Tea and Me

Beginners Guide

Exploring different types of teas is both healthy and rewarding to the pallete! Here I have a few different tea types I personally enjoy, and I know that you will love them too!

Bigelow is a great place to start. They carry most common tea types and even offer samplers for a more curious approach. I not only started exploring the world of tea with Bigelow, but they hold a special place in my heart and collection to this day.

How I Drink Tea

I can summarize my tea drinking into a few categories, all for which I will provide the link to the tea I am currently drinking.

• Teas I drink at scheduled times.
• Teas I drink situationally.
• Teas I drink as much as possible.

I hope these lists can help you understand the variety of benefits that come from drinking tea!

Scheduled Tea

• Spiced Chai - I drink Chai tea with my breakfast and dinner because it is great for digestion, lowers blood sugar levels, and is heart healthy. The additional kick from the spices like cloves and cinnamon also help to get my morning started.
• Green Tea - Green Tea is an amazing post workout tea, because it is filled with antioxidants and reduces muscle damage. It also helps bump your energy and focus levels back up to normal after all that hard work. The mellow grasy flavor just feels right following intense activity.
• Chamomile Tea - For those who struggle to fall asleep right away, I definitely reccomend a nice strong cup of chamomile tea. This particular brand includes valerian root which aids in relaxation and promotes restful sleep. I prefer "Sleepytime Extra" because I find it does a better job at keeping me asleep for longer periods of time. This tea is hard to explain, it has such a deep flavor its almost mouth numbing with very rooty and woody tones.

Situational Tea

• Black Tea - When the time inevitably comes to pull all-nigters, I turn to a highly caffinated black tea. It does not give you a jittery sensation or an energy hangover like coffee, and is definitely way easier on your digestive track. It is great for heart and gut health, and in some cases may even lower cholesterol and blood sugar.
• Earl Grey - Earl grey is a flavorful and satisfying tea with notes of citrusy notes that is a wonderful accompanyment to any snack-time needs you may have. It leaves you feeling full and contended with a wonderful aftertaste. I usually drink this tea with a snack between meals if I am still feeling unsatisfied.
• Peppermint - I find peppermint tea to be the perfect tea for fixing any minor ailments that dont require pain killers. It can reduce headaches and migranes, ease stomach pain, and releave clogged sinuses. An added bonus is that it freshens up bad breath and gives a little boost to energy to make rainy days a little bit brighter.

Teas to Drink as Much as Possible

• Oolong - Oolong tea is a big metabolism and immune booster, and while it may be an uncommon aroma and scent at first, you wont be able to live without it after your third or fourth cup. I drink this tea whenever I can get my hands on it throughout the day. It has a strong woody flavor that I find almost addicting.
• Jasmine Green Tea - Jasmine tea boosts brain function, lowers risk for heart disease and is great for oral health. If that wasn't impressive enough, it is also (in my opinion) the best tasting tea out of the bunch. Jasmine tea has easily become my go-to tea order from anywhere, and I drink it at home as much as possible. It has a delicate floral taste with a unique lightness to it that cant be beat.

As you can see, tea is not only a passion and a hobby for me but also a way of maintaining physical and mental health. Drinking tea instead of coffee in the morning has opened me up to a world of possibilities and I have yet to stop exploring this world. My favorite brands at the moment being Twining, Celesteal and Bigelow, which are all perfect brands to start with for they all offer a wide assortment of teas, both loose leaf and in tea bags.
Regardless of how you left this experience, I am so happy I was able to share my love of teas with you. Please feel free to click on any links above and join me on my journey!