Perhaps being British has influenced my desire to talk about tea. It is something commonly mentioned in association with England and perhaps you now have an image of someone in a frilly dress, a ceramic teapot and a plate of buttered crumpets. Whilst I can assure you that it really isn't that intense here, I will admit that it is the first thing you're offered as you step into any household, the drink consumed all year round and also the first thing given to any sad or troubled person. No biggie. It does plays a fairly large role - it is the second most consumed drink in the world! Plus, with Fit Tea and Detox Tea adverts becoming ever more present on Instagram, I thought it was about time I chipped in and discussed it myself.
Tea drinking has expanded from where it likely started, in southwest China, and traveled all of the way to Portugal, to India, to England and to the whole world. It started it's life as a medicinal drink, in fact many Chinese people still hold the strong belief that cold water is bad for you. Whilst there isn't any scientific evidence to prove this, there is scientific evidence supporting that the drinking of hot water can cool you down on a hot day. Apparently, the amount that you increase your sweat by makes up for the your increase in body temperature, provided that the sweat is able to evaporate. China being a country of Ancient wisdom, ancient Chinese medicine states that drinking hot water in the morning helps with the digestive system, circulation and menstrual cramps, to name a few benefits. Other countries are also in favour of the idea as they consider boiling water to kill off bacteria.
I certainly don't believe that all of your problems can be resolved with a steaming herbal tea, however I do believe in many of the advantages. Jenier Tea is my personal go-to tea shop. Here, you can be sure that the quality and taste have not been compromised for anything. Even the silky teabags are biodegradable! Jenier World of Teas is also part of the Ethical Tea Partnership which ensures that every aspect of the lives of those living on tea estates is covered. They provide information on choices and variety of tea, along with info on personalised labels, on their website. I guess the question it boils down to is this: Are you willing to swap your milk and sugar for a Jenier tea bag and boiling water?