Just My Cup of Tea

Tea has been a long time admiration of the world and it is no wonder that it was so highly sought after during the Tang Dynasty in China. My mom used to force me to drink tea when I was sick. She would say, “Just a cup and it will make you feel better.” Sometimes I would cringe as I stomached the fluid or poured it down the sink secretly.  Little did I know that I would soon come to love tea and it would become a “hot commodity” in my daily diet. Black tea, green tea – I enjoy all varieties.  My favorite type, on any occasion, is chai tea.  

I prepare my chai tea by steeping two tea bags over eight ounces of steaming hot water for two to three minutes. Then, I either prepare my drink as a chai tea latte with one tablespoon of hazelnut creamer for sweetener, or I just drink it black.  Chai tea is the perfect blend of sweet cinnamon spiciness and it particularly compliments fall and winter seasons well. I use both caffeinated and decaffeinated teas. Specifically, I drink caffeinated tea in the mornings and when I need a mid day “pick me up.” Another benefit of tea is that you can use it as a hand warmer and body insulator when it is chilly. This fall I found myself mixing pumpkin spice tea with chai tea to create a richer flavor. I highly recommend adding tea to your diet. It has many natural healing and medicinal benefits and can even boost your metabolism.