A cup of tea heals emotional wounds, alleviates sickness and makes cold weather more bearable, even enjoyable.
Tea humanizes complete strangers and dissolves awkward cultural barriers. If I know that your kitchen cupboards are stuffed with different types of tea bags and tea leaves, I will probably like you.
A tea addiction is not as worrisome as a coffee addiction or alcohol addiction. Having too much coffee can cause jitters, anxiety, headaches and bad coffee breath. Having too much alcohol can cause vomiting and black-outs, not to mention general social embarrassment. The only danger of having too much tea is, as far as I know, an annoying increase in bathroom trips.
And let’s remind ourselves of all those health benefits of tea that people keep raving about, for good reason. Tea contains beneficial antioxidants that help fight cancer. Tea also boosts the immune system, increases mental alertness, lowers stress hormone levels and can help you sleep.
Which tea best suits your emotional and physical needs right now? Here is a handy guide.
Need a Quick Pick-Me-Up? Drink Black Tea. Black tea is Coffee Lite for those of you wanting to cut back on your coffee but still needing that perky caffeine fix. The strong flavor will reinvigorate your senses and get your mental gears running for the rest of the day.
Want to Feel Healthy and Refreshed? Try White Tea. White tea has the least amount of caffeine and contains the most antioxidants. As it is the least processed tea compared to other tea types, it has a light flavor that will go down smoothly.
Need Some Stress-Relief? Try Green Tea. Green tea has a natural, grassy, neutral flavor that is perfect for stress relief. Plus, it is not loaded with as much caffeine as black tea.
Need Some Creative Inspiration? Try Indian Chai Tea. Indian chai tea is a multifaceted taste palette loaded with different spices and nuances. Whether you drink it straight or with some cream and honey, consider having this drink within arm’s reach for your creative brainstorming sessions.
Feeling Physically Under the Weather? Try Fruit-Flavored Tea. Orange tea, lemon tea, rasberry tea: the options are endless. Drink up for sore throats, body aches and general under-the-weather-ness. Too bad cough medicine doesn’t taste more like this.
Need to Quench Your Thirst? Try Cold Oolong or Barley Tea. Found in most Asian supermarkets, getting a cold bottle of these teas is the perfect way to satisfy your thirst on a hot day. With ice, please.
Got other tea suggestions? Just feel like singing the praises of tea? Share them in the comments below!
Hi Yumi,
I'm having a look in my pantry to see if we can be friends. Black tea? yes White tea? yep Green tea? yes almost empty though Camomile? Lemon infused? Tulsi? yes, yes, yes!
Cheers, I'll just pop the kettle on.
Hello Yumi,
What a useful, great article you have here. Thank you for this valuable info. I've always enjoyed teas. Because I have sinus/allergy problems, I often drink chamomile to warm and relax my body. I also drink green tea and fruit-flavored tea you mention here. There are other teas such as thyme tea I learned about that are good for people who might have same condition as I do, which is quite prevalent.
http://www.sinus-allergy-care.com/holistic-treatm…
Be well,
Lahn
Hi Yumi,
I am feeling rather anxious today, so I am heading for the green tea. In China, people "wash" the tea for about ten seconds, drain off that water and then steep the green tea for maybe 30 seconds before pouring it. This basically decaffeinates the tea. People who are sensitive to caffeine can still enjoy all the benefits of tea.
Thanks for the article!
Collect kindnesses, trust your instincts, learn happiness and then spread it all over everyone you know.
Love,
Mariahn
Lovely article. I am experiencing quite a bit of stress. Green tea has been suggested to me as an antioxidant and as a breast cancer survivor this is a beneficial component. Thanks Mariahn for the tip on washing the tea.
This is great Yumi! I love white tea and chai, so spicy.
I think I will go have a cup of tea.
Renay
X
Thanks for the article, Yumi. One of my fondest memories of childhood was after walking home from school, having a pot of tea to help detach from the outside world. To this day, if I need a quick way to seperate myself from outside influences and energies, I have a cup of tea. The tea itself does different things for my body, but I think for me it is the ritual of instantly tending to self that does the trick. Thanks again for your wonderful contribution.
I'm glad there are a lot of tea lovers on Intent! Having just come down with a cold, I think I'm going to nurse myself back to health by indulging in lots of tea. Cheers.
As you know, Yumi, I am a tea addict. What a great article! Love it!
It's funny….I was just discussing the different benefits of various teas with a dear friend of mine yesterday.
Thanks for providing such an insightful look into which teas are good for our different moods……I now know that Indian chai tea is best for getting my creative juices flowing….
I love cream and honey in my tea…..I'll definitely grab Indian chai……my next trip to the Farmer's Market…..
Your fellow tea lover….
Tera
"Turning myself inside out in pursuit of Divinity"