TEA ~ a very elegant beverage. It’s one of the best Mother Nature has to offer, and it knows it, you can taste the confidence of it in every cup [smile].
Let’s unpack tea a little bit…
Do you know what tea is? It’s the brewed leaves of the camellia sinensis plant. How the leaves are manipulated and oxidized after harvest determines whether or not it is green tea, yellow tea, black tea, white tea, oolong tea or pu~erh tea. It all comes from the same amazing plant. If it is not made from camellia sinensis plant, IT IS NOT TEA, it is an herbal blend which is a tisane. Tisanes are fabulous in their own right, however they are not tea. It is also worth mentioning that the camellia sinensis is a caffeinated plant. Hence there is no such thing as “decaffeinated” green tea. There is no truth in that advertising. Typically it is an herbal tisane to mimic green tea in some way. Don’t get me wrong, they are some AMAZING TISANES in the world, let’s give them credit for what they are. They are strong enough to stand along without the “tea” attachment.
Green tea, which is prized for its antioxidant properties, is second to white tea, which is the richest in antioxidants. White tea is made by picking the leaves when they are still white before they have had a chance to turn green. It is minimally processed and packs the most punch. SO RICH in antioxidants and fabulous for combating free radicals in the body. I love “Best Friends” tea which is infused with coconut and safflower, it is delicious hot and cold. However, my favorite white tea for its health benefits is “Manifested Bliss.” It is silver needle and 99% antioxidant rich, sourced from the Fujian mountains. It is amazing for the immune system, great for heart health and lowering cholesterol. It has a woody earthy flavor I LOVE! It has catechins that can increase your metabolism and fat burning abilities naturally. The caffeine in tea is very different than the caffeine in coffee. The amino acid L-theanine has a calming effect, reducing stress, promotes relaxation and mental clarity. The powerful antioxidants in Manifested Bliss can help protect against DNA damage and inhibit the growth of cancer cells. It is a wonderful tea.
Let’s talk about green tea for a moment, because I love that too. My favorite in the green tea collection is “Beautiful”~jasmine pearls. It is so elegant. It unfurls in your cup when heated in hot water, no tea bag required. Green tea is also rich in antioxidants, particularly polyphenols and catechins. It is excellent for your resilient brain, it can lower the risk of neurodengenerative diseases, which appear to be on the rise. Green tea is so good for gut health by reducing inflammation in the digestive system. By rolling the tea into little pearls, it allows for minimal processing, keeping the nutrient content high. Ensuring that you receive the maximum amount of benefit the tea has to offer. Beautiful tea is definitely a go to in my everyday world.
In a future post, I will talk about some of my favorite tisanes such as lemon balm, chamomile, and mints! decaffeinated green tea rich in antoxidants promotes relaxation