Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Lifestyle Teas: Delicious, Healthy, And Easy to Make

Lifestyle tea is a category of drinks used to describe teas or beverages which help drinkers incorporate healthful, natural drinks into their daily routine. These teas may not necessarily be derived from tea plant “Camellia Sinensis”. Instead, they could be produced from fruits, herbs, spices along with the usual black or green tea as base. Teas normally included in this category are fruit tisanes, herbal teas, rooibos tea, green tea, white tea and pu-erh tea.

These lifestyle blends target particular physical ailment on one hand and promote general good health on other. China has a long history of using various tea blends to cure a range of health conditions, like blood pressure, cholesterol, some cancers. It can safely be consumed even by those who aren’t suffering from the particular disease that a tea blend claims to address. For example, vitality herbal tea is a completely natural blend of ginger, lemon balm; jasmine, lavender, and it can be consumed by a person of any age. The tea lifts up mind and body, energises you and reduces the effect of aging.

Kapha balancing herbal tea, Pitta balancing herbal tea and Vatta balancing herbal tea are some of the most famous herbal tea blends prepared according to ancient Ayurvedic recipes. Ancient India system of Ayurveda was accredited with ability to treat even severe health conditions without major invasive surgeries or heavy dose of chemical drugs. These ayurvedic tea blends are simple preparations produced from select herbs and spices like ginger, Cinnamon, Licorice, Sage, Fennel, Bala, Nutmeg, Chamomile, Clove, Rose, Anise, Dong Quai, Cardamom, Cumin, Black pepper, Celery seed, Fenugreek, Orange peel, Peppermint, Parsley, Rosemary, Rosehips, Coconut, Coriander, Oregonal, Safflower, and Lemon grass. These teas are uniquely designed to pacify specific needs of various body types, assuage the various doshas and bring back normal good health.

Fruit tisanes are another very important constituent of this category. They are blends of dried fruits, usually summer fruits like apples, strawberries, blueberries, kiwi, raspberries, papaya, pineapple, oranges, rosehips, hibiscus, and corn flower petals. They are completely free of caffeine, or tannins. Instead they are oozing with natural nutrients like anti-oxidants, vitamins, and minerals. They can actually be substituted for fresh fruit juice. These fruit blends are extremely easy to prepare and come in real handy when you need to prepare a nourishing and rejuvenating drink at a short notice. Just brew the contents in hot water and you have delicious liquor at hand, quite akin to juice. Refrigerate these blends to get ambrosial thirst quenchers. They are also a mouth watering treat for kids who otherwise might scorn at the idea of taking pills, tonics, or health supplements.

Yet another very famous lifestyle tea is the rooibos loose leaf tea. It is produced from a red bush plant grown in South Africa. Though originally a South African drink, rooibos tea has earned itself a firm place in the lifestyle tea section owing to its tremendous health benefits and fantastic taste. The beverage is said to cure abdominal pains in children. Its anti allergic properties make it a time-tested cure for infants suffering from colic, insomnia, or stomach pains. It contains calcium; magnesium and fluoride which helps build strong bones and teeth. The tea is particularly good for skin. It contains zinc and alpha hydroxyl acid which protects skin from sun burn, eczema, irritation, and rashes. Its anti-oxidants and polyphenols defend skin against free radicals and keep it fresh and supple.

Most of us don’t even realize how frequently we drink a can of soda or carbonated drink when we are feeling thirsty. These drinks are full of empty calories and sugar which raise weight, damage teeth and bones, and can disrupt the digestive system. Lifestyle teas offer a healthy yet tasty alternative. Give these teas a chance, and your body would thank you for the change.