barbarasherbbasket's Blog

Teas
Sep 2, 2009 | 4:51 PM PST
Tags: teas , tea , how to make tea , red raspberry , chamomile , peppermint tea , rooibos tea , Xyiltol , Stevia , organic tea , organic coffee , vanilla , bergamont , lavender , lavender water
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Teas How to Make a Good Cup of  Tea

A good cup of tea can be so satisfying if it is prepared correctly.  Teas are known for their antioxidant benefits but did you know that by adding vanilla to your tea that it has a calming effect or that making your tea with lavender water will help you fight off colds and add an uplifting flavor to your tea? I am just embarking on the world of tea and it is appears to be an exciting road. In the 1970s I found Peets Coffee and Tea shop but because I did not know the benefits of tea or how to properly steep it and was a coffee drinker,  I walked away from tea.  Well, I’m back and I give credit to the little 97 year old lady  who I take care of a few days a week. She became a tea drinker several years ago because like me, coffee did not sit on the stomach like it used to and it kept us awake. I decided to try new teas. Starbucks has a London Fog Tea drink that really got me hooked. It is a beautiful blend of Earl Grey, Lavender and Vanilla. So armed with a box of Tazo Tea, the Earl Grey with Bergamont in it, the lavender from my garden, and organic vanilla, I began the race to see if I could match their tea in my own kitchen. I also looked up the ingredients. Wow! This tea is so good for you! I boiled water and poured it over my lavender flowers and steeped it with a cover on for 10 minutes. Keeping enough out for a cup of tea, I put the rest of the water in a glass jar and stored it in the refrigerator. Now armed with a lovely scented water, I reheated it, put in the tea bag, covered the cup with a saucer and let it steep for 5 minutes. Next, as I uncovered the tea, I carefully shook back into the cup the accumulated moisture on the saucer. This is the where you lose much of the essential and benefical oils from the tea. Always shake those droplets back in.Then I added almond milk and stevia.  Almond milk is so good for you and has absorbable calcium, minerals and vitamins and is very low in calories. I used stevia to sweeten as it has no calories and no side effects as it comes from a plant that provides sweetness without any worries. It was delightful. The Bergamont, Vanilla and Lavender added lots of healthy benefits and the properly steeped tea gave me antioxidants. What a way to start the day. Today I varied my morning tea by using Xyiltol sweetener and received an even closer version to the Starbucks version. Xyiltol has very few calories, tastes exactly like sugar, and protects your teeth from cavities (see my denatal care section).  Just finished my cup of tea and am ready for the day.

Organic Coffee

Organic coffee, properly brewed, with a touch of cinnamon or vanilla can have healthful benefits as well. Cinnamon from the Cassia source can help keep your sugar levels balanced. Italians many times like to put a slice of lemon in their espresso with a lump of sugar. Lemon and the lemon oil from the rind are very good for you as a vitamin C source and has properties that fight flus, viruses, and more. If the sugar was replaced with Xyiltol or Stevia, you could make it a win, win morning.  stores offer organic coffees and other organic foods.

Rooibos Tea

Back to teas….do what I did and try different teas with infused flavors such as dried mango, pomegranate, apple, cinnamon or even herbs.  There are White Teas, Green Teas, Oolong Teas, Black Teas but one of the very best is Rooibos or Red Bush Tea!  Rooibos is an herbal tea from the Red Bush plant that was originally found in Africa. It is a very favored tea on that continent. This tea, to me, is the royalty of teas. It has a naturally sweet flavor, it is full of antioxidants, aides digestion, and it does not become bitter even if the bag is left in your cup. The aroma alone makes your day.  It is caffeine free and can be enjoyed until bedtime. I have found it to be a mild diuretic and helps a sluggish bowel to move.  The brand I purchase is organic and from(used to be Cost Plus). It is infused with vanilla and fruit flavors. The flavor is beyond compare. I have added additional vanilla if I am stressed or want an extra sweet treat.

Peppermint Tea

Peppermint tea is an excellent tea when you are ill. It helps cool the body, brings down fevers, calms the stomach and gall bladder, and is a good substitute for those wanting to leave coffee behind. This tea is enjoyable at anytime and because there is no caffeine in it, you can enjoy it late into the evening.

NOTE! This tea is a medicine and not meant to be your main source of fluids all day. Children can be given peppermint tea but no more than a few spoonfuls at a time and no more than 1/4 cup in a day. It can change their sugar levels. Just remember that it is a medicine tea.

Chamomile Tea

Chamomile tea is another excellent tea choice as long as you do not have any allergies to ragweed. This tea is considered a tonic for your stomach and nerves and helps the digestion. It brings good blood flow to the skin and helps you to perspire.  This tea is purported to help regulate the menstrual flow and is supposed to help with drug withdrawal.

Red Raspberry Tea

Red Raspberry tea is a tasty cup of tea that has minerals and vitamin benefits. It is good for stomach aches, bowel movements and diarrhea in adults and in children. Children should not have more than 1/4 cup of any herbal tea in a day.

Red Raspberry is an astringent herb that nourishes and strengthens a woman’s uterus as well as the whole reproductive system. It is used to decrease the blood flow when the cycle is heavy but if taken daily it can bring a long term healing to the area. This tea is safe during pregnancy because of the reasons above and it helps the uterus to prepare for birth and helps it to properly retract after the birthing process. It also helps with after pains. This tea enriches and increases the milk flow when breast feeding.