It’s winter and, unless you are one of those fortunate souls living in year-round sunshine, that means winter blues, snow and ice, and early evenings. Christmas and New Years are over and it’s time for the reality of the long, dark cold to set in.
Which is partly why The Tea Council of America declared that national tea month is in the winter (January). Tea is old school comfort. Something our parents and grandparents have passed down to us. Tea is a part of life. An aromatic reminder of love. Who hasn’t had a cup of lemon and honey tea prescribed by Dr. Mom for a sore throat. Or a moment sitting at Grandma’s kitchen table, hands wrapped around a mug of steaming Earl Grey.
Not only is tea an expression of love, it’s also good for us. Black and green teas are full of antioxidants. Depending on the tea, it can be good for our heart, gut, lowering bad cholesterol, balancing blood sugar, and blood pressure among other things. (Source)
Here are ten teas to get you through the winter.
(P.S. These are not advertisements or affiliate links. We just like tea and want you to find the good stuff!)
1. Lemon Balm Tea
There’s more than one tea that can beat the winter blues, but here’s one that has been used for many years as a gentle pick me up on a bad day.
Lemon balm tea is like drinking a cup of sunshine on a gray winter day. Lemon balm has been used as an herbal remedy for depression for many years. Not to be confused with citrus, lemon balm, also called Melissa, is an herb related to the mint family. The Tao of Tea offers this herbal tea to those who need some comfort on a cold winter’s day.
2. Earl Grey Tea with Bergamot
Waking up on the wrong side of bed every once in a while is just part of life. That first morning cup of coffee or tea can help, but sometimes caffeine just doesn’t cut it. Bergamot is a tangy, citrus fruit grown in Italy, France, and Turkey. Citrus has long been known to uplift the spirits and bergamot is a great mood booster. Bergamot was added to black tea almost 200 years ago. It’s a classic and the perfect morning blend of sunshine and caffeine.
3. Throat Coat
There are many herbal teas for a sore throat, but one of the more popular ones is called Throat Coat by Traditional Medicinals. This thick, slippery tea acts by coating a scratchy throat. One of the reasons it works so well is because of a proprietary herbal blend, some of which dates back to the middle ages.
Marshmallow root, not to be confused with the soft, puffs of sugar found on top of hot chocolate, is a plant. It acts by coating a sore throat and easing inflammation. It works alongside licorice, which has aspirin like qualities and slippery elm bark, an old Native American remedy. (Source)
4. Echinacea Tea
Echinacea has been widely prescribed by Dr. Mom in households across America. Studies have shown that Dr. Mom was right. Echinacea is the tea to drink when you have a cold. It fights bacteria and pain causing inflammation. (Source) Bigelow offers a classically comforting echinacea and lemon tea for all things cold related. A great tea to sip wrapped in an afghan on a cold, sniffly day.
5. Cold Season
The title of this tea says what it’s for and means it. It’s packed with pain and inflammation fighting herbs like ginger, eucalyptus, licorice, and more. Yes, eucalyptus isn’t just for koalas. It has some great benefits for people too. Couple that with the other ingredients and you have a down-to-earth blend of steamy deliciousness. Yogi Tea offers this proprietary blend for tea lovers.
6. Chamomile
Struggling to fall asleep? Studies have shown that chamomile tea is an excellent sleep aid. Not only that, but it’s also a holistic source of healing for other conditions. An excellent way to stay healthy while you sleep! (Source) Bonus: This tea may help soothe anxiety. Bigelow has a lovely chamomile and lavender tea on the market.
7. Lavender and Citrus
Speaking of lavender, studies have shown lavender to be a helpful aid in alleviating some symptoms of mild to moderate depression and anxiety. (Source) Teavana makes a wonderful lavender and citrus tea that is a miniature spa for the senses.
8. Chai
This list wouldn’t be complete without the ancient and exotic chai. Chai is a perfect example of something that has adapted to the surrounding culture over thousands of years. It was born in India and originally made of a mixture of milk and spices like cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, ginger, pepper, and other regional spices.
It wasn’t until the 1830’s that the British added black tea leaves, making it into masala chai, yet another adaptation of this stimulating tea. A truly American twist on the masala chai is to add a shot of espresso turning it into the all American dirty chai.
9. Green Tea
On the list of food and drink high in antioxidants, green tea sits near the top along with blueberries and chocolate. Touted by many as a tea for weight loss, green tea is a natural appetite suppressant. It also contains caffeine, although the average cup of green tea only has about ⅓ the amount of caffeine that a cup of coffee has. Green tea leaves are more sensitive than black leaves and cannot withstand boiling water poured directly on them without burning. Try letting the teapot cool for a minute before pouring over a green tea bag.
10. Black Tea
Black tea is the most common form of tea in the USA. Even with our love of coffee, Americans still drink billions of gallons of tea every year. (Source) There’s nothing like a creamy cup of black tea in the morning.
A couple cups of black tea is almost equal in caffeine to a morning cup of joe and tea is just as high in antioxidants. (Source) For some, just having a little tea oasis in the morning can cut back on anxiety and prepare you mentally for the stress of the day.
At Home Care offers companionship for your loved ones. Request a free consultation today.
