Warm drinks are popular, both in summer and winter, and whilst a lot of us indulge in these drinks purely for pleasure, they can provide far more benefits to our health. Besides taste, warm drinks help connect us to other humans in social settings, they provide a cosy, comforting, relaxing and warm feel. Just the thought of them can give us pleasure! They also contain valuable nutrients and have therapeutic value.

Here are a few tips and ideas on how to make the most of herbal teas, including pros and cons -Enjoy 🙂

– There are so many varieties of herbal teas, this site here has some of the best tea recipes to offer. This will allow you to drink a different flavour every day, for over a decade! So why not rotate your teas, see below some varieties.

– Use interesting tea pots and cups, like the one I have in the photo. When we eat and drink, presentation is important, if we like what we see, this increases our pleasure.

– If you are drinking instant coffee move to organic whole bean, use stevia instead of sugar, try it with different milks such as oat milk, coconut milk or almond milk for variety. (please note I am not a huge fan of massive amounts of nut milks so vary things up).

– For some of us coffee can interfere with our health, it’s contraindicated in – anxiety or for those who notice heart palpitations upon drinking it.

– Teas are useful to use between meals instead of more food – this is beneficial if you are wanting to lose weight and need to reduce food quantities.

CHAI TEA – excellent coffee replacer

Ingredients

– organic chai tea, 1 cup water, 1 cup organic coconut milk

Method

– place water and coconut milk into a pot, add 2 tsp of chai tea and bring to the boil

– let it sit for a few minutes, then strain through a tea strainer and serve, makes 2 cups of chai tea

*you can store in the fridge for 24 hours (store prior to straining). When ready to use just bring to the boil again and strain, ready to drink.

*chai tea is made up of – black tea, cloves, cardamon, ginger, nutmeg

Below are just some of the benefits of various herbal teas:

GREEN TEA – consistently demonstrates antioxidant activity, has an antibacterial effect, including oral pathogens. Has antiviral, anticarcinogenic activity and is thermogenic due to is caffeine content. Protects the cardiovascular system and has show to have anti inflammatory activity in colitis.

LICORICE ROOT TEA – known for its anti-inflammatory, antiviral, anti-ulcer, antibacterial, antioxidant and anticancer effects, it has shown to be memory enhancing and liver protecting.

CHAMOMILE TEA – has been shown to have sedative effects, can relieve stomach cramping and flatulence and antimicrobial effects.

CINNAMON TEA – you can use the cinnamon sticks. It has antibacterial and fungicidal effects and may reduce blood glucose and lipid levels.

GINGER TEA – has shown to have anti ulcer activity, anti nausea, anti inflammatory and anti platelet effects. Protects liver cells and show antihistamine and anxiolytic benefits in conjunction with ginkgo biloba.

STINGING NETTLE TEA – nettle has demonstrated a hypoglycaemic effect, anti inflammatory, antioxidant, antiviral effects. Traditionally nettle herb and leaf have been used to treat painful joints.

*Please note that the therapeutic actions are noted in herbal extracts and tintures,  herbal teas have a far more subtle effect, and so too are any contraindications and therefore they have not been noted in this article on teas.

Information has been taken from “Herbs & Natural Supplements, An evidence-based guide” by Lesley Braun and Marc Cohen