HOME > ESSIAC FAQ > TURKEY RHUBARB or INDIAN RHUBARB?
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WHY WE DON’T USE INDIAN RHUBARB
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ESSIAC CIRCLE OF FRIENDS
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Rene Caisse switched from Indian rhubarb to Turkish rhubarb because of the complaints about the taste of Essiac tea. They are quite different herbs.
Turkish rhubarb is actually a Chinese herb that grows in the mountains. It is only called Turkey or Turkish rhubarb because the root came through Turkey on the trade route to Europe for centuries.
“The [turkey] rhubarb rhizome official in the British Pharmacopoeia, 1914, must be collected in China and Thibet. English-grown rhubarb is inferior to the official rhubarb in medicinal qualities. We still depend upon Northern China and Thibet for Rhubarb.” [A MODERN HERBAL, first published by Jonathan Cape, 1931, p. 676].
Indian rhubarb (Rheum officinale) actually comes from Indonesia which is a much hotter climate. It came to Europe through the India trade route so it became known as “Indian” rhubarb.
The variety of “Turkish” rhubarb that has the best taste is Rheum palmatum tanguticum, which we use exclusively in our products.
Our powdered Turkey Rhubarb has a very pleasant smell. If you take cinnamon and shake it up with a little ginger, allspice and turmeric you can come somewhat close to the smell of our Turkey Rhubarb powder.
For more information about Turkey Rhubarb:
https://www.healthfreedom.info/Turkey%20Rhubarb%20v.%20Indian%20Rhubarb.htm
“If it works, don’t change it.” — Rene M. Caisse, R.N.
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The Turkey Rhubarb We Grow
Rheum Palmatum Tanguticum
Pictures from left to right: Turkey Rhubarb Root; Sliced Root; Second Year Leaf; First Year Leaf; Our Powdered Turkey Rhubarb Root; Blooming Turkey Rhubarb
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* BUYER BEWARE! Most Essiac companies and herb suppliers are now obtaining Sheep Sorrel leaf from Bulgaria and Croatia and it is dead plant material and not even green! Therefore, most of the Essiac sold in the US now has little medicinal value for cancer patients. We are concerned that this may eventually give quality Essiac Tea an undeserved reputation for being ineffective against cancer. This may also give false hope for cancer patients.
This is why we place so much attention on how we grow our certified organic herbs and the extra effort and care we place on quality, even though our Essiac Tea Herbs cost significantly more than other Essiac tea providers. As the old adage goes: “You get what you pay for.” *
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We do not sell nor are we associated with the trademarked (TM) or registered (R) “ESSIAC” products that are sold by other companies in Canada and the US. We only sell the herbs so that people can make Rene Caisse’s tea in their own homes. Rene Caisse never registered, patented or trademarked “Essiac” which was simply her last name spelled backwards and was originally derived from a traditional native American herbal remedy for cancer. The word “Essiac” was in common usage in the 1930s, decades before anyone tried to corner the market by “registering” or “trademarking” the word “Essiac”. Furthermore, we only use the “Essiac” formula which Rene Caisse’s best friend, Mary McPherson, officially entered into the public domain in a sworn affidavit in 1994 in Bracebridge, Ontario. This formula uses Turkey rhubarb root which is much more pleasant tasting than the Indian rhubarb products on the market (which is why Rene Caisse switched to Turkey rhubarb in her final Essiac tea formula). The HealthFreedom.info website has posted Mary McPherson’s “Essiac” formula affidavit here. This is the formula we use.
Twenty years ago HealthFreedom.info was the first website to obtain and publish on the internet a certified copy of Mary McPherson’s Essiac formula affidavit from the Town of Bracebridge, Ontario, thus settling the controversy over what Rene Caisse’s true Essiac Tea formula was.
We include sheep sorrel roots in all our Essiac Tea products at precise percentages. The percentages refer to the ratio of sheep sorrel root to the total sheep sorrel content in the formula.
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The information on this website is for educational and historical purposes and not to be construed as medical advice. Everyone’s body is different so there is no one-size-fits-all for health issues. It should be noted that medical doctors are not usually taught about such subjects as herbal medicine, nutritional supplements, non-pharmceutical approaches to health, etc. Therefore, choosing an appropriate health professional is a human right and that is up to the individual seeking health improvement.
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ESSIAC CIRCLE OF FRIENDS
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