There is a long list of benefits that a cup of tea can guarantee. While a hot, steaming cup of coffee may entice many, others may find the smell of tea leaves and other extracts irresistible. If you drink coffee just to get a kick-start, you will definitely want to shift to tea after reading this. According to a United Nations’ Food and Agricultural organization survey, tea stands second in the list of most consumed beverages.
With such high demand, there is no surprise that new flavours and forms of tea are being introduced in the market. Don’t get overwhelmed with just these options, but there are actually various healthful benefits you can bag with a sip. This article has discussed 5 tea recipes that can help you reach your full energetic potential. All these have been thoughtfully chosen to bring you the best of the teas that are known worldwide.
What Role Does a Cup Of Tea Plays In Energizing Your Body?
Don’t underestimate the perks you get just from a cup of tea! If you are confused about adding tea to your routine, let the facts decide.
The Caffeine In Coffee Vs. The Caffeine In Tea
Feeling energetic is not just the absence of lethargy and sluggishness. It is, in fact, a dynamic state when you feel healthy and full. You are fresh, and you can think well. The concentrated amount of caffeine you get from coffee can be a little too much for your system. You feel a sudden thurst of energy that goes away as soon as it comes. At the same time, a caffeinated tea with some other herbal extracts works the other way around.
How Does Your Body Process Tea?
Your body takes time to process the sustained microdoses of caffeine available in tea. Once it reaches your system, it combines molecules exhibiting antioxidant properties to form complexes that do not break instantly, and you feel energetic as long as they persist in your system. So the role a cup of tea plays in building up your energy levels is gradual rather than giving you jitters of energy. Not only that but with tea, you can expect to have long-lived and unremitting energy that continues for at least if not more than 6 to 7 hours.
5 Ideal Tea Recipes That Energize Your Day
Below I have listed five widely consumed nourishing tea recipes that give you a boost for a quick bout of energy when you really need it. All these recipes are authentic and have been thoughtfully jotted to give you the best out of both worlds.
1. White Tea
If you are looking for teas that can give you a subtle or mellow energy boost in the morning or midway between a task, white teas go-to options. We find the roots of white tea in the Fujian Province of China, where it was first cultivated a few hundred years ago. Although it is younger than many other true teas, it has surpassed them in many ways. We get white teas after withering the Camellia sinensis plant’s leaves. It got its name from the white hair that appears on its tea buds when they are closed.
Benefits Of Drinking White Tea
Due to less processing and fermenting time, white tea has less caffeine content, but it is rich in antioxidant molecules called catechins. In fact, they have the highest amount of catechins among all the true teas. That is why white teas keep you healthy and fit. They play a constructive role in blood circulation and acts as a support system for your immune.
Recipe
Follow these simple steps to make your own energetic cup of white tea.
- Heat the water at 170F.
- Allow the water to cool for about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Pour 6 ounces of water into 2 teaspoons of white tea leaves.
- Cover the container and let it rest for 1 to 2 minutes. The longer you leave the tea leaves, the stronger the taste will be.
- Preheating your cups before pouring the tea ensures that you get steamingly delicious white tea. This is an extra step but surely enhances the drinking experience.
2. Black Tea
Black tea is the commonest form of true teas. It contains the highest amount of caffeine of all other true teas. If you have been cluttered with files and really need a boost, a cup of black tea will surely serve you well. You may commonly find people confusing it with coffee due to its colour and bold taste. What sets it apart from white tea or other true teas is its level of processing and extent of oxidization. It gets its colour when it is dried in the sun.
Benefits Of Drinking Black Tea
Due to higher levels of caffeine, black teas find your way when you need a boost of energy. They are rich in antioxidants that prevent the harmful effects of free radicals in your body. Not only that, but antioxidants have science-backed benefits in reducing risks of cancers.
Recipe
The most authentic recipes of black tea come from Asian countries, mainly of the subcontinent. It is easy to make and does not require much of an effort.
- Set a kettle or saucepan on the stove and add two cups of water into it.
- Add sugar according to taste.
- Keep stirring it for about 2 minutes or until the water boils.
- Add about 2 to 3 teaspoons of tea leaves, depending upon your taste preference.
- Cover the container for another 2 minutes and allow the water to infuse all the taste on low flame.
- Many people also like to add a half cup of milk, but with or without milk, it tastes equally delicious.
- If you decide to add milk, boil for another 3 minutes, and then serve.
3. Green Tea
Green teas are often prescribed to people trying to reduce weight or on a diet. The prescription holds merit, but it would be unfair to limit its benefits to only weight reduction. Many green teas serve as a concentrated source of L-theanine, an amino acid-producing similar effect as caffeine.
Benefits Of Drinking Green Tea
Green teas are rich in nutrients (as they have many herbal extracts) that make your immune system work more efficiently. You can count it as a companion in all the things you need to stay alert while working on a project or an assignment. Green teas help to maintain an antimicrobial environment inside the body that keeps your body working properly.
Recipe
You can take green tea sweetened or unsweetened. You can add other things for taste, such as a few drops of lemon juice, drops of ginger juice, cloves, any other spice, or even a teaspoon of honey. The general recipe, however, is:
- Bring water to boil.
- Use one or two green tea bags for a single cup, depending upon your taste.
- Add water to the tea bags and stir it for about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Now remove the tea bags and serve it with a lemon slice.
4. Yerba Mate
Yerba Mate is a traditional tea of South America that is increasingly becoming popular worldwide. It is derived from the leaves and small branches of the lex paraguariensis plant. If you are looking for a drink that boosts you like coffee, benefits you like tea, and tastes like chocolate, you cannot go wrong with Yerba Mate tea.
Benefits Of Drinking Yerba Mate Tea
Yerba Mate is rich in compounds such as xanthenes, polyphenols, and saponins that act as antioxidants that promote health, act as anti-inflammatory agents, and boost your immunity. As it contains more caffeine than most herbal teas, it is ideal for energizing your day.
Recipe
Prepare a mouth-watering cup of Yerba Mate in some easiest steps.
- Add 1 to 2 teabags of ordinary Yerba Mate tea in a cup.
- Dampen the tea bags for water.
- Pour in hot water over the tea bags (heated at about 170F).
- Let it rest for five minutes.
- Discard the tea bags, and the tea is ready to serve.
5. Peppermint Tea
Are you sensitive to caffeine? Peppermint tea is a go-get-up without caffeine option for you. It is the most famous and widely used herbal tea of all time. It is a powerhouse filled with nutrients. For those of you who don’t know, peppermint is used in aromatherapy to reduce daytime sleep. Therefore it has widely accredited for its benefits in rejuvenating your body.
Benefits Of Taking Peppermint Tea
Peppermint tea is ideal for digestive congestions, reducing pains, and relaxing muscles. It should be the first thing you grab in case of a headache. It does not contain caffeine; therefore, it is more about maintaining your energy levels than giving you a sudden boost.
Recipe
- Bring two cups of water to boil.
- Add 15 to 20 mint leaves (dry or fresh) to the water.
- Let the leaves steep for about 10 to 15 minutes to get a strong taste.
- Strain the leaves and serve it warm.
Conclusion
There are so many reasons to add a cup or two of tea into your routine. They are healthful and gives you a much-needed boost. Instead of wandering between teas counters looking for the best energizing teas, try our recommendations to enjoy tested benefits.