BY SUSAN B. B. SCHABACKER
It’s 2021! Explore the exciting world of tea, discover your favs, and get healthier and happier, sip-by-sip. Improving our health is a common New Year’s resolution and drinking more tea is an ideal addition to your bucket list. Let’s refocus our health and detox from the hustle and bustle of the holidays. It’s time to get healthier and celebrate life with teas!
Find comfort from the cold with a cuppa tea that warms you from within. It’s hard not to love this versatile beverage. And it’s hard to believe that the same plant, Camelia Sinesis, produces so many different types of teas – black, green, oolong, pu’erh, and white.
There’s a tea to suit everyone’s tastes, whether you prefer strong black teas, less caffeinated green teas, subtle white teas, or caffeine-free rooibos, herbals, or tisanes. Diverse shades and textures appeal to your senses, tantalize your taste buds, and treat your tummy while yielding plentiful health benefits.
Black Teas (Assam, Chai, and Keemun) are heart-healthy, boost immunity, and improve gut health by promoting growth of “good” bacteria and inhibiting growth of “bad” bacteria. Whether you are trying to ward off coronavirus, the flu, or the common cold, drinking black tea regularly can be beneficial.
Green Teas, like Sencha, Gunpowder, and Genmaicha, have been in the spotlight amongst health-conscious tea drinkers. From preventing diseases to boosting brain function, green teas contain the amino acid L-theanine, which has anti-anxiety properties.
White Teas, like White Peony, Silver Needles, and Shou Mei, have even higher antioxidant properties than green teas because they are less processed. The unopened buds and young new leaves are steamed, then dried, and retain a light, delicate flavor reminiscent of florals and fruits.
Crazy about coffee? Give tea a try, too. Take a break from your regular cuppa Joe. With less caffeine than java that can give you jitters, tea is an ideal substitute. If you’ve yet to experience whole leaf, loose teas and are used to dunking a stapled bag with tea dust or “fannings,” it’s time to discover teas that haven’t been over-processed. The difference can be compared to locally grown, organic, farm-fresh tomatoes versus commercially grown grocery store tomatoes. They are worlds apart!
We may have to wait for 5 o’clock happy hour for alcoholic beverages, but you can enjoy teas any time of day or night. Tea pick-me-ups can help you feel more alert and awake, while other teas can calm you, enabling a better night’s sleep. Whatever your daily routine, adding teas to your life can make you healthier.
Tea can provide solace for the solo and solitary, bringing people together. Social aspects of teas have been utilized by generations of ancestors and are a valued part of tradition. From afternoon tea, tea ceremonies, or tea for two, tea can be shared and enjoyed with company and conversations.
Tea is a life-giving source – comfort in a cuppa – enhancing + enriching our lives in many ways. Tea is so much more than just an enjoyable beverage. Tea varieties are special, unique, and different. Since it’s up to your own taste buds, no one tea is better than another, but all varieties bring you better health + unlimited happiness!
Whether you’re on the go – travel mug in hand – clocking in at work, or relaxing at home, tea can soothe your soul + senses and help your health. So, let’s amp up on antioxidants, fill up on flavonoids, and get healthier together. Pinkies out, everyone. Steep, share, sip, and savor!
