Confessions of a Tea Snob + Tea Reviews!

I use the phrase "tea snob" in jest, but I do love my tea! In this soda and energy drink world, I often find my solace in a cup of hot tea. There's a simplicity found in enjoying a cup of tea. Perhaps it's the fact that you're ingesting an extension of the Earth - her tea leaves, herbs, or bits of fruit. Perhaps it's the preparation of a hot cup of tea that takes you back to another age and out of this hectic world. I believe this is one of the main reasons I prefer loose-leaf tea. It brings connection, pause, and appreciation. 

This post is the first of a new series I'll be doing over the lifetime of this blog - a collection of thoughts, information, and reviews on tea. In them I'll share my journey with tea (it's still a new journey for me!) and invite you to join in! 

First, I'd like to encourage you to replace one of your daily beverages with a cup of tea. Second, I'm going to suggest that you skip the added sweetener. I know, I know. Just remember, I grew up drinking Mississippi's finest sweet tea, so if I can do it, anyone can! Also, some of the teas I'm going to suggest already have a bit of sugar or stevia mixed in. I've noticed that sweetening and/or cooling your tea can take away from the rich flavor it has to offer. So it's simply my preference to skip the sweetener, but to each their own. :) Here are my first recommendations: 

Stash - Organic Lavender Tulsi Herbal Tea

Now is a good point to mention that herbal teas aren't actually tea. True tea only comes from the camellia sinensis plant. The proper name for an herbal tea is a tisane. I suspect that a true tea snob would not refer this as tea, but I'm really a newbie tea snob, so organic lavender tulsi herbal tea it is! 

The first thing that I love about this tea is that it only has two ingredients: organic tulsi and organic lavender. No surprises, no additives, no pesticides. It's simple nature in a tea bag! Since it doesn't contain tea leaves, it's also caffeine-free. I mentioned in my recent post that tulsi is actually in the basil family. It has a unique taste and blends well with the lavender. Lavender has soothing and calming effects, so this tea (or tisane!) is great before bed or to help wind down after a long day. 

It can be purchased here.

Yogi - Organic Calming 

Next, we have another tisane. (maybe I should call myself a tisane snob, but tea is coming, I promise!) It's advertised to "ease mild tension," and ease mild tension it does! I reach for this tea when I'm stressed, frustrated, or just in need of a chill pill, or chill cup. 

This tea is also organic, and though it has more than two ingredients, they all work together to make this my ultimate calming tea: (all organic) chamomile flower, licorice root, gotu kola leaf, hibiscus flower, fennel seed, lemongrass, cardamom seed, orange peel, rose hip, lavender flower, barley malt, and natural plum flavor. These mix together to create a sweet, relaxing tea. It also helps that each tea bag contains a little positive note - one of the things I love about Yogi teas! 

Yogi Organic Calming can be purchased here. 

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf - Japanese Sencha Green 

This is my newest favorite. Matt's mom got it for me for my birthday and I haven't been able to put it down since! It was my first experience with straight green tea.

First, I can't mention green tea without mentioning some of its awesome health benefits. Most teas have health benefits in some form or another, but green tea really knocks the others out of the ball park. Due to naturally-occurring fluoride in green tea, it's great for your teeth! Green tea also helps reduce inflammation, lower cholesterol and blood pressure, and even clear your skin! It's also packed with antioxidants. Green tea naturally contains some caffeine, but it's just enough to clear the mind and prepare you for your day. This is the tea I reach for every morning, and sometimes in the evening, too! 

Purchase this tea here. 

David's Tea - Glitter & Gold

Last up is my guilty pleasure in the tea world. Glitter and Gold tea. I can't say that this one is chock full of healthy benefits, but like all black teas, it's a great source of antioxidants and has numerous health benefits. The ingredients aren't the best, in my opinion, but it tastes great and it's not a tea I drink daily: Chinese black tea, gold sugar balls, sugar crystals, lemon peel, cloves, vanilla, natural and artificial flavoring. That last item is my biggest issue with this tea - why should nature require anything artificial? But, like I said, this tea is my guilty pleasure. The real reason for my obsession:

IT. SPARKLES.

That's right. This loose-leaf tea shimmers and sparkles as it steeps. Must be those gold sugar balls. 

Glitter & Gold can be purchased here - as an added bonus, David's always slips in a few samples with every order. :) 

Until next time, happy sipping!