Recently, a friend of mine reached out to me for some tea advice. She wanted to know what to drink and wanted to learn about the benefits of tea . I sent her a note saved on my phone full of all the knowledge I’ve collected on tea over the years. I was saving the note for someone to ask me about my passion and after helping my friend, I thought I should share it with more people. With that being said, I am no expert, but here is my tea guide of what teas to drink and when.
To start off our adventure into the tea world, we have peppermint tea. As my mom says, the toothpaste tea. Yes, it tastes like you just gargled toothpaste — but this tea has many benefits for such a “basic” flavor. Peppermint tea is an anti-bloat tea and helps curb sugar cravings. It also can help give you energy in the mornings or if you need a pick-me-up halfway through the day. My favorite peppermint tea is from Tazo. I discovered the brand Tazo when my family was vacationing in California and it was the only tea our hotel had, and ever since then it’s been my favorite tea brand.
Our second tea is ginger. This tea has a very distinct taste and can be too spicy for some. Ginger tea is also a great tea for anti-bloat, and it can help with nausea and digestion. This tea is most common for helping with colds and is usually served with honey or lemon to help with the flavor. My favorite ginger tea is from Yogi. While this tea is strictly ginger, most brands offer lemon and honey flavored combinations.
Next we have my personal favorite tea, black tea. Maybe it’s my love for the British culture or its ability to wake me up in the morning but black tea is my go-to. Black tea can give you an antioxidant boost as well as prevent dementia. For me, it’s an amazing wake-up call as it hasa healthy amount of caffeine. I drink my hot black tea straight with no milk or sweetener because I enjoy the flavor, but some mix it with a plant-based milk. My favorite black tea bags are from Tazo but if I am not in the mood for a hot beverage in the morning, I will drink an iced black tea and mix it with a small amount of almond milk.
Another personal favorite for me is a classic, green tea. I have noticed that since drinking a mug of green tea a day, my skin has gotten noticeably clearer. More benefits of green tea include an energy boost and boosting your metabolism. My brother’s girlfriend, Sam, gifted me my favorite green tea from Target. This tea has only three out of five levels of caffeine and since I drink a high caffeine black tea in the morning, this tea is a perfect pick-me-up in the afternoon.
The fifth tea on my tea guide is chamomile tea. This tea is a healthier alternative for melatonin as it helps you sleep and calms you down for the night. Other benefits include anti-bloat, good complexion, and (ladies listen up) period cramp relief. I used to depend on melatonin every night and grew to realize its effect on my mood the next morning so I gradually switched to a chamomile tea while I read my book at night. My mood the next morning is much better and I stay asleep for longer throughout the night. My favorite chamomile tea is from Tazo.
Another tea that helps you relax is passion tea. This floral tasting drink has a brighter color compared to other teas once brewed, and smells phenomenal. On top of relaxing you, this tea helps with sugar cravings and lowers your blood pressure. Whenever I drink my passion tea, it sends me to Hawaii and I feel like I’m on vacation.
Turmeric tea, like ginger tea, has a very distinct taste to it. Some can’t stand the taste but it has many health benefits in relation to diseases. This tea is anti-alzheimer’s disease, helps prevent and treat cancer, boosts your immune functions, helps manage irritable bowel syndrome, and helps manage diabetes. My favorite turmeric tea is from Pukka and this brand is often hard to find but if you can find it- also grab the detox tea. It’s a great addition to your tea collection for when you need some bloat gone and to help your digestion.
Finally, the eighth tea on my (shortened so you don’t have to read for hours) tea guide is oolong tea. This unique, usually forgotten tea is great for promoting bone health. It can also aid in sleep, help in fighting cancer, protect your brain, and lower your blood pressure. This tea tastes similar to green tea but has a fruity and floral hint to it. My favorite brand for oolong tea is Bigelow.
Now that we’re aware of the benefits of my top eight tea flavors on my guide, when is it best to drink these delicious teas? Everyone is different but below is my daily tea routine..
Wake-up call: Black Tea- this drink gives me a great caffeine boost for my day
Mid Morning: Peppermint Tea- I drink this tea at this time just to help me with my bloat and try to improve it for the rest of the day. If my bloat is very bad, I’ll have another in the evening.
Afternoon: Green tea- I drink a mid-caffeine level green tea about half way through the day just to give myself a little boost, especially on my long days of online classes
Night: Detox tea or passion tea- I usually have whatever I am craving at the moment, if I feel bloated and like I ate way more than I should have that day, I’ll have a detox tea. However, if I am craving some sugar and need something to subside that, I’ll reach for passion tea.
Before Bed: Chamomile tea- When I’m winding down for the night and am ready to knock out, I sip on this tea while reading to help me fall asleep faster — that’s what I struggle with the most.
Honorable Mention: I have the following teas when I feel it is needed — when I feel a cold coming on or need a different tea: Oolong tea, ginger tea, and turmeric tea.