Coffee or tea? That has always been my life’s question. Of course, I’ve always been a tea drinker but when I had my first cup of coffee, well, that was something else altogether. Anyway, coming from an East Asian culture, I was brought up with tea – it was always water, juice, or tea. My options remained consistent, barley tea, green tea, or corn tea. Since my younger years, I’ve come across many types of tea that had me head over heels. The five kinds of tea that I recommend are for those of you who want to try different types of tea but don’t know where to start – or those of you who already love tea and want to try something new.
Green Tea
One of my favorite teas of all time. For me, it’s always had a calming effect. If I knew that I’d be busy or I had to get something done, I would sit myself down with a cup of green tea and get right to it. And if the tea from Lipton doesn’t seem very original, I usually buy the matcha tea, that they have in the stores these days.
Chamomile Tea
People around me have called it the “Bedtime Tea”. After a long day of work or school, I end my day with a cup of chamomile tea before I go to bed. Chamomile is known to be a mild tranquilizer and sleep inducer, so for anyone who has trouble sleeping at night, this tea is for you.
Cinnamon Vanilla Tea
I was not a fan of this one until recently because it’s good for my health. I’m cold-blooded (according to my doctor) so I always have cold hands and feet. I read that cinnamon is a herb that warms the body, so I started drinking this tea. The cinnamon smell at first is a little much for me, but the taste of the vanilla at the end helps to even it all out.
Irish Breakfast Tea
Maybe it’s because of the name, but I drink this in the mornings when I have breakfast with a piece of toast and some eggs. I find it to be heavenly. Just a personal opinion here, but I find it softer and smoother to the taste than the British Breakfast tea.
Ginger Jujube Tea
This one might sound a little unfamiliar. It’s a tea that Koreans drink during the winter time, or when they’re ill. Anytime that I had a cold or a sore throat, my mom would make me this tea, and I’d feel better in no time at all. It’s also good for your health because of all the natural ingredients that it contains: ginger, jujubes, pears, apple slices, and a lot of honey. It’s tasty and sweet, but it’s a bit spicy because of the ginger, let that be a fair warning. They sell tea bags nowadays in Asian supermarkets, so they’re actually pretty easy to find.