Morning, Noon, and Night: Crafting Your Ideal Tea Routine

 

It's a busy day ahead, and I'm unsure which tea would best prepare me for it. Perhaps a bowl of matcha would provide the energy and focus I need?

Hold on! Sometimes it's a bit confusing to choose what tea fits best with our moods and moves. So why not explore a bit deeper in this area? Here’s a guide to prepare you to choose the right tea for the right time, out of hundreds of different tea choices available. Let's dive in.

In the morning, our bodies are awakening from a night's rest, and it's important to kickstart the day on a gentle note. After hours of sleep, dehydration can set in, and blood density may increase. To counteract this, opt for a light cup of tea in the morning. 

As evening approaches and the day winds down, selecting the right tea becomes crucial for promoting relaxation and a restful night's sleep. While tea can indeed aid in improving sleep quality, it's essential to opt for varieties that won't interfere with your ability to unwind. Avoiding teas with high caffeine content is wise, as they may disrupt your sleep cycle.

Likewise, it requires some understanding on how different teas can help us in different situations. 

Morning Teas: Energize Your Day

Tea is the most consumed beverage in the world after water, and most people consume tea in the morning as a regular habit. After a long rest in the night, drinking a cup of tea may hydrate the body and clean the stomach while lowering blood pressure. Drinking a cup of tea as a regular habit in the morning will help our digestion as well. 

What kind of teas are suitable as morning teas?

Lighter teas are particularly well-suited for mornings compared to stronger varieties. Black tea stands out as an excellent option for starting your day, as it promotes blood circulation and helps dispel any lingering chill from your body.

English Breakfast Tea

English Breakfast tea blends are made with strong flavored tea varieties like Assam and Kenyan. Most of the time, they are consumed with milk and sugar. English breakfast tea has a refreshing taste and energizing effect due to its caffeine content. 

Matcha Green Tea

Matcha is Japanese green tea powder and it is made from finely ground tea leaves. Everyone loves to see that vibrant green color, which comes from the high chlorophyll content of leaves. Matcha tea has a slightly bitter, vegetal taste. 

Yerba Mate Tea

Yerba mate is a traditional south American beverage which has the strength of Coffee. Yerba mate is high in antioxidants and nutrients like xanthines, saponons, and caffeine derivatives. Because of the high caffeine content, it can boost energy and improve mental focus. 

Moroccan Mint Tea

Moroccan Mint Tea is a traditional tea preparation originating from Morocco. It's a blend of green tea, typically gunpowder green tea, and fresh mint leaves. This refreshing and aromatic tea is often sweetened with sugar and served hot in small glasses.

Daytime Teas: Sustain your productivity

Daytime is often the busiest period for everyone, and maximizing productivity becomes paramount. Certain types of tea can significantly contribute to sustaining productivity levels, such as oolong tea, white tea, and yellow tea. 

These teas are characterized by a unique balance of caffeine and L-Theanine, which provides a boost in productivity without inducing anxiety or stress. Additionally, they have been known to stimulate the brain and enhance cognitive functions. Their smooth flavors make them appealing for regular consumption, further encouraging their incorporation into daily routines.

Oolong Tea

Oolong tea combines the qualities of black tea and green tea while providing some more health benefits. Particularly, regular consumption of oolong tea may aid in weight loss and reduce stress. It is made with the same tea plant that is used to make black tea and green tea, but the processing method is different. 

Yellow Tea

Yellow tea is a mellow and smooth tea with a sweet, vibrant, and nutty taste. Most of the yellow tea comes from the high mountains in China. The tea-making process and technique of yellow tea are complicated compared to other tea types. 

White Tea

White tea is known as one of the most delicate tea varieties and the least processed tea type. The tea contains many antioxidants, including polyphenols, flavonoids, and tannins. The antioxidant content of white tea is higher compared to other teas as it is minimally processed. White tea can be enjoyed at any time during the day. 

Pu Erh Tea

Pu-erh tea originates from the Yunnan Province of China. It is a kind of dark green tea, and it experiences a unique post fermentation process. The tea infusion reflects, a dark reddish infusion with a strong earthy taste with sweet undertones. It becomes more valuable with age. It has a high caffeine content, but less than the caffeine content of coffee. Pu-erh tea gives good support in digestion of fats and lipids. It is also important for  bone health. Therefore, It is important to consume Pu-erh tea as a daytime tea. 

Herbal Teas like Ginger, Hibiscus, and Fruit Teas

Ginger, hibiscus, and fruity teas can be enjoyed at any time during the day. The detoxifying and energizing properties of these herbal ingredients may help fight fatigue.

Afternoon Teas: Refresh and Revitalize

Introduction of Afternoon tea goes back to the 1800s and associated with finger foods, scones, sweets, savories and sandwiches.  Afternoon tea is served mid afternoon as a refreshment between lunch and dinner. Some of the most popular afternoon teas are black teas, Darjeeling tea, Earl Grey tea, Oolong tea, white tea, and herbal teas like Rooibos, lavender, rose, and lemon balm. Let’s explore more details on these tea types.

Black Tea

Black teas with medium strength are suitable as afternoon teas, and most people would like to add black tea as their regular afternoon tea. Black teas like English Breakfast will also be added as afternoon tea. 

Darjeeling Tea

Darjeeling tea is produced in India and it has a fruity aroma and golden color infusion. It is sweeter and less bitter compared to other black teas. Most often, Darjeeling tea is introduced as the champagne of teas. This delicate tea is more popular as a refreshing afternoon tea. 

Earl Grey Tea

Earl grey is the most popular flavored tea all around the world. Especially, it is considered as the main tea type used for afternoon tea parties. The fusion of bergamot oil and black tea gives the super flavored Earl Grey tea. Among the health benefits of Earl Grey tea, improving immunity, boosting metabolism, fighting against anxiety and depression, and preventing of cholesterol build up are the most prominent. 

Oolong Tea

Oolong tea is a traditional Chinese tea and it has a mild but complex flavor profile that ranges from floral and fruity to earthy and smoky. It can be used as an afternoon tea. 

Herbal teas: Rooibos, Lavender, and Lemon Balm

Rooibos is naturally rich in minerals such as magnesium, calcium, and iron, and they allow someone to feel relaxed and sleep faster. Lavender, Lemon balm and herbal teas also support making the mind calm and restful. Therefore, it is better to drink these herbal teas in the afternoon. 

Evening Teas : Relax and Unwind

Evening is the time for winding down and preparing for a good sleep. Therefore, the teas that are selected for the evening should be caffeine free and relaxing. Chamomile tea is the most popular evening tea, as it has properties that are important for a good night's sleep. Although oolong tea contains some caffeine, it is also one of the most popular evening teas for relaxation and to prepare the body for rest. 

Oolong Tea

The history of Oolong tea is connected with Chinese culture, and it was first produced in Fujian Province, China. Oolong tea is a variety of tea that has a unique taste and numerous health benefits. Some of the benefits include, promoting weight loss, reducing inflammation, boosting brain functions, etc. Oolong tea is partially oxidized tea, and it falls between green tea and black tea when considering the caffeine content. It says that an 8 ounce cup of Oolong tea contains 30-50 mg of caffeine.

White Tea

Drinking white tea in the evening will help to clean the body during the night. Because of the soothing effect of white tea, it ensures a good night’s sleep. As white tea contains a very small amount of caffeine, it is suitable for almost all population groups. For people who suffer from high blood pressure, it is recommended to drink white tea throughout the day. 

Herbal teas : Chamomile, Lavender, Gnger, and Vanilla Rooibos 

Herbal teas may add a simple, soothing effect to your bedtime routine, allowing good relaxation and sleep. 

Conclusion

Tea is enjoyed by millions of people all over the world. Tea as a beverage  is associated with many different cultures. To get the maximum benefit from tea, it is important to select the right tea that is suitable for the right time of day.