Are herbal tea and the Word of Wisdom compatible? As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, you may find yourself asking if herbal tea violates its divine law, the Church’s Word of Wisdom prohibits certain foods and recommends others; the answer to your query depends on how you interpret this revelation, with consideration being paid to certain key factors.
Many people assume that all tea, including herbal varieties, violates the Word of Wisdom simply due to its caffeine content. While this is certainly true for black and green teas, herbal varieties do not follow suit with this belief; herbal tea is made up of various herbs, roots and fruits combined together and consumed for its health benefits such as weight loss, reduced risk of cancer, improved skin, relaxation from stress/anxiety relief as well as other reasons. Furthermore, most herbal varieties do not contain caffeine at all! Although the Word of Wisdom doesn’t specifically mention caffeine as such avoiding coffee/tea which do contain it!
In addition to prohibiting coffee and tea consumption, the Word of Wisdom encourages followers not to drink alcohol or illegal drugs and to switch from sodas to water as a great way of improving diets and curbing overeating and unhealthy eating habits. Believers can depend on this Word of Wisdom’s guidance in remaining healthy for lifelong longevity.
Joseph Smith received the Word of Wisdom as part of a divine law on February 27, 1833 and it can be found in Section 89 of The Doctrine and Covenants, considered scripture by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-daySaints. This law gives instructions about what foods to eat and avoid as well as guidance on what actions are and aren’t recommended to maximize enjoyment in life and reap great rewards in the next life.
As such, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-daySaints encourages its members to adhere to the Word of Wisdom by eating plenty of fruits and vegetables; sparingly eating meat as God intended for human consumption; as well as not overindulging in wine and other strong beverages.
Word of Wisdom may be divine law, but its principles can be easily followed once understood. Conceiving rules not set by God only leads to confusion, conflict and hardship – it’s best to focus on following what the scriptures teach – that of seeking good over evil; doing this will lead to happiness as you live peacefully obeying his words.