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Tea Recipes

3 Energy drink recipes with tea

November 15, 2022

Because it has a low to moderate quantity of caffeine, tea might provide you with the boost of energy you require when you are feeling lethargic. Additionally, in comparison to other caffeinated beverages such as coffee and energy drinks, tea is a more beneficial option to consume. People who drink caffeinated tea often report that its effects on their energy levels are different from those of other caffeinated beverages. Instead of the high and subsequent crash that is typically associated with energy-boosting beverages, people who drink caffeinated tea often experience a more sustained energizing effect. This is due, in part, to a special chemical called l-theanine, which is found in tea and is responsible for promoting calmness, relaxation, and concentration. People who are attempting to abstain from caffeine completely may find that the constituents in herbal teas, such as peppermint and ginger, nonetheless provide them with the same stimulating and invigorating effects. You can get a surge of energy from tea, but without the negative consequences that energy drinks might have on your body in the long run. Because tea includes theanine, in addition to naturally invigorating you, the burst of energy you get from the caffeine will be more sustained and less jolting. We’re well aware that by now, you understand the significance of tea when it comes to energy but that’s not what this post is about, it’s about three unique energy drink recipes made with tea to give you that extra boost and also make your day a little bit more interesting.

Peach and Ginger Smoothie

Instead of using water as a base for this smoothie, we decided on a peach green tea.

Why use Green Tea? Well, for starters, it has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antibacterial benefits. Also, the fact that you can increase energy levels, boost concentration, and even inceease fat burning with green tea, it’s a no brainer given the added taste and health benefits!

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup brewed peach green tea cooled
1 cup silk almond milk
1 inch ginger knob peeled and grated
3-4 fresh mint leaves
1/2 lemon juice only
2-3 drops vanilla extract

Recipe

Put all of the ingredients into the blender, and then process them until you get a beverage that is smooth and creamy.
Pour the mixture into glass bottles with lids, and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Cherry Lime Energy Drink

This jitter-free energy drink will leave you feeling naturally energized and revitalized. This beverage is stimulating without causing jitters because it is made with cherry rose sencha green tea and does not contain any added sugar. This energy drink consists of only four basic components and has none that are manufactured in a lab.

Cherries with a tart flavor are loaded with vitamin C, which helps the immune system, as well as antioxidants, which aid in the fight against oxidative stress. Cherry polyphenols aid in the maintenance of healthy cells as well as a healthy anti-inflammatory response, making them an excellent choice for promoting muscle recovery following an intense workout.

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsweetened tart cherry juice
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tbsp Cherry Rose Sencha Green Tea
1/2 cup sparkling water
Ice
Lime wheel for garnish
Fresh mint for garnish

Recipe

To make a refreshing cocktail, fill a tall glass with tart cherry juice, lime juice, and cherry rose sencha green tea.
To dissolve the green tea, stir it. Ice the glass, then fill it with sparkling water, squeeze in some lime juice, and garnish with some fresh mint.

Lime and honey energy drink

A recipe for a revitalizing energy drink with lemon that is high in caffeine and will give you a surge of energy when you don’t feel like drinking coffee. This recipe for a homemade energy drink contains roughly 150 less calories and less than half the sugar of store-bought energy drinks, so it’s a better option for those watching their calorie and sugar intake. The addition of chopped mint to the rim of the glass gives it an extra-refreshing flavor. The leaves of a South American tree are used to make the beverage known as yerba mate tea, which is similar to tea. You can find it in the natural foods area of large supermarkets or in places that specialize in natural foods, along with other types of tea.

Ingredients

Yerba Mate loose leaf tea
Lemon juice
Honey
Fresh Mint
Iced Cubes

Recipe

Place water that is boiling in a measuring cup that can withstand the heat. After adding the yerba mate tea, let the mixture steep for five minutes.
Filter out the tea and discard the loose leaves once you have squeezed any excess liquid out of them into the cup.
Sweetener and lemon juice should be stirred in at this point. After adding six ice cubes, give the drink a good swirl until the ice has melted and it has reached the desired temperature.
If you’d like, you can moisten the edge of your serving glass and then coat it with chopped mint. Pour the drink into the glass after additional ice has been added.

We hope these recipes give you an energy boost and you fall in love with our collection of loose leaf tea. Let us know your favorite in the comments below!

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Tea Guides Tea Recipes Types of Tea

3 Teas to Enjoy this Fall

November 9, 2022

Even for people who consider themselves to be tea drinkers all year round and sachet connoisseurs, there is something indisputably special about sipping from a steaming mug during the fall and winter months. It’s possible that the evident connection between cold weather and hot drinks is what causes tea to work its magic on us. In addition to this, one of our favorite things about this time of year is the abundance of delicious tins with flavors that are appropriate for the season. The possibilities range from unique interpretations on some of our most beloved holiday sweets to spices and seasonings that perfectly encapsulate the essence of autumn.

It’s the most delightful time of the year to be merry and bright! Not the winter holidays; it’s autumn!

The start of cooler weather is something that we here at The Tea Kitchen couldn’t be happier about. Even while we enjoy passing the warm summer days by the lake or on our front porch with a glass of iced tea in hand, there is nothing quite like wrapping yourself in a cozy sweater and wrapping your hands around a mug of your favorite fall-flavored tea as the temperature begins to drop. A cup of a hot drink is an essential accessory for cold weather attire, such as sweaters, blankets, and rainy days. To get the most out of a cup of tea, you should drink it in the fall. It’s time to switch things up from your usual chamomile and honey infusion and find a new fall-flavored tea that quickly becomes your go-to beverage. We have compiled a list of the most unique tastes of tea to enjoy during the fall season.

Apple Spice Black Tea

Our Apple spice black tea delightfully fresh and sweet, with hints of lovely cinnamon spice. Cinnamon and red wine can be used to create your own Gluwein at home. Apple Cinnamon is a soothing blend of black loose leaf tea that is reminiscent of the autumn season in New England. This tea was made to honor the beauty and flavors of fall, and if you prefer sipping on a glass of warm apple cider, you’re going to absolutely adore this tea. This particular tea is best enjoyed on days and nights that are cool, wet, and cloudy. Apple Cinnamon herbal tea is perfect for cinnamon enthusiasts since it satisfies all of their cravings: double apples, double cinnamon, a touch of rooibos, and a sprinkling of marigold flowers. This tea has a flavor that is truly traditional for the fall season.

Holiday Fruit & Spice Blend

Our Holiday Fruit & Spice Blend is the perfect tea for this holiday season. A great cup of tea is the perfect way to warm up on a chilly day or night, and it also has the added benefit of soothing. A fan favorite throughout the colder months, our Holiday Fruit & Spice Blend is the ideal beverage to share with your loved ones over the holiday season. This energizing tea is a mixture of select black tea leaves from India, chunks of sweet orange, small bits of tart cranberries, small bits of spicy ginger, and warming cinnamon sticks. It is a concoction that is sure to wake you up. Our Holiday Fruit & Spice Blend is going to become one of your favorites very fast because of the careful blending that went into it.

Cinnamon Orange Spice

The South Indian black tea, orange peels, cinnamon, and cloves that go into our Cinnamon Orange Spice Tea help give it its signature flavor. This tea’s popularity as a hot beverage as well as an iced beverage can be attributed in part to its enticing aroma, which is accompanied with a pleasant taste that is reminiscent of orange and spices. Even the chilliest winter night can be made more bearable with a cup of this tea, as well as any tropical evening! The zesty and invigorating Cinnamon Orange Spice tea is perfect for a warming pick-me-up first thing in the morning or as an afternoon pick-me-upper.

We are ardent believers that tea may be enjoyed throughout the whole year, from calming hot teas in the depths of winter to reviving iced teas in the middle of summer and any season in between. There is, however, nothing that quite hits the spot like a good cup of tea, particularly during the beginning of fall when the temps begin to turn and the leaves change color. We wish you the best of luck in savoring these flavors of autumn while also taking pleasure in the changing of the seasons and everything that October has to offer.

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Types of Tea

Best (Non Chamomile) Sleepy Time Teas

November 8, 2022

A better night’s sleep and high-quality sleep have been linked to drinking tea before bed. Given how many Americans experience sleep problems like insomnia, this is fairly important. Additionally, when you spend too much time on screens and don’t get enough exercise, sleep problems might get worse. A warm cup of tea, particularly at the end of a hard day, is said to help soothe the mind, according to some experts. In actuality, the deliberate process of making a cup of tea can also promote relaxation. There is something comforting about having a nice cup of tea before you wind down from the day and get ready for the next. It is impossible to put into words the warmth, affection, and comfort you have after brewing some tea before bed. With the modern world’s distractions, social media, and a hectic lifestyle, we are aware of how difficult it may be to fall asleep, but happily, we have a savior—or rather, a number of saviors. Let’s look at some teas that help you fall asleep; no, chamomile tea is not one of them.

Lavender Earl Grey

The lavender flower’s buds are steeped in water to make lavender tea, which results in a brilliant beverage with a distinctive flavor and aroma. In addition to being frequently consumed as a calming bedtime tea, a recent study suggests that lavender may also help with relaxation and improve the quality of sleep. For instance, a tiny study discovered that women who drank 1 cup (237 mL) of lavender tea every day for 2 weeks after giving birth felt less worn out than a control group. Aromatherapy with lavender is frequently thought to have hypnotic effects, calm moods, and increase mothers’ pleasant feelings for their infants. Lavender earl grey tea effectively reduced the signs of anxiety and despair in older persons, which could lead to insomnia. Another study on 79 college students who complained of having trouble sleeping found that maintaining good sleep hygiene and inhaling lavender enhanced sleep quality.

Evening Comfort

Everybody must benefit from some downtime and relaxation at night! Why not start the kettle and unwind with this special concoction of hand-picked peppermint leaves, chunks of ginger, and lemon peel? After a long day, this herbal nighttime tea can help you relax and regain focus. This herbal blend of mint is naturally caffeine-free and features prominent ginger and lemon aromas. Ideal for cuddling up with on a chilly night. Because it does not contain caffeine, it puts you in a state of relaxation in the first sip and allows you to enjoy some me-time while helping you prepare for an intense day ahead the next morning. Add some evening comfort to your evening, or even your day.

Purifying Tulsi

Ayurvedic Purifying Tulsi Herbal Tea is made of Holy Basil, spearmint, rosehips, lemon myrtle, and linden blossoms. It helps in cleansing your mind and spirit as well as improving the body’s immune system, due to its rich antioxidant and adaptogenic properties. Apart from the fact that it promotes sleep and gives you an utter sense of relaxation, there are numerous health benefits it comes with. The antioxidants in tulsi tea shield cells from the harm done by free radicals, which promote the development and spread of numerous diseases. The adaptogens in this herbal brew, also known as holy basil tea, act as potent anti-stress medications to shield your body from a variety of health issues.

For many people, having tea at night has become a ritual. It can be quite calming and thoughtful to boil the water, steep the tea, and wait for it to be ready to consume. It makes preparing the tea as calming as drinking it because it helps with relaxing both your mind and body after a hectic day. Ultimately, adding a little bit of tea to your bedtime routine could be helpful to both your sleep and overall health. Herbal teas, like the ones mentioned in this post, are less likely to wake you up in the middle of the night than caffeine-containing teas, and they also won’t keep you up as late. All of these teas have numerous health benefits and if you are someone like us, who needs better sleep, we highly recommend trying some of our other herbal loose leaf tea.

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Tea Guides

Exploring The Cold Brew Process — Boost Your Tea’s Flavor Naturally!

February 21, 2022

Tea is delicious in any form…but cold-brewing your tea can amplify more nuanced flavors and give you a beautiful, full-bodied brew. Cold-brewing is a simple (yet often overlooked) step that you can take to boost your tea’s natural flavor and benefits and can be done with tea tools that you can find around your home. Read on to learn more about the tea cold brew process.

Benefits of cold brew tea

Cold brewing tea is a Japanese-based tradition that has impacted tea enthusiasts around the world today. The purpose of cold brewing is to preserve as much nutritional benefit and taste as possible, creating a crisp, refreshing, and one-of-a-kind beverage as a result.

There are additional practical benefits that you can enjoy with each cup, including a lesser amount of tannins in each brew. This results in a cleaner, fresher taste, and avoids the bitter aftertaste that some teas are known for. If you’re working with caffeinated leaves, you can also expect slightly fewer milligrams of caffeine to make it into your cup — helping you avoid that dreaded mid-afternoon crash.

Types of teas to use for cold brew tea

The tea experience comes down to elements of personal preference, which gives you ample room to experiment with the cold brew process. You can technically enjoy any type of tea cold-brewed, but you may have mixed results depending on its natural strength, taste, and composition. Generally, you’ll want to stay with loose-leaf tea blends for ultimate flavor and feel, but you can also use your favorite bagged teas in a pinch.

Common cold-brew friendly teas include:

Green tea
Herbal tea
Black tea
White tea
Passionflower tea
Hibiscus tea
…and many, many more. Time to experiment!

A great way to explore the tastes that you can create is to use blends from specialty tea shops. You’ll get to indulge in exotic blends, like autumn cranberry black tea or Cloud & Mist green tea. Generally you’ll find flavored teas and green teas that are cold brewed due to the aromas. You’ll also find a wealth of information about how you can optimize your cold brewing process.

Exploring the cold brew process

The cold brew process is effortlessly simple, and can often be done with things that you can find around your own kitchen. That’s just one of the many reasons we can’t get enough of delicious, cold-brewed tea. Below, we’ve outlined the steps that you can take to enjoy fresh cold brew tea today:

1. Choose your tea & your vessel

Choosing the right tea for the cold brew process is simple — choose your favorite blend and get ready to enjoy! If you’re feeling more on the adventurous side, you could also shop around and indulge in a special tea blend to experiment with.

Lighter flavored, sweeter blends can be made even tastier with this process, as cold brew often results in a more sweet taste due to the lack of tannins present through the brewing process. Consider experimenting with a floral tea, such as jasmine, or delving into something light such as oolong-based blends. In either case, the result will be a refreshing glass of cold brew tea.

You can make any vessel work, such as a pitcher or oversized decanter. You can even purchase a dedicated cold brew pitcher. These often include a strainer attachment to keep your loose leaf teas intact, allowing the water to flow over them and capture the flavor off of the leaves.

2. Prepare your tea

The question you’ve been waiting for: how much tea do we add to the pitcher for the perfect glass? Well, the answer may vary. Experts estimate anywhere from 2 tablespoons to 5 tablespoons is the right amount for a pitcher filled with 6 to 8 cups of water. You can take the time to make multiple batches and experiment with the perfect concentration for your favorite blend.

After you’ve determined your ratio, fill your pitcher with water. You’ll want to float the leaves or tea bags on top lightly, letting them fall naturally into the water. Allow it to sit out of the fridge for up to one hour before refrigeration, after which you’ll leave it uncovered and undisturbed in the fridge for 8 to 12 hours.

This time is crucial to help the flavors disperse, leaving you with a well-rounded and delicious glass of tea. It will also result in a more flavorful cup of tea due to the longer steeping time but will deliver that flavor without the afterbite of bitterness that hot brew styles tend to offer.

3. Garnish and enjoy

After the brew is complete, you will have a delicious pitcher of cold brew tea. However, there’s always room for improvement — which is where your garnish comes in. You can easily uplevel your experience by garnishing your tea with a zingy lemon wedge or with fresh notes of picked mint from the garden. You can also enjoy with some raw sugar to help elevate the notes of sweetness in your glass.

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Tea Accessories Tea Gifts

7 Tea-Inspired Throw Pillows

February 12, 2018

Drinking tea is a cozy experience. Add in a tea-inspired throw pillow and you might just melt. Any of these pillows are the perfect addition to you, your cuppa, and a good book on a cold day. Rest your back, your feet, or your head on any of these fluffy accents, and your tea’s sure to go down just right:

1) Rain, Tea & A Good Book

This adorable throw pillow from Pastel Trail will perfectly complement tea time on a rainy day. The pillow is available in pink, purple, and pastel in a variety of sizes, ranging in cost from 14×14 inches for $20.99 to 20×20 inches for $29.99. It will look good on any couch, bed, or in any reading nook.

2) But First, Tea

This throw pillow from Latte Home gets right to the point: you need your tea. Perfect for the guy or gal who can’t even think about starting the day without her dose of earl grey or green tea. Available in a variety of colors, this throw pillow will look good anywhere tea drinkers are present.

3) Sweet Tea & Sunshine

This pillow cover from Sham Shack is a great addition to any outdoor patio set, especially in the summer, when the sun is shining and sweet tea’s on the menu. The pillow is handmade from burlap and available in a variety of sizes, so you can fit it over just about any old pillow you have for a cute makeover.

4) Boba Tea Pillow

If you’re looking for a truly unique accent pillow, opt for this boba tea-shaped pillow from The Branch and The Vine. Boba tea is all the rage, so this is a decidedly on-trend décor choice, and a perfect way to jazz up any bench, accent chair, or baby’s crib. The pillow is handmade from 100% polyester plush fabric. It comes in three sizes: small ($20.53), medium ($24.64), and large ($32.85).

5) Tea?

This pillow from Josephine Penelope UK is simply adorable, featuring an eye-catching pink pom-pom trim and a floral lettering design. Handmade at a countryside studio in Hampshire, England, each pillow measures 16×12 inches and is filled with ethically sourced duck feathers. Great as a kitchen or entryway accent for only $$22.15!

6) Tea Pot Pillow Cover

This pillow cover from Kat and Dawg Designs is a beautiful way to transform any old pillow, and comes in two sizes: 16×16 inches or 18×18 inches. You can also select your preferred background color: light brown, grey blue, white, or off-white. This pillow cover will look great, and it’ll also make you feel great knowing that 10% of your purchase is donated to the cancer support center Wellspring London & Region.

7) Teacup Pillow

This teacup-shaped pillow from Sew Very Nifty is visually appealing and oh-so-comfy. Hand-stitched, it measures approximately 18x9x6 inches, is made of cotton, and retails for $28. It also has a little pocket where you can stash the book you’re reading. The blue/green triangle pattern adds visual interest, and makes it perfect for green tea enthusiasts. Put this pillow on your bed, on an accent chair, or entryway bench for a pop of color and a dose of cozy.

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Tea Health Benefits

Heal Your Skin With Tea

June 8, 2017

Skin problems aren’t just physical. They’re highly emotional. There’s nothing like a big zit or patch of eczema to steal your confidence right when you have a big speech to give or a date to impress. A trip to the dermatologist can be expensive, and perusing the skin care aisle at your local pharmacy can feel overwhelming. But what if the answer to your skinpocalypse was in your teabag? Lucky for us, what’s inside tea—notably, antioxidants—gives your favorite drink a ton of dermatological benefits. Same goes for tea-infused topicals like facemasks and pastes. The skincare boost you’ve been looking for may already be in your cabinet!

Here’s why, briefly:

Tea contains antioxidants. That’s one of those words everybody uses, but what does it really mean? Your body contains something called “free radicals.” These are toxic atoms or molecules that damage cells by oxidizing them, which impedes their ability to function properly and ultimately causes annoying problems like acne and other fun skin problems. But antioxidants work against free radicals by making them to non-toxic. Basically, they cancel out the bad stuff free radicals do, getting rid of your zits and reducing your risk for skin cancer along the way.

Since tea contains antioxidants, it’s an ideal beverage to boost your skin’s health and appearance. Here’s how a few of our favorite teas can improve your skin:

1) Green Tea

Green tea decreases age-related skin inflammation and protects against sunburns. Plus, it reduces dark under-eye patches. When used as a topical in mask form, green tea exfoliates skin and reduces excess oil. Buh-bye shine, hello beautiful, radiant skin. For another trick, try splashing cold green tea directly on your face and watching your large pores shrink right before your eyes. Green tea’s also known to fight acne. Look for products containing at least 1% ECGG (an antioxidant in green tea) and your zits won’t know what hit ‘em. And did we mention consuming green tea fights cancer? What a showoff.

2) Chamomile

People have been using chamomile tea to treat skin problems since the days of the ancient Egyptian and Roman empires. Chamomile tea’s great for fighting dry, patchy skin and inflammatory conditions like rashes and acne. It can also be used to diminish the appearance of pesky acne scars. You can even use a cold chamomile tea bag as a compress to soothe and minimize bug bites. Who knew?

3) Oolong Tea

Feeling younger than you look? An oolong-infused paste can reduce wrinkles, dark spots, and age spots.

4) Kombucha

As we age, our skin naturally gets less elastic. But kombucha improves your skin’s elasticity, giving you a more youthful appearance by reducing lines and wrinkles.

5) Ginger Tea

Patchy, uneven skin got you down? Try drinking ginger tea, known to reduce uneven skin tone. And you thought you needed makeup for that!

7) Oregon Grape Tea

Your gut and your skin are pretty well connected. Oftentimes, a problem in your intestines shows up on your face. Oregon Grape tea contains herbs that detoxify the liver and kidneys, helping clear up the root causes of problems like eczema, acne, psoriasis, and other inflammatory issues.

8) Burdock Root Tea

Burdock removes waste from cells inside the liver, kidney, gall bladder, and lymph system, eradicating the toxins that would otherwise build up and cause perspiration, which in turn causes a bevy of skin problems like acne and eczema. Burdock tea starts acts at the cellular level and works from the inside out to keep your body from becoming overridden with bad stuff that eventually shows itself as a rash, pimple, boil, or carbuncle.

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Types of Tea

Get Going With Tea Energy Drinks

February 28, 2017

The energy drink sector is dominated by beverages like Red Bull and Monster, but tea producers are aiming for a piece of the $61 billion dollar-pie. After consumers’ health concerns caused growth in the energy drink market to dip in 2013, producers looked to tea to give consumers a natural, healthy alternative. If you’re in need of a morning boost or an afternoon pick-me-up, a supercharged energy tea drink may be just what you need. Here are a few options to get you buzzed:

1) Steep a Hi-CAF Tea Bag

Republic of Tea launched a line of Hi-CAF tea bags in 2014. The company promises these teas produce a “calm alertness” that they call Tea Mind®. Green tea extract and pure caffeine extracted from premium tea leaves combine to give these teas their high caffeine content. A black tea bag contains around 50 mg and a cup of coffee contains around 100 mg of caffeine, but these tea bags elevate cups of tea to caffeine levels between 100 and 150 mg. Black tea flavors include: Cinnamon Toast, Toasted Coconut, Caramel, Pom-berry, and regular black. A gingermint green tea is also available. Each tin of 50 tea bags sells for $13.

2) Chug Fair Trade & Organic Energy

Steaz sells a line of green tea energy drinks marketed as “organic energy to fuel your fitness” and that boast the title of the world’s first Fair Trade Certified organic energy drink. The green tea in each beverage is grown in Kenya and energy drink flavors include: Berry, Berry Zero, Orange, and Super Fruit. Each 12-ounce bottle contains 100 mg of natural caffeine, tons of B Vitamins, and antioxidants. If you’re watching your sugar intake, choose the sugar-free Berry Zero, as the other flavors contain 35 grams of the sweet stuff. You can find Steaz on shelves at Whole Foods, Target, and Kroger.

3) Wake Up With White Tea

Inko’s specializes in white tea—the least processed of all teas—and has produced a line of white tea Organic Energy drinks. Each 16-ounce bottle contains 100 calories of “Jitter-Free Energy.” Available in mango, citrus, and blackberry, Inko’s Organic Energy drink is gluten-free and non-GMO. You can buy a 12-pack online for $36 or check out individual bottles on shelves at Whole Foods, Stop & Shop, Wegmans, Rite Aid, Mariano’s, and Jewel-Osco.

4) Enjoy a Blended Boost

Can’t choose between green and black tea? You don’t have to. Each 12-ounce bottle of X2 Performance All Natural Energy Drink blends green and black tea along with pure honey, electrolytes, and antioxidants for a sweet boost of energy. The 100-calorie drinks come in three flavors: lemon, strawberry-kiwi, and raspberry. Each drink contains 80 mg of natural caffeine from green tea and 24 grams of sugar. You can find X2 at Subway or order online.

5) Get Zesty

Zest Tea promotes energy and alertness with caffeine levels that rival coffee and amino acids that help your body avoid the jitters and boost brainpower. Pyramid tea bags and loose leaf tea come in four flavors: Cinnamon Apple Black Tea, a fruity Blue Lady Black Tea, Earl Grey Black Tea, and Pomegranate Mojito Green Tea. Each serving contains approximately 150 mg of caffeine. Added incentive: Zest Tea was named Best New Product at the 2015 World Tea Expo!

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Tea History & Culture

How Taking Tea Sans Sugar Meant Opposing Slavery

January 26, 2017

Today, sprinkling a spoonful of sugar into your tea doesn’t say much about your views on human trafficking. But in the late 18^th century in England, it did.

In 1791, about 400,000 Brits boycotted slave-made sugar from the West Indies as a protest against slavery and Great Britain’s failure to pass a bill abolishing the slave trade. Drinking tea was a hugely important social custom in England, and with the sugar boycott, it became a political one. As NPR put it, the sweet condiment “came to epitomize the evils of slavery.”

Great Britain benefitted economically from slavery, with slaves on plantations in the West Indies pumping out valuable trading goods like sugar, which also drove consumerism in England. The Empire also profited from the slave trade, trafficking more than 3 million Africans across the Atlantic Ocean between 1700 and 1810.

To abolitionists, this was morally abhorrent and had to end. The sugar boycott provided the average British citizen with one way to not only advocate for the end of slavery, but to put a dent in the economic influence that slavery had on their Empire.

Printer William Fox started the boycott by publishing a pamphlet titled An Address to the People of Great Britain on the Utility of Refraining from the Use of West India Sugar and Rum.

That long titled boiled down to one main takeaway: every time you add sugar to your tea, you’re supporting slave labor. For those against slavery, opting out of sugar was a simple way to communicate a political and moral position on the hotly debated issue. Fox’s pamphlet surpassed Thomas Paine’s American Revolution-inspiring Common Sense as the most distributed pamphlet of the century.

According to the BBC, the boycott certainly made an impact: sugar sales plummeted by a third to a half, and hundreds of thousands signed petitions calling on the British Empire to outlaw the slave trade. As BBC put it, the boycott “is one of the earliest examples of consumers using their purchasing power to reject the trade in goods which have not been ethically produced.”

To meet tea-drinkers’ sugar fix, grocers started stocking sugar from the East Indies, where sugar production didn’t rely on slave labor.

At home, people made sure to let their tea party guests know where their sugar came from. Sugar bowls like the one below added the label “not made by slave labor” to assuage guests’ concerns about a host’s ethical or political stance.

Today, Fair Trade, non-GMO Project, or Organic labels aim to both help consumers make informed choices and communicate those choices to others.

Some British citizens responded to the sugar boycott by switching to green tea, a beverage that didn’t call for sugar the same way black tea might to some palettes.

The sugar boycott lost its mojo as time went on—particularly as Brits saw the violence endured by French citizens for resisted the monarchy—but Great Britain did eventually abolish the trade of slaves in the British Empire in 1807. To incentivize Brits to follow the new law, the government threatened to fine ship owners a steep £100 for every slave found on British ships. Although the slave trade was now illegal, slavery itself remained legal 1833, when the British Empire abolished the practice in all its territories.

Be aware of what you put in your tea cup. As history has proven, it may have a large impact.

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Tea Guides

The Best Chain Restaurants For Tea

January 19, 2017

Gone are the days when a restaurant offered you a cup of hot water and a black Lipton teabag after dinner. From fine dining to quick serve eateries, tea has become a signaturizing opportunity for restaurants across the country. The number of tea items offered at restaurants increased by 11.2% from 2008 to 2010. And you don’t have to go somewhere fancy to be treated to a unique, flavorful cup of tea. Chain restaurants have embraced the tea trend, offering up an impressive array of selections to satisfy your taste buds and your budget. Here’s 5 chains that we think are spinning impressive tea game:

1) Panda Express

Tea originated in China, so it’s only fitting that Chinese fast food joints embrace the beverage. Panda Express has done just that, rolling out Tea Bars at some of its outposts. Offerings include Panda Express’s best-known option, Milk Tea, which can be served hot or iced, with or without tapioca pearls. Panda Express also has several fruit teas and lemonade teas, infusing your tea with a unique shot of sweetness. If you’re not into what Panda Express has cooked up, you can build your own tea. Here’s how it works: Start by picking a tea base of black, green, or oolong. Then pick a style: milk, citrus, berry, or tropical. Continue by specifying how sweet you want your tea to be, and then finish things off with an add-on: honey boba, jelly, pudding, aloe vera, or chia seeds.

2) Panera

Panera serves hot teas from Republic of Tea, but it’s their iced beverages that have us dishing out the applause. Panera keeps it basic with iced green tea and an iced chai tea latte, but turns things up with its acai berry iced green tea (left) and its plum ginger hibiscus iced tea (right). The hibiscus tea includes pieces of apple, blackberry leaves, carob, ginger, and rosehips. How’s that for flavor?

3) Wendy’s

Wendy’s line of Fruitea Chillers™ highlights the burger chain’s enthusiasm for unique, tasty teas. The Blueberry Pineapple Fruitea Chiller (left) blends organic tropical green tea with blueberry puree and pineapple and pomegranate juices. And the Orange Mango Fruitea Chiller (right) pairs organic tropical green tea with mango puree, orange juice, and carrot juice.

For those craving something less sweet, Wendy’s keeps it simple with Honest Tropical Green Tea and Unsweetened Ice Tea.

Wendy’s launched a new slogan this year, calling its menu “deliciously different.” With these beverages, we have to agree.

4) Caribou Coffee

Caribou Coffee packs in the flavor on its tea menu, from pomegranate and mango to peach and mint. One of its most flavorful concoctions is the Pomegranate Vanilla Tea Latte, which pairs pomegranate oolong tea with sweet vanilla syrup and steamed milk. Its hot and iced tea selections include cinnamon spice, black mango, citron green, and mint varieties. The Minnesota-based chain also features a selection of sparkling teas, including green tea lemonade and peach black tea.

5) Starbucks

Starbucks may be the most famous coffee chain in the world, but it’s also become quite the destination for a good cup of hot or iced tea. The Seattle-based business features an impressive bevy of teas with rich flavor profiles that include mango, citrus hibiscus, papaya, cinnamon, and lemongrass—and that’s just in one drink, the Passion Tango™ Herbal Tea! Other tea offerings from Starbucks include: jade citrus mint green tea, mango black tea lemonade, and the Youthberry White Tea, which includes notes of acai berry, hibiscus, candied pineapple, mango, and Fuji apples. Starbucks even offers its own PG-version of sangria with the Teavana® Sparkling Berry Sangria Herbal Tea. The fruity mixture combines Passion Tango™ tea with apple juice, berry flavors, blackberries, and orange slices. Starbucks recently released its first coffee/alcohol mashup with the Espresso Cloud IPA. Tea and alcohol have been a hot new couple at restaurants in recent years…Will we see them hook up at Starbucks anytime soon? Stay tuned.

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Tea Guides

10 Teas That Are Basically Dessert

January 17, 2017

Looking for a dessert that satisfies your sweet tooth but doesn’t break the scale? These 10 teas hit all the right notes when you’re trying to stay healthy and treat your taste buds. Ditch the cheesecake and boil any of these teas when you get the urge to indulge:

1) Snowball Tea

This tea from Blue Bird Tea Company mixes chocolate, marshmallows, and coconut with Ceylon black tea to create a delectable dessert tea. Buy it bagged or loose leaf. Side effects include the urge to start an actual snowball fight.

2) Bananas & Custard Tea

This tea from Blue Bird Tea Company pairs green tea with freeze-dried bananas, cocoa, and licorice for a custard imitation that tastes great and goes down easy.

3) Mint Chocolate Rooibos Tea

Roobios tea gets cozy with chocolate sprinkles, cocoa, and vanilla to make this delicious dessert brew. With zero calories, this is a dieter’s delight.

4) Vicky’s Sponge Cake Tea

This tea from Blue Bird Tea Company gets its inspiration from Queen Victoria, who’s said to have enjoyed her cup of tea alongside a slice of cake. Why not combine the two? This blend marries Ceylon black tea with the flavors of vanilla cake and raspberry, with notes of coconut and strawberry along for the ride.

5) Strawberry Cuppa Chocolate Tea

This zero-calorie tea from The Republic of Tea uses rooibos tea as a base for strawberry and chocolate flavors to mingle. Featured on The Today Show as a Top 10 Skinny Food for dieters, this South African tea also features sweet blackberry leaves and bourbon vanilla beans for extra kick.

6) Almond Coconut Macaroon Red Tea

This tea from Republic of Tea will let you feel like you’re sipping a macaroon, and since it has zero calories, you’ll do so guilt-free. Red rooibos tea provides the base for almond, coconut, and macaroon flavors to thrive in this delicious concoction.

7) Cardamom Crème Brûlée Tea

This tea from Republic of Tea calls crème brûlée its muse. Black tea kicks things off and enters dessert territory with infusions of sweet blackberry leaves, caramel and vanilla flavors, and spicy cardamom seeds. Just add water, and this premium tea from Kenya is sure to satisfy.

8) Tiramisu Black Tea

This tea from Teavana delivers the classic Italian dessert to your cup. Black tea merges with flavors of mocha, mascarpone, and vanilla to bring the creamy, delectable flavors of tiramisu to every sip.

9) Apple Pie à la Mode Herbal Tea

There’s nothing as American as apple pie. But America could stand to get healthier, so reach for this apple pie-inspired tea from Teavana instead. This after-dinner treat is made from pieces of real apple, carob, rose hips, raisins, rooibos, caramel, white hibiscus, licorice root, cardamom, and marigold petals. You’ll taste fall in every sip.

10) Carrot Cake Rooibos Tea

This tea from Fusion Teas blends sweet and spicy flavors together for a satisfying cup of tea that emulates carrot cake. Organic rooibos provides the base, with maple, coconut, ginger, raisin, walnut, cinnamon, and carrots providing welcome bursts of flavor.

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