As the New Year approaches, it’s time to set goals for 2017. There are a number of prevalent resolutions made by people from coast to coast and farm to city, like “lose weight” and “save money.” Who doesn’t want to get healthier and pad her wallet? We’re here to let you in on a secret weapon to meet your resolutions: tea. That’s right, our favorite beverage is often a gateway to fulfilling your deepest desires. Here’s how choosing tea will help you achieve five resolutions you’ve probably made:
1) Lose Weight
Whether you want to shed those pesky last few pounds or half your body weight, tea is a smart beverage choice. Calorie-free and tasty, it’s a great alternative to soda and juice that doesn’t sacrifice flavor. Plus, there are certain tees that promote weight loss. Kelly Choi explores how certain teas can help you slim down in her book The 7-Day Flat-Belly Tea Cleanse, co-authored by the editors of Eat This, Not That. The book explains that green tea burns off fat cells, oolong tea boosts your metabolism, white tea prevents fat calls from forming in the first place, rooibos tea reduces stress hormones that cause hunger and fat storage, and mint tea can suppress your appetite. After a healthy dinner, try ending your day with a cup of mint tea. It tastes great and may ward off your desire for the midnight snack you really don’t need. The verdict is in: if the pounds need to go, tea should be coming right up.
2) Be Healthy
Beyond its ability to support weight loss, tea delivers a host of exciting health benefits, some of which we wrote about already. But here’s a few more per Today: Drinking tea may promote strong bones and reduce your risk for heart attack or stroke, it doesn’t erode your tooth enamel like other beverages do, and it can nix those annoying IBS symptoms. The New York Times also linked drinking tea with lower rates of depression, reporting that a 2015 study found that “for every three cups of tea consumed per day, the relative risk of depression decreased 37 percent.” The National Cancer Institute also reports that green tea may fight cancer, as its properties have been shown to “inhibit tumor cell proliferation and induce apoptosis in laboratory and animal studies.”
3) Spend more time with friends and family
Looking to nurture your relationships this year? There’s no simpler way to do so than by sharing a cup of tea. Invite a friend over for a one-on-one tea party, check out a cool tea parlor with your mom, surprise your bestie with a tea-infused baked good, or throw a party and serve a signature tea-based cocktail or mocktail. No matter who you want to get closer to, tea is a great way to start.
4) Save Money
Small, everyday purchases can really add up. That 4-dollar cappuccino you order every morning? By the end of the year, you’ve spent almost $1500 to start your day. If you like getting your morning beverage on the go but you’re trying to save dough, opt for a simple tea bag in hot water. Your bank account will thank you!
5) Try New Things
It’s an exciting time in the culinary world. Never have we seen more global mashups and ethnic flavors available everywhere from fast food restaurants to upscale eateries. And tea is a great place to try something new. Not sure if you’ll like a new flavor? Don’t gamble an entire entre seasoned with it; order a cup of tea infused with the new taste instead and go from there. From teas that taste like dessert to teas that will introduce you to new parts of the world, the flavors abound. Say yes to adventure in 2017, and start by brewing something new.
