Elixirs

Blended Tea Nirvana

Blending teas is the new black. My go-to tea hybrid is a mix of green tea and fresh mint leaves,  and/or a peppermint tea bag. This melange produces an invigorating, tummy-soothing lift. The Chinese have been drinking green tea for 4,000 years, and for just as long they have extolled its effectiveness as a remedy for various health problems. (There are claims that green tea will stabilize your cholesterol levels, help with weight loss, and generally remove nasty toxins from your body.) Meanwhile, peppermint soothes the digestive tract, alleviates nausea, and it smells and tastes great. So, that's the strategy, but what are the tactics?

Upon arriving in a tea-serving sanctuary in the middle of a busy day, I order a green tea, but request mint leaves to be crushed into the mug before the green tea bag is added on top. It's great if they have the mint and are willing to do this! If they don't, however, I simply take the green tea and throw in my own peppermint tea bag, which I take from a back-up reserve I keep on my person at all times. I don't like to add much else. You can, of course, reverse this approach. In this case, you order a peppermint tea and then add your own green.

Bottom line: When you  need a perk, I'd say go for green tea over coffee. They're both pretty stimulating, but I find green tea to be more soothing and less cracked out. And it's much less acidic than coffee too!  And to get your creative wheels turning, switch up the peppermint for chai rooibos. Point is, you can mix and match as you wish!

Green Tea! (Via <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pinksherbet/3490127306">D. Sharon Pruitt</a>.)

Comments

Green tea and yerba mate get me through the changing seasons and the cold rainy days that can invite sickness. Especially green tea with toasted brown rice. I like your crushed mint leaves idea, will try it next time!

-Ben

Solyoga Trips's picture

I love Rishi tea because they do a lot of really great blends.  

piper184's picture



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