What's in Your Tea?

My favorite tea pot filled with ginger and chamomile.

This morning when I let the dogs out, the crisp cool air tickled my nose.

Fall is here.

It dipped into the 40s overnight and will reach mid 70s during the day. On chilly mornings like this, I love to start my day with a cup of hot tea. Although I usually reach for a tea bag, I really like taking the time to make "homemade" pots of tea.

If you think about it, tea can be processed or a "whole food". You never know what's really in a tea bag. I have read about some companies using grass and weeds as fillers.

When I make tea, I add the ingredients directly to the pot, so I know exactly what I'm drinking. This morning I sliced a chunk of fresh ginger root to go with a few dried chamomile flowers. I'm sipping it as I type, and it's delicious!

So, what do you like to put in your tea pot? I'm allergic to caffeine, so I stay away from tea leaves.

My favorite ingredients include:

• peppermint
• chamomile
• rose hips
• ginger
• cinnamon sticks
• honey
• fresh lemon juice

What's in your tea?

Until Next Time,
Choose Healthy!

Angela Tague
Whole Foods Living

Tasty, tempting Tea!

Tea. Photo Credit: SXC

One of my friends refers to tea as dirty water. Well, I think she just hasn't tried enough varieties!

Tea is a healthy, zero calorie beverage that can be enjoyed hot or cold and comes in so many flavors and types, it's tough to get bored.

If you're looking for an alternative to sugary sodas and juices, add tea to your shopping list.

Here's my top three favorite teas:

• Red rooibos tea with vanilla beans
• Herbal tea with a chamomile base
• Spiced herbal chai made with black pepper

A writer friend of mine wrote a wonderful primer on other types of tea (including naturally caffeinated varieties that I can't enjoy due to an autoimmune sensitivity) titled "5 types of tea and their health benefits" for Vista Magazine. Check it out to learn more about black, green, white, chai and herbal teas!

Do you enjoy tea? I love brewing a pot of herbal tea made from dried chamomile flowers and rose hips flavored with a spoon of honey.

Until Next Time,
Choose Healthy!

Angela Tague
Whole Foods Living

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