samples are a rich source of K with around 6.0 mg g\u22121 while the Asteraceae Silybum marianum (L.) and Echinacea angustifolia (DC.) exhibited 4.9 and 5.6 mg g\u22121 Ca, respectively. The highest concentrations of S and Zn were noted in Hydrocotyle asiatica (L.), while the highest concentration of Sr was found in Cassia angustifolia (Vahl.). In general, a large variability in the concentrations among different families and plant organs had been observed, except Cu with levels around 30 \u03bcg g\u22121. The principal component analysis (PCA) showed positive correlations between Zn and S and Sr and Ca, also revealing that Hydrocotyle asiatica (L.), Echinacea angustifolia (DC.), Silybum marianum (L.), and Cassia angustifolia (Vahl.) samples, stands out about all other samples regarding the enrichment of macro and micronutrients. The elemental solubility of macronutrients in the infusion is greater than the micronutrient solubility, despite the contribution to the recommended daily intake was weak. As a whole, Cynara scolymus (L.) and Hibiscus sabdariffa (L.) are the species with the best elemental solubilities, followed by Hydrocotyle asiatica (L.). No harmful elements, such as As and Pb, were observed in both the raw material and the infusions.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/plants11111412","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,5,29]],"date-time":"2022-05-29T23:43:03Z","timestamp":1653867783000},"page":"1412","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":8,"title":["Elemental Composition of Commercial Herbal Tea Plants and Respective Infusions"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"11","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0505-1443","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jaime","family":"Fernandes","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Departamento Ci\u00eancias da Terra, Faculdade de Ci\u00eancias e Tecnologia, Campus da Caparica, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3906-4349","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Fernando H.","family":"Reboredo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Departamento Ci\u00eancias da Terra, Faculdade de Ci\u00eancias e Tecnologia, Campus da Caparica, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal"},{"name":"GeoBioTec, Departamento de Ci\u00eancias da Terra, Faculdade de Ci\u00eancias e Tecnologia, Campus da Caparica, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5333-7286","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"In\u00eas","family":"Luis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Departamento Ci\u00eancias da Terra, Faculdade de Ci\u00eancias e Tecnologia, Campus da Caparica, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2625-5645","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Maria Manuela","family":"Silva","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"GeoBioTec, Departamento de Ci\u00eancias da Terra, Faculdade de Ci\u00eancias e Tecnologia, Campus da Caparica, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal"},{"name":"ESEAG-COFAC, Avenida do Campo Grande 376, 1749-024 Lisboa, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7079-9389","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Maria M.","family":"Sim\u00f5es","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Departamento Ci\u00eancias da Terra, Faculdade de Ci\u00eancias e Tecnologia, Campus da Caparica, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal"},{"name":"GeoBioTec, Departamento de Ci\u00eancias da Terra, Faculdade de Ci\u00eancias e Tecnologia, Campus da Caparica, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Fernando C.","family":"Lidon","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Departamento Ci\u00eancias da Terra, Faculdade de Ci\u00eancias e Tecnologia, Campus da Caparica, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal"},{"name":"GeoBioTec, Departamento de Ci\u00eancias da Terra, Faculdade de Ci\u00eancias e Tecnologia, Campus da Caparica, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7639-7214","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jos\u00e9 C.","family":"Ramalho","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"GeoBioTec, Departamento de Ci\u00eancias da Terra, Faculdade de Ci\u00eancias e Tecnologia, Campus da Caparica, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal"},{"name":"Plant Stress & Biodiversity Lab, Centro de Estudos Florestais (CEF), Instituto Superior Agronomia (ISA), Universidade de Lisboa (ULisboa), Quinta do Marqu\u00eas, Av. Rep\u00fablica, 2784-505 Oeiras, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,5,26]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Benzie, I.F.F., and Wachtel-Galor, S. (2011). Antioxidants in Herbs and Spices: Roles in Oxidative Stress and Redox Signaling. Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects, CRC Press. [2nd ed.].","DOI":"10.1201\/b10787"},{"key":"ref_2","unstructured":"World Health Organization (2013). WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy: 2014\u20132023, WHO."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Rocha, C., Pinto Moura, A., Pereira, D., Costa Lima, R., and Cunha, L.M. (2021). Consumer-Led Adaptation of the Essense Profile\u00ae for herbal infusions. Foods, 10.","DOI":"10.3390\/foods10030684"},{"key":"ref_4","first-page":"381","article-title":"A comprehensive review on emerging importance and economical potential of medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) in current scenario","volume":"34","author":"Riaz","year":"2021","journal-title":"Pak. J. Agric. Res."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"107290","DOI":"10.1016\/j.foodcont.2020.107290","article-title":"Mycotoxins in teas and medicinal plants destined to prepare infusions in Portugal","volume":"115","author":"Duarte","year":"2020","journal-title":"Food Control"},{"key":"ref_6","unstructured":"Cunha, A.P. (2014). Farmacognosia e Fitoquimica, Funda\u00e7\u00e3o Calouste Gulbenkian. [4th ed.]. (In Portuguese)."},{"key":"ref_7","unstructured":"Allen, L., de Benoist, B., Dary, O., and Hurrell, R. (2006). Guidelines on Food Fortification with Micronutrients, Food and Agriculture Organization."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"528","DOI":"10.1017\/S0014479718000157","article-title":"Selenium biofortification of rice through foliar application with selenite and selenate","volume":"55","author":"Lidon","year":"2019","journal-title":"Exp. Agric."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"70","DOI":"10.1016\/j.sab.2018.01.006","article-title":"Localization and distribution of Zn and Fe in grains of biofortified bread wheat lines through micro and triaxial-X-ray fluorescence spectrometry","volume":"141","author":"Cardoso","year":"2018","journal-title":"Spectrochim Acta B At. Spectrosc."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"717","DOI":"10.1016\/S0176-1617(11)81228-9","article-title":"Some observations on the leaf ultrastructure of Halimione portulacoides (L.) Aellen grown in a medium containing copper","volume":"137","author":"Reboredo","year":"1991","journal-title":"J. Plant Physiol."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"442","DOI":"10.1007\/BF01688945","article-title":"Cu and Zn uptake by Halimione portulacoides (L.) Aellen. A long-term accumulation experiment","volume":"46","author":"Reboredo","year":"1991","journal-title":"Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"598","DOI":"10.1007\/BF00194149","article-title":"Interaction between copper and zinc and their uptake by Halimione portulacoides (L.) Aellen","volume":"52","author":"Reboredo","year":"1994","journal-title":"Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"128732","DOI":"10.1016\/j.foodchem.2020.128732","article-title":"Corema album spp: Edible wild crowberries with a high content in minerals and organic acids","volume":"345","author":"Brito","year":"2021","journal-title":"Food Chem."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"917","DOI":"10.1007\/s12403-020-00354-9","article-title":"Mineral content of food supplements of plant origin, by energy dispersive X-ray Fluorescence: A risk assessment","volume":"12","author":"Reboredo","year":"2020","journal-title":"Exp. Health"},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"12","DOI":"10.1016\/j.gexplo.2017.11.021","article-title":"The paradigm of high concentration of metals of natural or anthropogenic origin in soils\u2014The case of Neves-Corvo mine area (Southern Portugal)","volume":"186","author":"Pelica","year":"2018","journal-title":"J. Geochem. Explor."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2512","DOI":"10.1007\/s11356-018-3625-3","article-title":"Metal content in edible crops and agricultural soils due to intensive use of fertilizers and pesticides in Terras da Costa de Caparica (Portugal)","volume":"26","author":"Reboredo","year":"2019","journal-title":"Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2593S","DOI":"10.1093\/jn\/nxaa117","article-title":"Emerging concepts in nutrient needs","volume":"150","author":"Stover","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Nutr."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"326","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jpba.2016.01.042","article-title":"The determination of elements in herbal teas and medicinal plant formulations and their tisanes","volume":"130","author":"Pohl","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Pharm. Biomed. Anal."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"109","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ecolecon.2007.02.022","article-title":"The water footprint of coffee and tea consumption in the Netherlands","volume":"64","author":"Chapagain","year":"2007","journal-title":"Ecol. Econ."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"104006","DOI":"10.1016\/j.foodqual.2020.104006","article-title":"Consumers\u2019 associations with herbal infusions and home preparation practices","volume":"86","author":"Rocha","year":"2020","journal-title":"Food Qual. Prefer."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"236","DOI":"10.1080\/01621459.1963.10500845","article-title":"Hierarchical grouping to optimize an objective function","volume":"58","author":"Ward","year":"1963","journal-title":"J. Am. Stat. Assoc."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"347","DOI":"10.1016\/j.foodchem.2008.09.054","article-title":"Evaluation of trace metal concentrations in some herbs and herbal teas by principal component analysis","volume":"114","author":"Kara","year":"2009","journal-title":"Food Chem."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"520","DOI":"10.1016\/j.foodchem.2008.04.009","article-title":"Determination of certain micro and macroelements in plant stimulants and their infusions","volume":"111","author":"Malik","year":"2008","journal-title":"Food Chem."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2626","DOI":"10.1080\/00032719.2015.1041031","article-title":"Elemental analysis of medicinal herbs and dietary supplements","volume":"48","author":"Kurzawa","year":"2015","journal-title":"Anal. Lett."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"387","DOI":"10.1007\/s12011-017-1070-7","article-title":"Investigation of heavy metal level and mineral nutrient status in widely used medicinal plants\u2019 leaves in Turkey: Insights into health implications","volume":"182","author":"Ozyigit","year":"2017","journal-title":"Biol. Trace Elem. Res."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"385","DOI":"10.1016\/S0010-8545(02)00036-X","article-title":"Aluminium in tea\u2014Concentrations, speciation and bioavailability","volume":"228","author":"Flaten","year":"2002","journal-title":"Coord. Chem. Rev."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"165","DOI":"10.1016\/S0048-9697(99)00052-2","article-title":"Strontium-90 concentration measurements in human bones and teeth in Greece","volume":"229","author":"Stamoulis","year":"1999","journal-title":"Sci. Total. Environ."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3301","DOI":"10.1021\/bi036340p","article-title":"Zinc and Sulfur: A critical biological partnership","volume":"43","author":"Maret","year":"2004","journal-title":"Biochemistry"},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Tolay, I. (2021). The impact of different Zinc (Zn) levels on growth and nutrient uptake of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) grown under salinity stress. PLoS ONE, 16.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0246493"},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"541","DOI":"10.3389\/fpls.2016.00541","article-title":"Interactions of sulfate with other nutrients as revealed by H2S fumigation of Chinese cabbage","volume":"7","author":"Reich","year":"2016","journal-title":"Front. Plant Sci."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"f1378","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj.f1378","article-title":"Effect of increased potassium intake on cardiovascular risk factors and disease: Systematic review and meta-analyses","volume":"346","author":"Aburto","year":"2013","journal-title":"BMJ"},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4226","DOI":"10.1002\/jsfa.10463","article-title":"Total reflection X-ray fluorescence analysis of elemental composition of herbal infusions and teas","volume":"100","author":"Winkler","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Sci. Food Agric."},{"key":"ref_33","first-page":"200","article-title":"The importance of mineral elements for humans, domestic animals and plants: A Review","volume":"4","author":"Soetan","year":"2010","journal-title":"Afric. J. Food Sci."},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"110824","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cbpa.2020.110824","article-title":"The biological legacy of sulfur: A roadmap to the future","volume":"252","author":"Olson","year":"2021","journal-title":"Comp. Biochem. Physiol. A Mol. Integr. Physiol."},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"213","DOI":"10.1002\/xrs.795","article-title":"Quantitative determination of essential and trace element content of medicinal plants and their infusions by XRF and ICP techniques","volume":"34","author":"Queralt","year":"2005","journal-title":"X-ray Spectrom."},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"194","DOI":"10.3109\/09637486.2011.617359","article-title":"Herbal infusions as a source of calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc and copper in human nutrition","volume":"63","author":"Suliburska","year":"2012","journal-title":"Int. J. Food Sci. Nutr."},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Szabo, R., Bodolea, C., and Mocan, T. (2021). Iron, copper, and zinc homeostasis: Physiology, physiopathology, and nanomediated applications. Nanomaterials, 11.","DOI":"10.3390\/nano11112958"},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"451","DOI":"10.1080\/09637480701417566","article-title":"Extractability of selected mineral and trace elements in infusions of chamomile","volume":"59","author":"Chizzola","year":"2008","journal-title":"Int. J. Food Sci. Nutr."},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"27","DOI":"10.1186\/s13020-022-00571-1","article-title":"Tea and tea drinking: China\u2019s outstanding contributions to the mankind","volume":"17","author":"Pan","year":"2022","journal-title":"Chin. Med."},{"key":"#cr-split#-ref_40.1","unstructured":"The European Parliament, and Council of the European Union (2011). Regulation"},{"key":"#cr-split#-ref_40.2","unstructured":"(EU) No 1169\/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2011. L 304\/18-304\/63. Off. J. Eur. Union."},{"key":"ref_41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1378S","DOI":"10.1093\/jn\/130.5.1378S","article-title":"Dietary factors influencing zinc absorption","volume":"130","year":"2000","journal-title":"J. Nutr."},{"key":"ref_42","unstructured":"EPA (1988). Field Portable X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry for the Determination of Elemental Concentration in Soil and Sediment, Method 6200."},{"key":"ref_43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"649","DOI":"10.1016\/j.scitotenv.2018.03.215","article-title":"Metal concentrations in traditional and herbal teas and their potential risks to human health","volume":"633","author":"Oliveira","year":"2018","journal-title":"Sci. Total Environ."},{"key":"ref_44","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"31","DOI":"10.1007\/s002170050291","article-title":"Multielement analysis of Chinese tea (Camellia sinensis) by total-reflection X-ray Fluorescence","volume":"207","author":"Xie","year":"1998","journal-title":"Z. Lebensm. Unters. Forsch. A"}],"container-title":["Plants"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2223-7747\/11\/11\/1412\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T23:19:00Z","timestamp":1760138340000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2223-7747\/11\/11\/1412"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2022,5,26]]},"references-count":45,"journal-issue":{"issue":"11","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,6]]}},"alternative-id":["plants11111412"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/plants11111412","relation":{},"ISSN":["2223-7747"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2223-7747","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2022,5,26]]}}}