Tea does a body good in so many ways...so come along with us as we celebrate World Tea Day! You can't buy happiness...but you can buy tea which, in our opinion, is kind of the same thing!
Did you know tea is packed with antioxidants? It's naturally calorie-free and has less caffeine than coffee! Soooo.....drink a couple cups of tea each day to achieve your optimal level of health benefits! The story of tea begins in China. According to legend, around 2737 BC, the Chinese emperor, at the time, was sitting beneath a Camellia tree while his servant boiled drinking water. Suddenly some leaves from the tree below into the water! The emperor, a renowned herbalist, decided to try the infusion that his servant had accidentally created. The resulting drink? TEA!
There are so many great teas out there to choose from, and so very many great reasons to drink it! Today we're going to focus on 6 flavorful favorites. Here goes...
GREEN TEA:
Improves brain function
Increases the ability to burn fat
Reduces bad breath (if that's something you worry about!)
We enjoy drinking Green Tea in the morning while sitting on the sun porch. There is something about being surrounded by plants, and maybe munching on a sweet treat, that's starts the day out right.
Back in the day wealthy philanthropists were worried that excessive tea drinking among the working class would lead to weakness and melancholy. Interestingly they weren't as concerned with the continued popularity of tea among the wealthy classes, since strength for labor work was of very little importance. The debate rumbled on into the nineteenth century, when a new generation of philanthropists realized the value and health benefits of drinking tea. In their enthusiasm to have a happy working class, tea was regularly offered at meetings as a substitute for alcohol!
What's the definition of Sereni-TEA?
The absence of stress while drinking tea!!!
BLACK TEA:
Promotes a healthy heart
Reduces cholesterol
Improves gut health
The first tax on leaf tea was introduced in 1689, and remained in place until as recently as 1964! This taxation made it nearly impossible for individuals to continue enjoying their favorite drink...and so encouraged some creative measures to be taken. Smuggling and adulteration of the tea were a few of the preferred methods. Often leaves from other plants, or leaves which had already been brewed and then dried, were added to the tea. This caused some fading in the color of the brew. In order to convince people that the tea was legit several ingenious (and sneaky) tea sommeliers added anything from sheep's dung to poisonous copper carbonate to make the deceptive concoction look more like fresh leaf tea!
WHITE TEA:
Helps combat aging skin
Reduces the risk of diabetes
Is rich in antioxidants
Each cup of tea represents an imaginary voyage...
Around the year 1908 Thomas Sullivan, a New York tea merchant, started to send samples of tea to his customers. As a unique packaging solution Thomas used small silk bags to contain the leafy blends. Some trusting customers assumed the silken pouches were supposed to be used in the same way as the metal infusers had been, by putting the entire bag into the pot, rather than emptying out the contents into the infuser! And so...the tea bag was born by accident!
CHAMOMILE TEA:
Helps lower the risk of osteoporosis
Reduces overall inflammation
Improves sleep and relaxation
A cup of tea makes everything better!
Tea, naturally, has an amino acid in it that reduces mental and physical stress and keeps us calm. Plus, there's just something special about that little 'dinging' of the spoon as it swirls around the dainty cup.
Now...if you didn't know, and you are feeling super fancy...there is a 'proper' way to stir your tea.
* First, place your spoon at a 12 o'clock position in the cup and softly fold the liquid back and forth 2-3 times to the 6 o'clock position.
* Second, never ever leave the tea spoon in the cup! When your spoon is not being used, place it on your saucer, to the right of the cup.
HIBISCUS TEA:
Helps reduce blood pressure
Improves liver health
Has cancer-fighting properties
A sip of tea diminishes problems and soothes the nerves.
Honey is definitely our favorite tea sweetener!
Honey is loaded with antibacterial properties. Therefore, mixing a spoonful of honey in your tea could turn it into a Super Drink helping to fight those pesky cold and flu germs. There likely isn't a problem on earth that can't be mitigated by a hot bath and a cup of tea!
ROOIBOS TEA:
Helps reduce stress
Strengthens hair
Helps you poop (if that's something you worry about!)
A sweet little quote from Winnie the Pooh says:
A day without a friend is like a pot without a single drop of honey left inside.
So next time you're brewing your favorite hot or cold tea-type beverage remember to call a sipping buddy, pull out the cute cups, add a drop of honey, and pour a little friendship!