Live Well

“Funny how a hot tea can help you chill.” — from Lipton Chamomile teabag

It’s true how relaxing a nice cup of tea can be. No matter the time of day, brewing up this awakening and fragrant beverage is a refreshing energy booster and mood enhancer. Today’s spotlight is on tea and its many ways of being enjoyed. For those who love tea, for those who drink it with three sugars and a heaping helping of (soy)milk, and even for those who’ve never tried it and say it’s gross, enjoy!

1. Caffeine or no caffeine. A big question out there for many — deserving to be the first addressed — and a topic often ignored as well. There’s mixed feelings about caffeine all over the media, and this post isn’t going to feature caffeine (which will be featured later on), but I’ll offer both sides on this issue, though I’m biased towards decaf. 

Q. Is it healthy or not?

 A. That’s the question. We’ve often heard, for example from Brown University’s page here on the topic, the caveat that it’s a damaging addictive drug with negative effects. And then, we’ve heard some other sources, e.g., a page here trying to cheer up the coffee/tea and soda industry saying that it increases alertness (well, yeah…) and helps before exercise. We can’t be sure exactly, but I would advise just to avoid it altogether. Even if it may have some healthy effects, we can get them elsewhere. And for you who need that caffeine rush, get a hold of yourselves. Ah, I know — I sound brusque, but it’s probably not really the caffeine; rather, the hot beverage and refreshing aroma.

If you’re interested in a balanced, scholarly report on caffeine and its drawbacks and benefits, check out Arizona University’s page on it here. Yay, a site with no ads or anything and actual verified information! 

Another interesting topic… maybe it’s good for your skin? This seems more plausible as it is understandable that it would awaken the cells but not enter the bloodstream. Check out this article on Yahoo! Health here about it. Anyway…

2. The flavor of choice with tea is a big factor. Should the choice be chamomile, peppermint (my faves), oolong, chai, green…? Some exotic flavor combo or just your plain old black tea? Then, also take into consideration the caffeine factor with the flavor; see above for more. There’s a multitude of flavors to be enjoyed out there, but find your favorite. It’s always nice to have a refreshing taste and fragrance to look forward to. 

Some cool links with in-depth references into the types of teas include this one here on TeaFrog.com and here on Cafe-List. Be exotic, try something new!

3. Knit closely to the topic of flavor is the brand of choice. Some things that come into play are the company’s options, prices, availability and ethics. (Wow, I just realized I’m practically writing a dissertation on tea here… all my ideas just keep flowing) These categories are fairly self-explanatory, but here’s a little overview on them and some cool companies to be tried that are fairly available and popular. The tea aisle continues to amaze me…so many choices…but I’ll list a few.

- Options: What flavors do they offer? See the above section for more. Do they have what your favorite? Or do they offer some exotic mixes? Or, check out the quality of the different teas — another important subcategory to be listed under options.

- Prices: Is it affordable or will it break the bank? Haha, as if. But still, it’s important to consider the price label when trying out your teas.

- Availability: Can you find it at your local market or not? An obvious but significant one. Even so, if it’s not, try maybe finding it online.

- Ethics: Somewhat of an outlier in these categories but important nonetheless. Many people are concerned and rightfully so about the ethics of the producers of the tea. “Fair Trade” tea is what is to be looked for, ensuring that the company fairly treats and pays their workers. Check out this FAQ on this topic here at Rishi-Tea.com.

And, for the companies. Not going to post a little side not about them; this post is getting long. But note, I’ll put a picture of their logo and feel free to click on the picture to get to their site.

Enjoy! Some of my favorites are Tazo, Stash and Bigelow. Yogi looks pretty cool too and Lipton and Twinings are classic favorites.

4. “Do you take sugar? Cream? …” We can’t forget tea’s many sidekicks! To add or not to add? Milk, soymilk or any other super special awesome veg milk products? Sugar, or rather agave nectar, demerara or rice syrup? Don’t forget the lemon! All can be a great addition to a tea, or it can completely not work out. It’d be interesting to hear what any readers put in their tea. I personally leave mine without any, just black is enough taste for me.

5. Preparation of tea is significant as well. When to make it? With whom to share it? How to steep it? What to drink it in? All important questions…let me know what you think and drop us a comment! 

Do you ever feel like you would drink more tea if it were more quickly made? Haha, I sound impatient but six minutes or so is awhile!

Tea is an excellent drink and has been enjoyed all over the world for years. Hopefully this post has given an overview, or rather a lengthy evaluation of, this wonderful beverage. Try out some cool new kinds and feel free to contribute links and resources!

Be well,

Brian, while enjoying a nice cup of hot tea

Check out the many cool links within this post for more info on sources.

(Sorry to keep saying that but it’s not practical to reiterate them all)