All About Tea
I adore tea.
I didn’t always like it, but when I went to Istanbul I knew that it would be incredibly rude if I refused their Turkish cay, which everyone seems to drink round the clock there. So I found myself drinking it every day and pretty soon I loved it through no fault of my own. And now I drink all kinds of tea by the bucket!
There is always a big pot of green tea heated up at work, and when I’m at home I tend to stick to white tea. It’s tasty and warms you up and it is so good for the body! I also love how it can inspire relaxation and calming for the mind, too.
There’s lots of different kinds of tea to choose from. If you want a quick breakdown of several different kinds of teas and the health benefits, just read this. Please also note the message at the bottom of the article which advises against drinking those bottled green teas and the like. Instead of supplementing, or getting your tea benefits through bottled drinks that have a bunch of sugar and crazy chemicals added, just drink the real stuff. Want to learn more? Check out Tea Muse where they discuss a wide range of health benefits!
Add a dash of honey or experiment with adding cinnamon or milk if its too bitter for you. Try ordering a London Fog at a cafe: black tea, water, and steamed milk (I request skim!), sometimes with the option of adding vanilla to it. So delicious!
Also, the strength of the flavour can vary depending on how long you let it steep for, so if its too strong then you can always try taking out the teabag earlier than recommended. And white tea is a good place to start if you’re just getting used to it! It is a very light, mild tea, and it serves as a good initiator into the wonderful world that is tea. There are also flavoured teas and herbal teas, and also excellent yerba mate, so there’s likely going to be something out there that you will enjoy.
Are you a tea person? What type of tea do you like best?
I don’t have tea that often. It’s really a convenience thing. I do like it. Jasmine is a treat. Green when I do have it. Occasionally I’ll make a large container of “sunshine tea” and have it cold over the day.
I’ve gotten out of the habit of drinking tea. I’m not sure why…
I used to drink it all the time, especially as an aid to losing weight. (It worked very well, too.)
Must get back into it. The white tea sounds very interesting. I’ll look for it next time I’m shopping.
Saw your #1 Fan’s comment on your last post – hehehehehe. Tell her Happy Anniversary from the Bag Lady!!
I LOVE Chai Tea.. with tons of milk and sugar. Or mixed in my oatmeal with a banana! I do love tea but I am trying to actually appreciate the tea rather than all of the yummy things I can put in it.
I am going to make myself a cup of tea now- thanks for the reminder!
(Sorry- obviously one comment justw as not enough for me today!)
OH MY! i lovvvvve tea. i drink either earl grey lavender or some other black tea every day. i still don’t like green tea though. i only steep my teas for 2 minutes because i like them light so i can drink them all day long! yummmmmmm!
and sssshhhh don’t tell, but i’m making tilapia with a pear, mango, salsa (maybe with avocado)! had a daydream about it yesterday and i’m dying to try it!
As much as I love a latte treat or a good cup of coffee, I definitely have an appreciation for tea. I prefer Japanese kinds, like green and oolong or herbals such as chamomile and peppermint.
Haha, and I have a funny tea story too 🙂 since they drink instant coffee in most South American homes (yuck!) I’ve gotten in the habit of having tea. The first time I went food shopping with my Chilean host family I bought a few boxes of green tea and since it was winter when I arrived, I drank it a lot. I would seriously fill up my mug throughout the day. Since then I’ve basically been assigned my own taza and gave been deemed the flacucenta abuelita (skinny grandma) by my host-father. His imitation of me holding my mug is hysterical, lol.
and may i add you to my blogroll? i keep forgetting, but i love ur blog so much and would like to add it!
Dr. J- I’d forgotten about jasmine tea! It’s good stuff. And what’s sunshine tea?
Bag Lady- hehe, will do:) And white tea is SO good!
Ashley- adding TOO many yummy things can be a problem! I’ve never tried tea in oatmeal before. Am glad you are having a cup!
Rhodeygirl- that sounds delicious! He’s going to love it, I’m sure. And I’d be honoured if you added me to your blogroll:)
Danielle- such a cute story! It sounds like you have a wonderful relationship with the family there.
Not really a tea person, though I do drink it on occasion. I was just thinking about this recently – My Mom is from Newfoundland and Newfs tend to be big tea drinkers. So when I was younger I actually did drink tea fairly often – my parents had it at almost every meal. Then my Dad found he couldn’t drink it any more because it bothered his stomach, so he started drinking coffee…Once I started drinking coffee there was no going back – I enjoy coffee more.
However, I do enjoy a peppermint tea, spiced chai, or jasmine tea every now and then. My favorite is probably Genmai Cha though. I try to limit my coffee consumption to mornings, so tea tends to happen when I want something warm in the evening.
I love tea, just plain green for me.
You make “sunshine” tea by filling a clear bottle with water and tea bags. Then just leave it by a window for a while and let the sunshine make the tea for you!
2 cups of coffee in the morning, then it is green tea for me for the rest of the day. We regularly drink green tea at work. I like the health benefits of green tea; and especially today as it is calming the tummy after a wee too much of celebratory 25th anniversary champagne last night (“a good time was had by all”)
#1 Fan
Thank you for this post and for the links. I can’t seem to develop a taste for tea, but I keep trying. Being a southern girl, when you ask what kind of tea I like, my only options are Lipton over Luzianne. 🙂
Thanks again!
Love tea & coffee! Yerba mate is one of my favorites. I use the teabags, not the mate cup.
I have to get back on the tea wagon! I drink normal tea (I don’t know what you guys call it, but its the brown stuff with milk in that runs through the veins of every UK resident) at work, but normally only two cups a day. I do love herbal tea though, I have a nice Chinese lychee and ginseng in the kitchen that I keep forgetting about.
TA x
Javachick- I like your idea of limiting coffee to a certain part of the day and drinking tea in its place. And peppermint tea is great.
James- the simple stuff can be the best!
Dr. J- thanks for the explanation! I’ll have to give it a try.
Anonymous- perhaps I should cut you off the champagne a little bit early next time… 🙂 Good thing tea can help clear the head!
Cammy- do keep trying! If you like coffee then the London Fog might be a good one for you to try. Or try mixing Baileys in with black tea to get used to it… oops I mean this is a health blog we don’t drink Baileys (hahaha:)).
Dadivastreet- I love my Brewt! It’s so much fun to use; you should get one!
TA- ooh, that Chinese one sounds great. I think I need to come to Britain just so I can have an excuse to drink tea to excess. 🙂
I so want to like hot tea. The flavors always sound so delicious and I just have to buy the pretty boxes. But when I try to drink it hot…blech. Now ice tea, I drink buckets of it all year. (And it isn’t a sweet thing, my mom says I drink my ice tea so black and strong it could be used as a degreaser.)
I just bought a box of a chai and will once again try it warm now that the weather has turned cold. I swear I’m going to develop a taste for it!
I need to make the switch from coffee to tea! You make it even more enticing!
If I have any tea, it’s usually green tea. So far, I’ve only been able to drink it chilled. I think I’ve only had hot tea when sick. I hear it’s great for you..maybe I should replace it with my coffee addiction.
Im super sick right now and can only drink tea. i dont drink it when im not sick though, its weird.
Kelly Turner
http://www.groundedfitness.com
I am definitely a tea girl, and white is one of my faves. I drink green often because of the health benefits. In my teas, I’ve been using agave nectar or organic raw sugar for sweetener, and sometimes rice milk.
I adore tea. I did a weekend post about it a while back. I usually make a post of Green tea, pour it (with ice) into a nalgene, and drink it all day.
I’m a late bloomer; came to tea mainly for health reasons and it took me a while to like it.
I make mine absurdly strong and sweet.
In fact, I think it’s time for a cup right now!
Anya- iced tea is good too! It’s surprising how much difference the taste is between something hot and cold, isn’t it?
Mark- do! Never been a coffee person, myself.
Crystal- maybe make the adjustment slowly- don’t give up coffee altogether but just have tea instead sometimes and you’ll get used to it:)
Kelly- aw, I hope you get better soon! Tea is good when you feel sick.
Stephanie- STILL haven’t tried agave nectar. I really need to get around to that one of these days…
Tricia- mm, that sounds tasty.
Crabby- mine’s always really strong too. I rarely take the teabag out:)
I like both green and white tea – it took me a while to try green tea, for some reason I thought it would have a strange taste. Glad I gave it a shot, try to drink it just about every day.
I’m obsessed with tea… drink so so many cups a day at work!! My favorite is Good Earth caffiene-free original herbal tea. So deliciouslt cinnamon and all natural.
Turkish cay, never heard of it, I’m curious to try it now. I love tea, my absolute favorite is Twinings Earl Grey tea. I’ve tried many brands of earl gray but Twinings is the best by far. I’m also a fan of a good chai spice or chamomile. Green tea is always on hand too.
But ever since I discovered an easy way to make espresso, I’m hooked on Cafe Au Lait’s every morning. 2 shots of espresso (1/2 caffeine) with a cup of vanilla soymilk. A few blocks of dark chocolate on the side and breakfast #2 is served!
Missicat- it’s good to try everything once:)
Catherine- I have such an obsession with cinnamon! That tea sounds great.
Peanut Butter Boy- I like your breakfast style! And chai spice is one of my faves too.