Tea Brewing 101 | Health Tea
What is Considered a Health Tea?
Next to water and coffee, tea is one of the most highly consumed beverages in the world. People enjoy a cup of tea for its delicious taste, pleasant aroma, and personal comfort, whether it is a warm cup on a cold day or iced refreshment. Along with these fantastic attributes, tea is widely enjoyed for its numerous medicinal properties and health benefits.
Since the beginning of tea consumption thousands of years ago, tea was initially and primarily only used as a medicinal beverage. The Camellia sinensis plant, which is the plant that produces black, green, white, and oolong tea, contains many unique antioxidant properties responsible for tea’s healthy qualities. Although every tea type comes from the same plant, each tea’s potential health benefits are unique due to the varied processing methods.
Now to answer the question, “what is considered a health tea?” The answer would be every tea type, from black to white to green, because each one contains health-promoting antioxidants and vitamins. Besides the authentic benefits from a plain tea leaf, concoctions are also made by combining tea leaves with other health-boosting ingredients to assist with specific ailments, like insomnia or digestion. Non-tea blends, like herbals or tisanes, are made from ingredients from other plants, fruits, and spices. These types of combinations are especially popular in the wellness community. One of the main perks with herbal health blends is that they are caffeine-free and can be consumed at any time. Most of the wellness teas we offer are oolong, green tea, or herbal based.
Learn More About Health Teas & How They Can Help Us
Brewing Techniques & Ratios
The way you brew a health tea is purely based on the type of tea that is used. Since every tea type is unique in the way it is processed, specific temperatures and steep times are required to bring out the correct flavors and benefits. For instance, health teas with an herbal or black tea base can be steeped in higher temperatures and much longer than a green or white tea base. Typically, you want to use 1.5-2 teaspoons of loose-leaf tea per 8 oz of water to achieve the ideal flavor profile.
Details and patience are crucial when it comes to tea brewing. Tea that is steeped too long or in too hot of water will become bitter and lose some of the desired antioxidants. Tea that is not brewed long enough or with water that is too cold will not develop the correct taste or release the needed tannins and health components. Brewing tea is very particular and is one scenario where it is okay, and necessary, to be a little more nitpicky. We highly recommend using our Brewing Guide as a resource when brewing our wellness blends.
Check Out our Brewing Guide for the Different Tea Types
Our Favorite Medicinal Recipes
Our favorite and perhaps the most popular wellness infusions are green teas and herbal blends. Green tea is considered a “super food” and one of the healthiest beverages you can consume. Since it is unoxidized, green tea has a higher concentration of chlorophyll, polyphenols, and antioxidants. Green tea is most often used to increase metabolism, improve brain function, and eliminate harmful bacteria. Due to green tea’s anti-inflammatory properties, it is the perfect drink for soothing a sore throat, especially with the addition of manuka honey.
Herbal teas are another ideal choice because the recipe combinations are endless, and every ingredient you combine can have a specific benefit. As with any tea, it is essential to understand what the ingredients do and your purpose for drinking them. Some of our favorite and most beneficial herbal tea ingredients include Chamomile, Ginger, Peppermint, and Hibiscus. From improving your sleep patterns to calming an upset stomach, every ingredient added to a blend is like assembling a new superhero to help achieve your health goals. Below are some of our favorite herbal recipes for common ailments. Plus, keep reading for a healthy and delicious recipe you can make at home!
Click Here to Discover our Versatile Selection of Wellness Blends
*It is important to note that although drinking tea has many health benefits, it should only be used to supplement your health, not as a medical replacement. We are not doctors, and any medical concern should be dealt with by a medical professional.
Citrus Mint Wellness Tea *One Serving
This wellness recipe is perfect for the cold and flu season. Peppermint tea soothes the throat, chamomile soothes headaches, peppermint and ginger calm the tummy, and the citrus provides some added Vitamin C for immunity. It has incredible health benefits, is comforting to drink, and tastes delicious to boot! This recipe can be enjoyed both hot and iced, but we prefer a warm brew for a sick day.
What You’ll Need:
- 1 teaspoon Tropical Citrus Turmeric Treat
- 1 teaspoon Relaxing Mint Chamomile
- ¾ cup of water
- ¾ cup lemon juice or lemonade
- Honey to taste
Instructions:
- Scoop the loose-leaf tea blends into an infuser or filter bag and place it in a 12 oz mug.
- Add water to the kettle and heat until it reaches 175°. Pour 6-8 oz of water over the tea leaves and steep for 3-5 minutes.
- Heat lemon juice or lemonade in a different mug for 2 minutes.
- Remove steeper or filter bag and combine the lemon juice/lemonade with the tea.
- Stir in your desired amount of honey.
- Relax and enjoy!
* To brew it iced, you will need to infuse twice as much tea and after steeping, add 8 oz of cold water and unheated lemon juice or lemonade. Chill the tea in the fridge for a few minutes and then pour over ice to complete.
