While we don't suggest one cup essiac tea for general purposes, sometimes it's necessary to know how. The reason we don't suggest brewing essiac tea one cup at a time is because it short-changes the 12 hour brewing process (of leaving the tea steeping for 12 hours). That process helps the tea work better. However, in a pinch, making essiac via the one-cup method is far better than not taking it at all.
If you will be traveling via plane you might not be able to bring your supply of brewed essiac tea along and might need to know how to brew essiac tea one cup at a time (By the way - if you do have access to a fridge and a thermos, taking the essiac with you in a thermos with a few ice cubes is great)!
Although it is easiest to prepare batches of essiac tea according to instructions and store in a refrigerator, there are times when you might need to brew one cup essiac tea.
To prepare a 3-oz. serving, use 2/3 of 1 tsp. of herbs. Boil 3 oz. of water (you can use a coffee maker if that's all you have) and add the 2/3 tsp. of essiac. Cook for 10 minutes. Tea can be taken warm or chilled.
To prepare a 9-oz. serving (for the day), use 2 tsp. of herbs. Boil 9 oz. of water and add the 2 tsp. of essiac. Cook for 10 minutes. Unused portion doesn't need to be refrigerated as long as it's consumed the same 24 hour period you brewed it.
Over the years, we haven't found the same results with capsules as with the brewed tea. We can't in good faith recommend them. However, if it's your last resort, capsules are better than nothing. Be sure to buy capsules that contain all 8 herbs in the ingredient list.
Keep in mind that by following our suggestion on how to essiac one cup at a time, you can bring the powder along and make it even while traveling. As long as you have access to a hotel room and a cup you should be fine. Most hotels will provide a mini fridge free of charge - all you have to do is ask.
Some people want to make one cup essiac tea while at home because they believe "fresher is better." This isn't true. The essiac keeps perfectly fine in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
The problem when you brew essiac by the cup is that you will have a greater risk of measurement errors since we are dealing with such a small quantity of herbs and water. Therefore, the results might be compromised. It's much more accurate to make a huge batch and then take the servings from there. Additionally, as mentioned above, unless you are leaving your essiac out for 12 hours after you boil it, you're also missing out on the steeping process. For those reasons we don't advise making essiac one cup at a time unless it's truly your only option.