Hot Tea: Top 5 Picks For Fall
Do colder temps have you reaching for warm beverages? Not surprised!
From hot tea and coffee to bone broth, our bodies CRAVE warmth during the traditionally cooler fall and winter months. Just as our bodies do better with more cooked (rather than raw) foods, we can also benefit from passing on the ice-cold beverages during this time of year.
Hot tea offers a nice (and healthy!) alternative to plan ol’ water. Packed with flavor, teas are also loaded with health-boosting benefits due to the herb and spices blends’ antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory and healing properties. From digestion and craving control to stress relief, sleep support and sore throat remedies, there’s truly a tea out there for everyone (and everything!).
Here are my favorite tea varieties:
Green - packed with antioxidants such as EGCG and vitamin C, polyphenols and flavonoids, green tea is anti-aging, cancer-fighting, anti-inflammatory, brain-boosting and heart healthy. Although moderately caffeinated, green tea is balanced with l-theanine, a calming and balancing amino acid (protein) that promotes a more sustainable energy boost (WITHOUT the crash!).
Pro Tips: add a splash of lemon to your mug of green tea to increase antioxidant absorption by up to 10x! If you’re a coffee lover with adrenal fatigue, intense sugar cravings and blood sugar imbalance, try this matcha latte instead. This beverage is less stimulating and more balancing for adrenal, thyroid and overall hormone support. Drink green tea earlier in the day to avoid sleep disturbances, especially if you are sensitive to caffeine.
Ginger - slightly spicy, yet loaded with antibacterial, antiviral, antimicrobial, ginger tea is great for beating bloat, alleviating nausea and motion sickness, supporting digestion, boosting the metabolism and improving immune function.
DIY Recipe: make your own ginger tea by creating 3-4 cross-sectional slices out of a 1-2 inch knob of fresh ginger. Steep in hot water for 10 minutes before drinking, then add the juice from 1/2 lemon. Enjoy this tonic first thing in the morning or a few sips before your meals to aid digestion, promote bowel regularity and support detoxification.
Dandelion Root - with a mildly bitter and herbaceous taste, dandelion root is great for cleansing the liver, improving bile flow (gallbladder support) and aiding digestion. It has been used in traditional Chinese, Native American and herbal medicine for centuries to heal stomach and liver conditions. Often associated with detoxification, dandelion root is also a natural diuretic that helps balance blood pressure and alleviate fluid retention.
Pro Tips: drink a mug of dandelion root tea per day to support your liver and digestive system and up to 3 mugs per day when embarking on a detox protocol. If you experience digestive upset, are on certain medications or have a ragweed/latex allergy, perhaps consider using one of the other tea varieties instead.
Licorice Root - naturally sweet in flavor, licorice root tea has adaptogenic properties that support your body and help maintain hormonal balance during periods of high-stress. Helpful for curbing sugar cravings, licorice root can also be used to support the adrenal glands, improve respiratory health, reduce phlegm, address ulcers and alleviate acid reflux symptoms.
Pro Tips: drink a mug of licorice root tea when sugar cravings arise. Proceed with caution if you have high blood pressure or an irregular heart beat or are taking diuretics, blood pressure medication, blood thinners or estrogen-based contraceptives.
Chamomile - rich in antioxidants and containing minerals such as iron, calcium, manganese, zinc and potassium, chamomile tea is know for its calming, stress relieving and sleep supportive properties. But that’s not all! Chamomile tea also helps alleviate diarrhea and bloating, boosts immunity, soothes menstrual cramps, and you can even apply chamomile tea bags (warm or cold) atop your eyes to reduce puffiness, dark circles, soreness, redness, infection and irritation.
Pro Tips: make a cup of warm chamomile tea with a splash of nut milk and honey to sleep like a baby or apply the tea bags topically to calm irritated skin and reduce swelling. Caution: chamomile cross-reacts with ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds and daisies–if you are allergic to any of these, please avoid this tea and opt for lavender, rose, lemon balm or passionflower tea instead.
With a myriad of health benefits, herbal (caffeine-free) and caffeinated teas are a great addition to your winter beverage menu! Which variety will YOU sip on today?
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