Until we moved to Minnesota, anyone sneaking a peek inside our kitchen cupboards would never have found a box of herbal tea among the cans of coffee grounds. For us, coffee's the thing. But friends here are tea-drinkers. How does one turn down the offer of a pot of herbal tea, "spiked" with honey and lemon, when told it would help knock out some of the discomforts of the cold? We finally bought the mindset and, here and there, a box of tea bags. Now, herbal teas of all kinds line our cupboard shelves.It's even become part of our daily routine to drink a cup or two. Good as tea is, though, it'll never replace our coffee-lovin' ways.
Green tea, oolong, and tulsi teas are ones we buy most often. Every herbal tea I've met seems to have its own attitude---er, that is, it's own unique taste and function. If it was only about taste, I'd never drink another drop of green tea. But who can pass up its claim to protection against many cancers, and its aid in weight loss? So we keep at least one box on hand.
We've become sophisticated tea drinkers since that first pot of tea. We have standards---criteria, in other words---and two of the most important are taste and health benefits. You already know that, for me, green tea doesn't win the taste lottery. But tulsi tea does---and it's got a proud resume of outstanding health benefits. Check these out:
Tulsi
- calms and destresses the body, lowers blood pressure---all good for the heart
- boosts the immune system
- aids vision
- helps against coughs and colds, bronchitis and pleurisy---so good for respiratory system health
- is a digestive aid
- lowers blood sugar levels---useful for diabetics
- improves vitality
Tulsi, the pride of India, is also an adaptogenic herb, meaning it helps the body adapt to new stresses. Scientific research supports these claims, backing up what the people of India have known for 5,000 years.
Herbal tea-drinking isn't for everyone. Those who are after the quick fix, for example. I was one of 'em. When that first cup of herbal tea failed to halt my miserable cold, I felt gypped and ready to donate the rest of the pot to a true tea-lover. Ahhh, but herbs aren't quick fixes, I learned. Takes time, patience, and drinking more than one cup.
A dreamy, and unexpected, side benefit
No tea manufacturer will tell you about this side benefit to drinking tea. They probably don't even know that some of their customers conjure up idyllic scenes in their minds when anticipating tea time. Like this relaxing (and improbable) scene I've painted for myself: I'm wrapped in an afghan on a wintry night (like tonight), comfortably settled into an overstuffed chair near a slightly roaring fire, where I'm reading one of the books I've been meaning to get to. Music plays softly as a backdrop. A cup of tea is within arm's reach. Squares of good chocolate, also within reach, fill a cut-glass dish. Can you picture it? Does drinking tea conjure calming scenes for you, too?
If you'd like to know more about tulsi tea, you may enjoy Dr. Narendra Singh's book, Tulsi -- The Mother Medicine of Nature. Have a cup nearby for maximum reading enjoyment.
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