Tea Community Blog

January is National Hot Tea Month and most of us have already made resolutions of one sort or another. Those that are simple to incorporate into our lives are the ones we are most likely to keep past January.

Make tea a part of your daily routine and lifestyle. Research states that, tea is one way to achieve a healthier lifestyle. Maybe being healthier is one of your most important health resolutions for the New Year? Why not incorporate tea into your drink options and a little less of other types of drinks.

For those who are looking to shed a few holiday pounds. A study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that substances in tea may even promote weight loss by increasing the amount of energy spent by the body. The theory is that green tea, because of the catechin (pronounced “cat E kins”) content, has thermogenic properties that promote fat oxidation, may work together with other chemicals to increase weight loss.

This antioxidant, nutrient-rich beverage has also been credited with protecting against and helping to lower the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and cholesterol.

So do your  happy dance and get your teapots steamed up for a cup your favorite Praise Tea. Tea lovers rejoice!

Wishing  you all a Happy New Year filled with Tea and Good Health,

Tea Time Facts…

• The caffeine content of tea is 40 mg in one cup of tea as compared to 99 mg of caffeine in a cup of coffee.
• Black and Green teas contain a certain type of antioxidant called flavenoids.
• To be labeled “decaffeinated,” the caffeine content per cup of tea must be approximately 5 mg.
• The difference between Black, Green, and Oolong tea is a result of the changes that occur during processing of the tea leaves. They are all made from the same type of tea leaves.

Ahh, so you want iced tea (yes even in the fall), but to go through all the hassle of heating water, steeping, icing and THEN drinking. Well, there is another method and that’s cold brew or cold infusion! It is one of the easiest way to brew iced tea.

The cold brewing method has two surprising and very pleasant benefits. Cold water draws out or pulls the flavor from the leaf as opposed to hot water, used in traditional brewing, which pushes the flavor from the leaf. Subsequently, cold infusion is a much slower, gentle method that results in a smooth, more subtle, naturally sweet tasting tea.

Iced tea that sits in your refrigerator will normally become cloudy. Cold brewed iced tea will not, and will remain transparent and more aesthetically pleasing to the eye. Iced tea made this way will also have less tannins, which means less astringency. Tthe astringency of the tea leaves will not be released into the water creating an infusion that may not be quite as richly flavored as a hot water brewed tea, but a much less bitter brew. This type of brewing is terrific for oolong teas, Pu’erh tea, and black teas

To prepare a cold infusion you will need;
   1.   A glass jar or container with a top
   2.   4 – 6 tablespoons of premium loose-leaf tea
   3.   8 cups of cold water

Poured water over the tea leaves and place the container in the refrigerator for 8-10 hours, perferably overnight. When the tea is ready, remove the leaves and enjoy.

One word of caution, brewed tea has a shelf life! So,

Tea stored in the refrigerator should be kept no longer than 3 days

Tea stored at room temperature should be kept no longer than 2 days.

What added tea flavor?  Try making ice cubes out of the tea and serving them with the iced tea to keep the flavor from diluting as the ice melts.

Yerba mate (pronounced YERB-ah mah-TAY) is a popular South American herb that is brewed into a high-caffeine infusion.

It’s a drink native to South America, considered similar to green tea in both composition and taste. Although it is not a typical tea, it is called a tea for its similarities to other drinks, and due to the fact that it also contains nutrients and chemicals associated with very few side effects. It is harvested from the leaves and stems of a particular type of holly tree. It is sometimes roasted or aged before consumption to mellow its flavor.

Yerba Mate is abundant in xanthines, including caffeine and theobromine. It also includes potassium and magnesium.
Yerba mate has a bold, bittersweet flavor. It is traditionally drunk from a hollow gourd through a filtering straw (bombilla), but it can also be infused in a Western-style teapot, brewed with a French press, or made in other ways.

Coffee drinkers tend to prefer their yerba mate straight, blended with sugar/honey or made into a latte. Tea drinkers often like yerba mate blends. In parts of South America, yerba mate is blended with mint, citrus, gin and/or other ingredients.

Authentic Yerba Mate and commercialized Yerba Mate do not differ in composition either, so chances are consumers are getting the real deal here. It makes a tasty afternoon beverage. Here’s a Yerba Mate Latte recipe to get you started…..

Yerba Mate Latte Ingredients
• 1 heaping teaspoon loose-leaf yerba mate
• a single-serving tea strainer
• 1 tsp organic peppermint tea
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup low, non-fat, or soy milk
• a martini shaker
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 nice, big mug

You can create your own tea bags by using our individual paper tea bag filters. Heat the Water. Start by heating at least one cup of water but be careful not to let it boil so as not to destroy any of the naturally occurring antioxidants and amino acids.

The ideal temperature is about 180 degrees Fahrenheit. Fill the Tea Strainer or paper tea bag with your Praise Tea Yerba Mate. While the water is heating, fill your tea strainer with yerba, and douse it with cool water, which helps to seal in all the mineral nutrition.

Let the Yerba Steep, according to steeping guidelines. Once the water is heated, slowly pour it over the yerba and peppermint tea, and allow it to steep for 3-10 minutes, depending on how strong you like your mate.

Remove the strainer and/or personal tea bag, and add a tablespoon of honey to sweeten. Shake the Milk in a Martini Shaker. And now it’s time for the latte. While using an espresso machine or frothing wand is a convenient way to give your milk a rich, foamy texture, this method can work just as easily, without the extra equipment and messy cleanup.

Pour about a half cup of milk into your martini shaker, and shake vigorously for about 30 seconds. Using vanilla or almond soy milk will not only cut down on the fat content of your mate latte, but can provide for an even more tasty treat.

Combine the Milk and Yerba Mate. Pour your agitated milk into a microwavable container, and heat for about 30 seconds. Remove the milk from the microwave, slowly pour over the yerba mate, sip, and enjoy!

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