1. Wash the camote tops (talbos ng camote) with water and vegetable and fruit liquid cleanser like that of Pigeon's cleanser for baby bottles and toys. (It's made of 100% food grade or edible ingredients and removes pesticide residues on fruits and vegetables.)
2. Boil water in a pot.
3. Once the water is boiling, put the camote tops (leaves only) and let them boil for at least 5 minutes.
4. Steep some more for 5 minutes.
5. Remove the leaves (or talbos) using a strainer and set aside. You can make these leaves into a salad. It's delicious too!
6. Pour on glasses (or cups if you want hot tea).
7. Squeeze 1-2 calamansi to get the juice and mix into the tea. You can add some more if you want it to have a stronger calamansi flavor.
8. Add a teaspoon (or more if you have a sweet tooth) of honey and mix.
9. Add some ice cubes for a refreshing and nutritious iced tea!
Now, while you're enjoying your glass/cup of camote tops tea, let share some of its medicinal qualities.
It's a remedy for constipation or aids in regular bowel movement.
It's a remedy for stomach distress like those cause by indigestion.
It helps maintain thyroid hormones that prevents the thyroid from getting big.
It helps lower blood sugar and cholesterol of patients with type 2 diabetes.
According to Wiki.answers.com: Sweet potato tops are excellent sources of antioxidative compounds, mainly polyphenolics, which may protect the human body from oxidative stress that is associated with many diseases including cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Sweet potato greens have the highest content of total polyphenolics among other commercial vegetables studied. Sweet potatoes contain protein, dietary fiber, lipid, and essential minerals and nutrients such as calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, sodium, potassium, sulfur, iron, copper, zinc, manganese, aluminum and boron. Sweet potatoes are also important sources of vitamin A, thiamin,