I buy almost all of my spices in bulk. It’s so much cheaper. I never realized how much spice companies charge for the jars until I started buying in bulk. Almost every store I’ve ever bought my bulk spices in sells Frontier spices, and I’ve always been happy with the quality.
Last week when I was picking up some curry powder, I noticed that the store I was at also had a few Frontier teas in bulk. I figured I should give them a try and see if they are as good as the spices. I decided to try Gunpowder Green Tea first. It comes in little pellets that loosen up in your strainer once the water hits. I’ve had gunpowder green tea a few times, but not in awhile so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I brewed myself a cup and was very pleasantly surprised. It’s nice and mellow, with a very faint bitter aftertaste.
But it’s a pleasant, kind of smoky bitterness that I’ve come to enjoy with green teas. It’s pleasant both hot and cold. I had a hot cup this morning when I first woke up, and now that it’s warmer I’m enjoying a glass iced and it’s very refreshing. Something that I really like about the pellets is that it stays in my strainer. Sometimes with loose leaf some of the tea comes out of the holes and although I don’t really mind drinking the loose herbs I prefer a nice smooth clean cup or glass of tea and the pellet form allows me that simple pleasure. If you happen to see a bulk spice section at your grocery store, check and see if they have tea.
It’s a great inexpensive way to try new things and see if you like it. And of course it’s an excellent choice for the earth because less packaging is always better! I give Frontier spices and now teas a huge thumbs up for quality and price!!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green Tea
Where to Buy: Frontier Co-Op
Description
This tea has a very rich flavor, with a hint of sweet smokiness. The leaves are rolled into little pellets that unfurl and ‘bloom’ in the cup.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Culture Cola. . .A Kombucha from Live Beverages. . . . .
I love kombucha so much.
I love the fizziness, and I love the happy feeling that I get from drinking it, and I love the benefits of probiotics. Live beverages is located in Austin Texas which I will visit sometime in my life. They make a line of soda inspired kombuchas which are just absolutely amazing. I reviewed their root beer kombucha here awhile ago, and today I am trying their cola version, called Culture Cola. It’s obviously a play on coke or pepsi. I seriously don’t know how they make their kombuchas taste like soda, but I’m so happy!
This tastes just like a cola, except each serving has only twenty calories, and five grams of sugar. The bottle says it holds 1.5 servings, so the whole bottle has thirty calories and 7.5 grams of sugar. Not bad at all, especially for how delicious and sweet this tastes. Besides the delicious flavor, something else i love is that this is one of the least expensive kombuchas I’ve found.
I said on my root beer review that I think these would be great for anyone who is wanting to give up soda, but having a hard time. This is a great way to get that flavor, and the carbonation in a much healthier way. I know that Live kombucha is sold at a lot of Target stores, and also Natural Grocers. Not sure where else it’s sold, but if you happen to see it I say give it a try.
It’s really remarkable how they get that soda flavor into a bottle of kombucha. This is also perfect for people who find some kombuchas to be a little on the vinegar-y side, none of that here. I’ve tried almost all of their flavors and haven’t had a bad one yet!!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Kombucha
Where to Buy: Live Beverages
Description
Our Culture Cola brings you a new take on the classic, with that crisp + refreshing cola taste and a whole lotta feel good to go with it. Our version is more than just another soft drink: it’s a probiotic powerhouse.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Green Tea + C Effervescent Tea Mix from Sencha Naturals. . . . .
I love the Emergen-C packets that you add to water.
As someone who rides public transportation, I drink those very often in the winter months when everyone is coughing and sniffling over my shoulder. I also drink them several times a day if I feel myself getting the sniffles. But they do have some questionable ingredients, and as a vegan I have to be careful about what flavors I buy because they aren’t all vegan. (Weird that animal products would have to be added anyway)
So I was excited to try this Sencha Naturals effervescent drink mix that is vegan, and also all natural. I can pronounce and recognize all of the ingredients listed. I tried the dragonfruit flavor, which is flavored with acerola cherry, dragonfruit extract, ginger and turmeric root, and organic orange peel. Although it also has matcha and sencha green tea, it’s still pretty low caffeine at 10 milligrams per packet.
I poured the packet into some cold water, and gave it a good shake. At first it was a little clumpy and I was worried because who likes drinking clumps? But there was no need to worry, once it was properly mixed it was a nice smooth drink. It has a sweet, slightly tart taste that I found very refreshing. And best of all it tasted natural, like it was made of real ingredients, not mixed in a lab by people wearing lab coats and goggles which is how I imagine Emergen-C being made. I feel hydrated and refreshed after drinking it, the little surge I always get after a vitamin c infusion.
Each packet has 180 mg. of vitamin C, so that’s really great. Next winter when it’s sniffle season, I will definitely be choosing this over Emergen-C.
It would also be great just as a mid afternoon pick me up without a ton of caffeine. I look forward to trying their other flavors!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green Tea
Where to Buy: Sencha Naturals
Description
We believe that nutrition should come from whole food ingredients, not synthetic vitamins. Whole leaf green tea, acerola cherry, coconut water, and supporting herbs to help you stay well. Exotic dragonfruit has a tangy, yet slightly sweet flavor profile we think tastes extra amazing over ice.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Fenugreek Tea from Republic of Tea. . . .
I’ve never had fenugreek tea, and I don’t think I’ve ever had it as a seasoning in food either, so I had no expectations when it came to this tea.
But I am a huge fan of The Republic of Tea. I love all their teas, and I love reusing the tins that their teas come in. While my water was coming to a boil, I smelled the tea bag as you do, and I noticed a very pleasant cinnamon smell.
Things were definitely looking up for this tea adventure. I made my cup of tea, and when I took my first sip I was seriously blown away. It tastes like cookies, like a snickerdoodle or something similar. The tea has fenugreek seeds, cinnamon and organic carrot(?). Somehow those three ingredients make for a deliciously sweet cookie like tea. I mean, I am blown away by the deliciousness!
It’s not sweet in a cloying way, and the cinnamon is very gentle, much milder than a Chai tea for example. It’s just a very delicious and very pleasant tea. It needs no sweetener or milk, it’s amazing all on it’s own. According to The Republic of Tea’s website. this tea is for nursing moms.
Apparently fenugreek can help stimulate milk production. Since I am not a nursing mom, I decided to do a little research and see what other health benefits this tea had, and there are so many. It can help women with menstrual discomfort, can help reduce cholesterol, provide relief from sore throats, and so much more. What a delicious way to get some amazing health benefits.
This tea is just a delicious beverage even if you don’t care about any of that stuff. I am so so happy I got to try this tea. It is a new favorite. And it’s caffeine free, so it’s safe to drink anytime! It would be a great dessert tea.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: Republic of Tea
Description
As women, we have the power to create and nurture life, all while juggling hormonal changes and external stresses. For centuries, women have relied upon the same powerful herbs found in our organic SuperHerb Teas to keep them balanced, and now they can easily be part of your daily life as well.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Gingerbread Green Tea from Twinings. . . .
This tea came in my little care package I received from my dear friend who lives in the UK. When I saw that it was a gingerbread green tea, my mind instantly thought of a Chai type tea, so i figured I would make it and add a little sugar and coconut milk.
But the directions on the package said to not add milk. I had my doubts, but decided to not be a rebel and listen to the instructions. I was very pleasantly surprised! It has a definite sweet, cake like flavor.
The ginger flavor is definitely there, but it isn’t too strong and is not spicy or bitter at all. This is definitely one of my favorite teas I’ve tried this year. It needed no sweetener at all. It tasted like dessert in a cup. I really don’t know how they did it, as the ingredients are just green tea, ginger root and natural flavoring.
But it tastes so much more complex than three simple ingredients. I would be happy if I could drink this every day for the rest of my life! I could just imagine having this tea during the holidays, with a fireplace roaring and cheerful music on in the background. Or instead of hot chocolate, having a cup of this after doing something in the snow.
This is the third Twinings tea I’ve tried, and I am very impressed by each flavor. They are all perfectly balanced, naturally sweet and just a real treat. Even though the weather is warming up, this is still a very delicious tea to try.
If all gingerbread tasted as delicious as this tea, I would eat a lot more gingerbread!!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green Tea
Where to Buy: Twinings
Description
Green tea with ginger and golden syrup flavour.
The sweet aroma of a traditional cake shop. The tangy warmth of gingerbread, baked to perfection. With real ginger pieces and golden syrup flavour, this is an entirely new take on traditional green tea. One that’s utterly surprising… yet wonderfully familiar.
All natural ingredients, sugar-free and only 4 calories a cup. Who’d have thought green tea could be so indulgent?