I didn’t think I would ever become a tea snob. I like my cup of Celestial Seasoning tea just fine. Besides I like reading all those sweet little quotes on the box.
But then we went to the tea store at the mall… then I discovered good tea! I mean, really good tea. Every tin of tea he opened smelled heavenly! It was so hard to not buy a bit of every one of them! That is, until I saw the price tags. ;o) But we did splurge and bring home a few different bags of tea.
I do enjoy a lovely cup of tea but my favorite part is all the things I learned about the world of tea that I never knew before.
Since I am so excited about my newfound knowledge, I thought I would share some of it with you:
White tea: This is the least fermented of the teas and has only 1% of the caffeine of coffee. It helps with detoxification, hydration, as well as a healthy skin and complexion.
Green tea: The next most fermented tea with 5-10% of the caffeine of coffee. It boosts the immune system and helps maintain normal blood sugar levels.
Oolong tea: With 10-15% the caffeine of coffee, this is almost the most fermented of the teas. Aids in weight loss, metabolism, and digestion. Also promotes healthy skin and teeth.
Black tea: This is the most fermented of the teas. It has an energy boosting 20% of the caffeine of coffee and is good for the heart and cardiovascular system.
For the first time in about 15 years, I can drink black tea again. Since my youngest son was born, caffeine has not done nice things to me. Even better news… you can decaffeinate any cup of tea by simply only drinking the second brewing! All the caffeine comes out in the first brewing of the tea. This was especially good news since we bought a couple of Mate teas….
Mate tea: This tea has all the caffeine of a cup of coffee without all the acids and oils. As an added bonus it is also a source of vitamins and minerals. People say the 2nd or 3rd steeping is even better than the first!
For the days when my stomach isn’t at it’s best, we also picked up a few rooibos and herbal blends.
Rooibos: These teas have no caffeine and promote digestion and can even help with upset stomachs.
The best sweetener for tea??? Raw cane sugar makes it sweet, and enhances the flavor without changing it.
I will start the water now!
ReplyDeleteIt has been almost a year ago now that I became a tea drinker. I have never liked coffee. So when my only other choices were water or tea, I chose tea (with honey). And I have been drinking it ever since. I will say that I still need some honey (I'll try the cane sugar) with the black tea though. I especially like Calm by TAZO every night before bed.
Thanks for the info! :) Happy sipping!
Emily Davis :)