As you can see, I'm pretty much a tea hoarder and I have all different kinds. They all have a variety of health benefits depending on the type of tea and the herbs they contain. Here are a few of my favorites along with some of their benefits:
1. Matcha Green Tea: Contains antioxidants, one specifically called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg) which is the most widely recognized for its cancer fighting properties. Match Green Tea contains over 100 times more EGCg than any other tea on the market. Studies suggest this may also help boost your metabolism. This tea also contains L-Theanine, an amino acid that induces relaxation, and boosts levels of serotonin and dopamine which can help improve mood, memory, and concentration. Match Green Tea is a detoxifier and it can have positive effects on the immune system.
2. Ginger Root Tea: It can help relieve nausea and it also helps promote digestion and absorption of food. This tea is perfect for anyone like me who has digestive issues. It also can help prevent bloating after you've eaten too much. Ginger also has anti-inflammatory properties and can help reduce joint and muscle pain. It can also help improve blood flow.
3. Chai Tea: The black tea in chai tea is full of antioxidants. Chai tea also typically contains ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, clove, and black pepper. Cardamom aids in digestion and especially can help with bloating and gas. Cinnamon aids in digestion as well, and it may help balance blood sugar. Clove is thought to increase peristalsis and stomach acidity, which is necessary for optimal digestion. Black pepper enhances nutrient absorption, boosts your metabolism, helps promote elimination of excess fluids in the body, helps with digestion by increasing production of hydrochloric acid (a digestive enzyme), and can help fight bacteria in the stomach.
4. Chamomile Tea: Chamomile helps soothe your stomach and relieve gas and bloating. It can also help you calm your mind and relax. It has anti-inflammatory properties and it can help boost your immune system.
5. Sugar Cookie Sleigh Ride: Unfortunately this tea is only seasonal. Judging by the name it clearly tastes amazing, and it also contains milk thistle. Milk thistle is an herb that cleanses your liver and can help with the production of bile, which helps in the digestive process.
I pretty much drink every kind of tea, but those are my favorites! Now, for how to make your tea taste bomb. You can make your tea the traditional way by steeping a teabag in boiling water and then just drink it as it is. If you make a face at thought of drinking plain old tea steeped in water, keep reading-- there's another way! You've probably had or at least heard of a tea latte, which is made with steamed milk. For example, a chai tea latte. You can order this at coffee shops like Starbucks, or even make your own by buying a chai tea latte concentrate. However, these typically are high in sugar and in my opinion it kind of defeats the purpose of drinking tea. Plus I'm not a fan of drinking my calories. A tall (12 oz.) Starbucks Chai Tea Latte made with soy milk has 180 calories and 36g carbohydrates (32g sugar). With non-fat milk, it's 160 calories and 34 g of carbohydrates (32g sugar). The American Heart Association recommends women consume no more than 25g of added sugar per day, and men no more than 37.5g. (Side note: A small portion of the sugar content in these drinks is the naturally-occurring sugar in milk, but most definitely not 32g worth.) So instead of consuming almost a day's worth of sugar in one drink, here's a healthy alternative.
Ingredients:
-Tea of choice, either bag or powder
-1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
-1/2 cup water
-Stevia to taste
Directions:
Boil the milk, and at the same time either boil the water or microwave it in a mug. I usually microwave the water for about 50 seconds-1 minute. Then steep your tea bag in the water (or mix in the powder, I use 1 tsp of matcha green tea powder for example). Pour the milk in with the water and tea after it boils (make sure you watch the milk because it will overflow if you leave it boiling on the burner too long). Let it steep according to the directions on the box, but usually I let it for about 10 minutes. If you used a powder you don't have to let it sit. Then mix in stevia to your liking (I use 1 packet and then I add vanilla creme stevia drops). And there you go! A healthy tea latte.
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