Once upon a time, I had sad news to give, and I was up all night thinking of how to break it. The next morning came with a pretty rough headache, but also the right words to say. Good thing this headache curing tea was in to ease some of my mental turmoil!
It’s got lots of pulverized leaves, I can recognize lavender and chamomile and there’s definitely spearmint in there too, though there are lots of fragrant flowers I can’t ID.
Virginia Tea Co is a Kickstarter crowd-funded company, whose done all the herbal medicine research so we don’t have to. They also source fair trade ingredients, and that’s a relief too.
When I tasted this, it seemed bitter to me, almost tasted like aspirin. Was it my conscience affecting my taste buds or was this just not my cuppa?
A few weeks later, I served some to a friend who’d been having a lot of headaches and thought he might benefit from it. He often describes himself as having “the palate of an eight-year-old”, but he liked it!…. After adding Paula Deen amounts of simple syrup…. in about 15 minutes, he noted his head felt less tense, and later that night it hadn’t come back.
Well now we know Mary Poppins had it right, a (few) spoonful(s) of sugar helps the medicine go down! I know that some folks are sensitive to OTC pain relief options, or prefer not to use pharmaceuticals and this is a great option for them.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: Virginia Tea Co.
Lavender, feverfew, chamomile, skullcap, and spearmint are blended together to help fight those awful headaches. They do this by relaxing your mind and allowing for better thoughts to enter.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Chai Rooibos from Yogi Tea. . . . .
I absolutely love Yogi teas. I love the little uplifting messages on the tea bags, and I’ve never had a flavor I haven’t loved. I also love Chai tea. I’ve been cutting back my caffeine intake, with the goal to completely cut it out of my life. I was kind of nervous to try this at first because I don’t always love Rooibos. I usually drink it for the health benefits, but sometimes I find it a little too earthy for me. But Yogi teas were on a great sale at Natural Grocers so I felt brave enough to try this.
What can I say, it was love at first sip! The delicious blend of spices like cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and ginger really stand up and mask the earthiness of the rooibos leaves. It’s spicy, warming and soothing. And the earthiness of the rooibos actually compliments the spices. The tea is a lovely red hue which for some reason made it even more enjoyable to me. The spiciness is there, but not overpowering. I would call this a Chai for beginners. It wouldn’t scare away someone new to Chai.
And because it’s so similar to standard Chai made with black tea, I didn’t feel like I was missing anything. And the aromatherapy woke up my senses without the caffeine. I’m very glad I tried this brew, and I will be buying it again and again. It’s a delicious, hearty and warming cup of tea that’s perfect for anytime of the day. Rooibos has so many health benefits such as aiding in digestion, anti aging, and has many minerals including calcium!!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Yogi Teas
Description
Evoke the beauty of South Africa with our Chai Rooibos tea—a creative twist on traditional chai. We combine Rooibos, a red tea with antioxidant properties, and a traditional Ayurvedic blend of Cardamom, Cinnamon and Clove. Enjoy the spicy warmth of this intriguingly delicious tea any time of day or night.*
*These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Equalibrium from Urbal Teas. . . . .
Equilibrium from Urbal Teas is what’s next at Sororitea Sisters. It’s a heavily herbal Rooibos Blend of flavors. Urbal Tea says it’s their version of an herbal chai. I’m not sure if I would make that flavor connection right away but what I will say is that the actual flavor of this did blow me away!
It’s made up of Rooibos, Nettle leaf, Rosehip, Raspberry leaf, Licorice root, Anise Seed, Cardamom, Clove, Calendula, Dandelion leaf, Ginkgo, Eleuthero, Oatstraw, Gotu Kola, Cinnamon, Anise Seed and Safflower petals. All of that offers a herbal yet sweet taste. A creamy yet oat-like flavor. A floral yet spicy subtle surprise on the tongue. I have to give credit where credit is due. I think what brings this all together is the gentle use of licorice. I rarely say that because I was turned off by a few licorice flavored teas in the past and I know it isn’t fair to pre-judge others but they aren’t the first flavor I jump for if you know what I mean.
I’m a complex character. And so is this tea. I LOVE Peanut Butter. And I like some Jellies. But I don’t care for Peanut Butter AND Jelly Sandwiches. It’s weird, I know. That’s kind of how I feel about Licorice. I LOVE Licorice. I just don’t usually like Licorice Tea. In THIS specific case I couldn’t imagine this heavily flavored rooibos any other way! The Licorice is done PERFECTLY and really MAKES this tisane!
Every time I have a cup of Urbal Teas offerings I continued to be amazed by their blending ability. I should know by now NOT to ever question or be afraid of it because they are always memorable!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Urbal Tea
Description
This is our version of an herbal chai blend without the black tea or black pepper. A warming combination of spices and herbs including anise, licorice, raspberry, and nettle to restore internal order and balance in the body. Rosehip makes an excellent tonic for a tired and worn out body. Anise helps rejuvenate the digestive system and soothe your respiratory pathways, while raspberry is known to improve your vitality. Licorice is a powerful herb that eases body tensions and clears the respiratory system. The spice components of clove and cardamom jump start your entire body. There is much historical evidence to suggest that Nettle, a component of the blend, has the ability to settle the body. Likewise, calendula has long been prized by herbalists for its ability to cleanse and detoxify the body, in particular the liver and gallbladder.
Contains: Rooibos, Nettle leaf, Rosehip, Raspberry leaf, Licorice root, Anise Seed, Cardamom, Clove, Calendula, Dandelion leaf, Ginkgo, Eleuthero, Oatstraw, Gotu Kola, Cinnamon, Anise Seed and Safflower petals
Steeping Instructions:
Boiling water
Steep 10 to 30 minutes
The longer the steeping time the stronger the tea
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
